NEW@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre Writers – Featuring Jenn Grinels (Wakeman)
✍️ Book, Music & Lyrics by Jenn Grinels
In this episode of NEW@NAMT, we sit down with powerhouse singer-songwriter Jenn Grinels, whose new folk-rock musical Wakeman brings to life the astonishing true story of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, a 19th-century figure who defied convention, enlisted in the Union Army disguised as a man, and left behind a legacy captured in 33 riveting letters.
🎙️ Host Jean-Paul Yovanoff is joined by co-host Sonia Desai (Center Theatre Group) as they speak with Jenn about Wakeman’s journey from overlooked historical footnote to fully realized stage heroine. Jenn shares how she meticulously dissected and categorized each sentence of Wakeman’s surviving letters—preserving their original language and layering in a stirring folk-Americana score inspired by Brandi Carlile, big harmonies, and honest storytelling.
💡 The musical unearths questions about identity, gender, survival, and legacy—and leans into ambiguity where history leaves gaps. Jenn reflects on Wakeman’s life, the countless women who disguised themselves to fight in the Civil War, and her own discovery of the project.
🎶 Developed through Village Theatre, Circle in the Square Theatre School, the Tower Theatre Foundation, and more, Wakeman is a deeply personal and musically rich journey into an often-unseen corner of American history.
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