🎭 NEW@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre Writers – Featuring Gwendellyn Doerfler

In this season of NEW@NAMT, we continue to showcase the winners of the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students, presented by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with NAMT, Concord Theatricals, Disney Theatrical Productions, and the NMPA S.O.N.G.S. Foundation. These student songwriters had their original songs fully orchestrated and performed live by Broadway professionals during Winners Weekend in New York City.

🎶 In this episode, host Jean-Paul Yovanoff is joined by co-host Anessa Marie Scolpini to welcome Gwendellyn Doerfler, who wrote the winning song “The Cost.” The song takes us on an emotional journey to 1970s Nashville, where dreams and doubts collide. Through this heartfelt country ballad, Gwendellyn explores the courage it takes to chase a dream, even when you’re unsure if the choice is right.

Gwendellyn shares how “The Cost” began as a personal school project and evolved into a universal anthem for dreamers everywhere. Co-host Anessa Marie Scolpini, who orchestrated the song, offers insight into the creative process and the emotional impact of hearing the song performed live by Desi Oakley at Winners Weekend.

If you’re passionate about storytelling through music and the future of musical theatre, this episode is a must-listen!

It’s time to lower the lights, raise the curtain, and LX1 Go on NEW@NAMT! 🎭

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For more information on the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, visit https://namt.org/challenge/

Watch Challenge Accepted! Featuring the Winning Songs: https://youtu.be/7ia5ebFAdrU?

Watch “The Cost” from the Winning Concert: https://youtu.be/vksgCRdnLIk?