The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge is a national competition open to high school students who have a passion for writing songs that could be part of a musical theater production. The winners worked one-on-one with New York City theater artists who traveled to their hometowns for an intensive two-day workshop produced by the American Theatre Wing. Their final song is then produced with professional Broadway artists in NYC.
In Love’s song, Hangin’ on Life, a teenager is trying to decide whether or not to attend college and what to do with her life. The character feels like she is, “Hanging on life like it’s some kind of rope, whipped in the wind, beaten and thrown.” The song is about knowing when to hang on and when to let go of the things that don’t serve you.
Applications for 2020 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge are open!
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Music and Lyrics: Breezy Love
Music Director: Patrick Sulken
Mentor: César Alvarez
Performers: Jessie Shelton (vocals), Renée Marino (vocals), Lexi Rabadi (vocals), Matt Farcher (vocals), Maggie Gould (violin), Mike Bono (guitar), Sarah Hewitt-Roth (cello), Corey Schutzer (bass), Janna Graham (drums)
Producer: American Theatre Wing
Director: Ian Weiss
Editors: Ian Weiss, Kayla Williamson
DP: Matthew Cady, Hayden5
Camera: Jeff Springer, Hayden5
The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge is hosted by the National Endowment of the Arts in partnership with the American Theatre Wing. It also features collaborations with Disney Theatrical Productions, Concord Theatricals, and the National Music Publishers’ Association.
