Past CoNMF Winners

Shopping for a New Musical? Well, check out these past winners who have been featured as part of the Colorado New Musical Festival! Reach out to the authors for more information on completion, drafts, etc.

2022 Winners

Showcase Featured Musicals:

Extended Stay - Jenny Stafford & Scotty Arnold - A 4 person musical about a teacher who has lost her job due to an alcohol problem, who works to refind herself while working at an extended stay motel run by her AA sponsor. Contact: jennifer.stafford@yahoo.com
The Door - Elle Tyler - One, a young dreamer who longs for adventure; the other, the island’s aged outcast, banished to the edge of the world for a crime few remember. The two form an unlikely pairing as they seek to save-or destroy-Jessa forever.
Contact: elle.g.tyler@gmail.com
Scarlet Heel By Preston Adams & Kelly Bidstrup Graham - A musical in progress about a vigilanty drag queen serial killer. Think Sweeney Todd meets Kinky Boots. Contact: Pasings93@gmail.com
#Blessed - Adrien Loehring & Vince Learned - A beautiful story of 3 couples at different stages of life all dealing with cancer diagnoses. A poignant, lovely, show delicately balanaced with humor. Highly relateable and accessible to all audiences. Contact: adrienw25@hotmail.com
ELLIPSES - David Quang Pham - Meet the family, our galaxy and their dog, gravity. More information here: https://www.ellipsesplay.com/
My Curiosity, An American Genius Reinvented - John Pesaniello - A musical concept in progress about the life and work of Thomas Edison. Contact: jpesaniello@gmail.com
UNION MOTHER - Kirby Gosnell - This musical features the story of Mother Jones and her fierce fight for works rights in the 1890's. The show features music from the time period set with new lyrics. The piece is almost entirely sung through, could be performed with a large or small cast. Contact: stagescores@yahoo.com
Jiijaale - Elias Matthews & Seth Butler - A larger than life story about learning to believe you can be more than you are. It's a commentary on colonialism, while being a fun romp through the jungle to save the island as they know it! Contact: e01matthews@gmail.com
Astrology - Joel Paszkowski - All the astrological signs are going to a world religions and belief convention. We featured the opening number in which no one is ready. It's hilarious upbeat 80's workout video fun for anyone who loves astrology, or even if you don't it's still quite a ride. Contact: joelpaszkowski@gmail.com
All the Time In The World - Noah Carlson - A beautifully composed musical about a collection of people who have died as they figure out what has happened to land themselves on that side of eternity. Contact: noahmc59601@gmail.com

2021 Winners

57 Bus

57 Bus is inspired by a true event that took place on a bus in Oakland, California in 2013, when an 18-year-old agender high school student’s skirt was set on fire by another student. The musical explores how the lives of these two children are changed forever. 57 BUS is a refreshingly honest look at the impact of intolerance on children and the power of understanding to achieve peace and ultimately break down the cycle of hate.

Author/Composer: Ryan Luévano Contact: 57BusMusical@gmail.com

Rocky Mountain High

Rocky Mountain High (RMH) is the battleground for the high-stakes competition between brains and brawn. Jon, the math-minded new principal struggles to fund academics (“Alma Mater”). But it’s rampantly clear there’s only one game in small-town Gridiron, Colorado (“Everybody Wins”). The 99-0 football team, coached by arrogantly delusional fellow alum, Bork Hill, just needs to win one more “big game” in their brand, spankin’ new, climate-controlled stadium, so he can trade-up to an insanely lucrative pro coaching career. Tensions mount when their dream girl, Mary Jane Calhoun (MJ), makes a surprising return home (“A Better Me”) with a high school-aged son.

