Newport NewWorks has announced the casts and directors for the three original musicals making up its second annual Musical Theater Festival, running August 2–16 at the Casino Theatre, 9 Freebody St.
The festival, founded by Academy Award-nominated producer Peilin Chou and theater producer Jeanne Hagerty, gives emerging and established writers a two-week residency to develop new work with Broadway-caliber collaborators, culminating in public presentations.
The three musicals and their public performance dates:
STUPID. A genius new musical, with book, music, and lyrics by Benjamin Scheuer and Simon Scheuer, is directed by Tony Award-winning director Kimberly Senior (Disgraced) and Sean Daniels, with music direction by Andy Collopy. The cast features Will Blum (Beetlejuice, Torch Song) and Ashley Spencer (Hairspray). Agnes and Ferdinand are geniuses — but when they meet, things get stupid. Performs Friday, August 14, at 7 p.m.
The Debutantes, with book and lyrics by Sam Norman and music by Eliza Randall — recipients of the Newport NewWorks Award — is directed by Jess McLeod, with music direction by Josh Kight, whose credits include the national tour of Hamilton. Set in war-torn Britain in 1940, the musical follows the female codebreakers of Bletchley Park. The cast includes Matt McGrath, Preston Truman Boyd, Debra Cardona, Jessie Davidson, Lyda Jade Harlan, Sarah Killough, Anthony Sagaria, and Grace Yoo. Performs Saturday, August 15, at 7 p.m.
A Life Worth Living, with book, music, and lyrics by Princeton graduate and neuroscience-turned-musical-theater writer Jeffery Chen, is directed by Chay Yew, whose credits include The Light in the Piazza at New York City Center. The musical, inspired by Chen’s own experience in adolescent treatment, follows high school senior Gavin Zhou navigating a residential treatment facility. The cast includes Morgan Dudley (Hadestown, Jagged Little Pill), Josh Hoon Lee, Ameer Ali, Bern Tan, Danielle Troiano, Lucy Grunden, Will Blum, and Ashley Spencer. Performs Friday, August 14, at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available at newportnewworks.org/festival-info-2026.
