For nearly a decade, Winter Park Playhouse has been leading the charge in developing original musical theatre—and their 8th Annual Florida Festival of New Musicals is back June 19–22.
It’s the only festival of its kind in the Southeast, giving writers and composers from across the country the chance to share brand-new musicals with a live audience. Each piece gets a one-hour, concert-style reading—no sets, no costumes, just the story, the score, and a cast of professional Orlando performers bringing it to life.
The vibe is part sneak peek, part workshop, and all about discovering what’s next in American musical theatre. You won’t just get a front-row seat to what could be the next big thing on Broadway—you’ll help shape it during post-show talkbacks with the creators.
Tickets are on sale now—$10 per show or $50 for a 6-show “Festival Fun Pass.” Everything takes place at Winter Park Playhouse (711 Orange Ave).
Here’s this year’s lineup:
- Speakerheart – A sci-fi rock musical about identity, love, and ambition in a world of machines.
- Taking Off! – 1960s airline glam meets midair jewel heist in this retro comedy.
- Place to Stay – Two couples. One home. Suburban chaos ensues.
- Spirit of the Game – A disgraced football star joins Greece’s ultimate frisbee team (with a Greek chorus, naturally).
- Finding Our Way Back – Two sisters hit the road in a coming-of-age story about escape, identity, and healing.
- Ink & Paint – The untold story of Disney’s first all-women animation team during WWII.
We’ll be at the kickoff cocktail party Wednesday to get the inside scoop from the creators, cast, and crew. Until then, grab your tickets and get all the details at winterparkplayhouse.org.