Written by: Kia Beth & Cooper Krofton

Composed by: Mark Hollman and Drew Gasparini

Showcase Featured Musicals:

A Kiss For My Daughter by Mitch Samu - A beautiful 1 act musical for two characters about a father and daughter's relationship as they go through life and they struggle with his progressing dimentia. Contact: mitchsamu@mac.com
This Year by Elle Tyler - A four person full length musical that deals with relationships and mental health with an absolutely stunning score. Contact: elle.g.tyler@gmail.com
Sincerely Stacy by Andrew Funderburk - A full length musical about a teacher's struggle and mental health. Contact: atfunderburk12@gmail.com
ComPlex by Megan Allen, Music by Dan Formidoni, Scribed by Tara Tioaquen, Alex Brazil, & Lexie Tatum - A full length musical centered around a woman with cerebral palsy who gets a once in a lifetime oppourtunity. Contact: danielleallen2020@gmail.com
You Go On by Matthew Gittins - A full length rap musical about a young man's struggle after a school shooting. Contact: matthewgittins97@gmail.com
Gossamer's People by Loretta Moore - A full length musical (sheet music needs transcribing), about a residence full of unique characters. Contact: vlmprod@aol.com
Ballad of Johnny West by Jaime April & Jason Moon - A video production musical seeking to be translated to a live production. Created during lockdown, this is a campy love story to all the old westerns with fantastic folk music from the April Moon band. Contact: aprilmoonband@gmail.com
Passages by Patrice Le Blanc - A full length musical about several middle aged women going through the challenges of their life. Contact: patrice@patriceleblanc.com
Naked by Germaine Shames & Tareq Abuissa - A Ful length musical that takes place at the Denver Art Museum, they are seeking partners to actually stage this show in the Denver Art Museum! It's a fictional what if scenario about a famous painting and what would happen if the DAM actually got to feature it. Story centers around a woman who has lost her passion to create art and has a conversation with the woman in the painting. Filled with history and feminism, its a wonderful show. Contact: germainewrites@gmail.com
Scarlet Heel By Preston Adams & Kelly Bidstrup Graham - A musical in progress about a vigilanty drag queen serial killer. Think Sweeney Todd meets Kinky Boots. Contact: Pasings93@gmail.com
Foodies by Michael Kaplan & Jeff Mar - A full length musical about mistaken identities and the craziness of the foodie world! Full score unavailable, but does have melodies and chord charts. Contact: mkap926@aol.com
The Chosen One by Eli Cohen - A full length musical about queer coming of age told through fantasy character alter egos. Contact: eli.sean.cohen@gmail.com

2020 Winners

There Will Be Light

This gay coming of age story is a cautionary tale of what unfortunately is all too common with young people who can’t accept who they are because of the hate around them. This show touches on issues of race and religion and comes with a content warning. The show is looking for funding as it has a planned production date in spring 2021. Writer - Preston Adams - pasings93@gmail.com

Not Just Anything

A full length acapella (+ pianist) musical is a theater love letter. A show about being female and underrepresented in the theater industry. This show showcases a diverse cast of women and tells the relatable stories surrounding our industry. This show is looking for funding and partners to be staged and produced. Composer - Kelly Bidstrup Graham - Kelsobidstr@gmail.com

Bleak House

A full length musical with period orchestration that tells the classic Dickens tale. This show is looking to be staged and produced. It would be a perfect show for a high school or college program as it’s easily singable and features mostly solos with few ensemble numbers. Composer - Robert Gale - Robert@lakewoodmusicschool.com

This New Place

A full length musical about growing old, focusing on the parent/relationship and what happens as that dynamic flips. Full of delightful characters and a charming story that is touching while remaining lighthearted. This show is looking to be further workshopped and produced, in addition to adding more instrumentation. Steef Sealy - ssealy@denverfilmdigital.com

You & Me & Larry

A one-act musical about friends and relationships in high school. Filled with wonderful characters and a female-heavy cast. This delightful little show is looking for a transcriber to take the recording and flesh out either chords or a piano/vocal score. Eden Farr - edenfarr@gmail.com

Jesus a Life

A beautifully written score to a humanist telling of the Jesus story. This show is perfect for churches as well as schools and community groups who are looking to tell this story in a new way. Composer - Mitch Samu - mitchsamu@mac.com

Stand Alone Features

La Llarona - A show about the fateful folktale. Show is in progress and looking for collaborators and dramaturgs who can give the show cultural context. Composer Jayce Johnson - jaycedbj@gmail.com
Let it All Hit You - A stand alone musical theater style piece. Chris Shaw - chrisshaw.sound@gmail.com