NEO-Logo-No-Number

A Development Program For Composers, Lyricists, and Book Writers Of
New Musicals

PLATFORM TO PRESENT

Each season, The York selects three to five writers or writing teams dedicated to the art of musical theatre to be a part of the NEO Program, giving them a platform to present their work.

FULLY PRODUCED READING

Each season of NEO begins with a kickoff concert featuring work by all of the selected writers, performed by Broadway-caliber talent and members of the York family. This concert is followed with each selected writer/team receiving a fully-funded staged reading of one of their works in progress—a valuable opportunity for any writer and an unbelievable one for those unable to do this on their own financially. Often, this is the first time these projects are on their feet in front of an audience, and The York’s base of industry professionals and musical theatre lovers provides an ideal place to start.

NEO TO OFF-BROADWAY & BEYOND

In the years since NEO took this format in 2012, projects developed through the program have gone on to productions and further development off-Broadway and around the country, including:

One Thousand Nights and One Day by 2012 NEO writer Marisa Michelson & Jason Grote - Prospect Theatre Company, 2018

Renascence by 2013 NEO writer Carmel Dean and Dick Scanlan, with lyrics from the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay - Transport Group, 2018

Jasper in Deadland by 2012 NEO writer Ryan Scott Oliver - Prospect Theater Company (NY) and Fifth Avenue Theatre (WA), 2014

Big Red Sun by 2013 NEO writer Georgia Stitt & John Jiler - 11th Hour Theatre Company (PA), 2018

NEO WRITERS, 2012-PRESENT

2012
Andrew Gerle
Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair
Marisa Michelson
Ryan Scott Oliver

 

2013
Julianne Wick Davis
Carmel Dean
Kait Kerrigan
Rebekah Greer Melocik
Georgia Stitt

2014
Bobby Cronin
Gabriel Kahane
Shaina Taub
Sam Willmott

 

2015
Christie Baugher
Michael R. Jackson
AnnMarie Milazzo
Benjamin Velez and Kathryn Hathaway

 

2016/2017
Masi Asare
Alan Gordon and
Joy Son
Alexander Sage Oyen
Mark Sonnenblick
Scott Etan Feiner*
Billy Recce*

2018/2019
Amanda D’Archangelis and Sami Horneff
Julian Hornik
Janine McGuire and
Arri Lawton Simon
Madeline Myers
Sarah Kaufman*
Caleb Taylor Smith*

*NEO of The Future Undergraduate Writer

select neo writers 2003-2011

Todd Almond |  Kristen Anderson-Lopez  |  David Friedman and Peter Kellogg  |  Adam Gwon  |  Joe Iconis  |  David Krane and Stephen Cole
Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen  |  Peter Mills  |  Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin  |  Ryan Scott Oliver  |  Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham  |  David and Joe Zellnik

HOW TO SUBMIT

NEO is not a submission-based program.  Invited participants are selected from an ever-growing pool of writers whose work we are familiar with from script submissions and projects around the city as well as recommendations from past NEO writers and trusted industry sources.  If there’s an exciting writer or team you would like to bring our attention to, please email York Literary Manager and NEO Curator/Producer Seth Christenfeld at [email protected].

SUPPORT NEO

Any amount
is appreciated!

SPONSOR A WRITER

$6,5000 supports one team of NEO writers
to develop their musicals at The York and present a reading
to an audience full of industry professionals.