Kokandy Productions is pleased to open submissions for the 2024 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, returning this summer following a four-year hiatus. Kokandy is thrilled to steward the much-anticipated return of this vital opportunity for new musical development in Chicago, as originally envisioned by Underscore Theatre Company.
Five finalists will be chosen for performance in the 2024 Festival, with concert presentations playing August 8-11, 2024, as part of Steppenwolf Theatre’s LookOut Series in the intimate 1700 Theater (1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago). Submission guidelines, FAQs and applications can be found at kokandyproductions.com/cmtf. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, May 30, 2024. There is no fee to apply for or participate in the 2024 Festival. Finalists will be announced in June 2024.
Pictured: A production photo from Hundred Days, produced by Kokandy Productions in 2020 and 2021. Photo by Evan Hanover.
The CMTF, now in its 7th year, was created with the belief that there’s a wealth of musical theatre creators in Chicago and around the country, but the high risks of producing new musicals means that few companies are willing to take a chance, especially with emerging authors. CMTF is designed from the ground up to keep costs low, to return proceeds to artists and to showcase emerging authors from Chicago and beyond.
To purchase tickets ($20) for the 2024 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, visit steppenwolf.org/lookout or call the Steppenwolf Box Office at (312) 335-1650.
About Kokandy Productions
Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.
The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot T. Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer.
For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com.
About the LookOut Series
LookOut is Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form, emerging artists and performance legends, quintessential Chicago companies and young aspiring ensembles, familiar Steppenwolf faces and new friends. steppenwolf.org/lookout.