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 (ZACH Theatre) 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 (after not being able to call Brandi Carlile for the gig!).
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.Skye Cone Ivey 4:14 PM
Sonia’s org is wrong and I think I would cut the Brandi Carlile mention as an inspo.4:14But everything else looks right!!Frankie Dailey 4:15 PM
Got it! I didn't catch that about Sonia. But also CRAZY that chatgpt got it that kinda wrong.4:18here's King for a look:4:19NEW@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre Writers – Featuring John-Michael Lyles & David Gomez (The King of Harlem)
Book, Music & Lyrics by John-Michael Lyles & David Gomez
In this episode of NEW@NAMT, we travel to the height of the Harlem Renaissance to meet Mercy Wheatley, a rising Black prize fighter whose life takes an unexpected turn after a chance encounter with famed Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. Co-writers John-Michael Lyles and David Gomez join host Jean-Paul Yovanoff and co-hosts Rick Edinger (Carnegie Mellon University) and Kian Kline-Chilton (Diversionary Theatre) to discuss their genre-blending, time-bending, boundary-breaking new musical The King of Harlem.
What begins as a story about boxing and ambition evolves into a charged meditation on desire, race, queerness, and artistic legacy. With a score that fuses Harlem jazz, Spanish folk, blues, and contemporary storytelling, John-Michael and David reflect on the radical possibilities of historical fiction—and their decision to reimagine Lorca’s 1929 visit to New York through a queer, Black lens.
The duo dives into their creative influences (from Cab Calloway and Billy Strayhorn to Rosalía, Beyoncé, and Anaïs Mitchell), their research-fueled obsession with Columbia University’s archives (complete with thank-you Starbucks gift cards for librarians), and the collaborative joy they’ve shared since writing their first musical together at Pace University.
Developed with support from the Frank Young Fund for New Musicals, Musical Theatre Factory, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, and more, The King of Harlem is a bold and poetic new work poised for its next chapter.
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