From Draft to Spotlight: How the NEA’s Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge Nurtures Young Talent
The winners of the 2025 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge. Photo by Addie Symonds
Designed to nurture the next generation of musical theater voices, the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, an initiative from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is more than a competition—it's a full-fledged educational experience, offering students access to professional mentorship, musical coaching, and career-shaping exposure.
2024–2025 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge winner Sydney Gray works with Challenge Mentors Jaime Lozano—a Mexican musical theater storyteller—and Dylan Glathorn, a Brooklyn-based composer, lyricist, and arranger. Photo by Addie Symonds
What makes the NEA’s Songwriting Challenge especially impactful is its commitment to ensuring participation is available to all students. Throughout the year, educational programming—workshops, masterclasses, and webinars—takes place online and is free and open to U.S. high school students. No prior training or equipment is required, just a passion for musical storytelling.
The Challenge features a two-round process: in the fall, students submit a first draft and receive feedback from industry professionals, including NAMT members and alumni from the Festival of New Musicals. In the spring, they revise their songs using that input, shifting focus from songwriting fundamentals to the art of rewriting.
To support the rewriting phase, NAMT offers the Writing is Rewriting Resource Center, a digital hub with six focused modules—Tone & Style, Character, Music & Lyrics, Digital Audio Workstation, Music Notation, and Scene to Song—each designed to help students refine their songs into strong, theatrical compositions.
Challenge Mentor Andrea Daly—an award-winning composer working at the intersections of musical theater, pop, and classical music—collaborates with 2024–2025 winner Leela Kumara. Performers Claire Kwon and Gabi Carrubba bring Leela’s song “Dancing Through a Dream” to life. Photo by Addie Symonds
As Betsy King Militello, Executive Director of NAMT says, “This program is about education first, competition second. It’s about building skills and learning to take and incorporate constructive criticism. It is, of course, about song development; but it’s also, very importantly, about personal development as well.”
The Challenge also introduces students to the broader world of musical theater. Through resources like the NEW@NAMT podcast series and video tips from professional writers, students gain industry insight and creative inspiration.
In June, the finalists were selected to attend Winners Weekend in New York City, where their compositions were orchestrated, rehearsed, and performed by Broadway artists—bringing their creative vision to life on a professional stage. Eight exceptional high school students from across the country were selected for their original songs exploring identity, friendship, family, freedom, and finding your voice. The talented group included students from New Jersey, Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio, and Oregon. Mentored by a team of industry professionals, their winning songs were brought to life through original orchestrations and expert guidance.
The NEA’s Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge is not just about recognizing winners—it’s about investing in young voices, equipping them with tools, mentorship, and confidence to tell their stories through song and guiding them from their first draft into the spotlight.
