Across a Crowded Room 2025

image of people on stage

Michael Bennett flanked by dancers at a performance of the Broadway production of the musical A Chorus Line, photo by Martha Swope, 1983.

Our annual incubator program series, called Across a Crowded Room, gives theater makers the chance to connect with others working across the industry. If you’re a bookwriter, composer, or lyricist with any level of experience, sign up to meet others for a chance to collaborate and create new work!

This summer-long program puts lyricists, composers, and bookwriters into a room together to form connections, collaborate, and ultimately create new 20-minute musical theater pieces to present at the Library for the Performing Arts. 

The Library has hosted these intensive sessions since 2014. Theater professionals like Jeanine Tesori, Jason Robert Brown, and Lisa Lambert offer participants guided feedback. At the end of the program, the formed collaborations present their musicals to a live audience at the Library.

How It Works

  • Sign up under one category of bookwriter, lyricist, or composer
  • Attend the meet-up where you will form a group
  • Attend follow up sessions with your group to start creating a new work
  • The Library will host "masterclasses" with a professional for groups to show their work and receive feedback
  • Present your group's work at a live event in November at the Library

If You’re A Director or Actor

We will add a second meet-up session where directors and actors will meet each other and join existing teams. If you fall in that category, stay tuned for more info.  

In additional sessions, this year held in person in the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab, participants will present their work to established composers, lyricists, and bookwriters for feedback and advice.

This Year's Timeline

  • June 28, 2025 (11 AM–1 PM): Required in-person introduction and networking meet-up at the Library
  • Additional workshops from June to September, specific dates to be announced
  • Final presentations in November, 2025, live at the Library for the Performing Arts