JOBS
Collaborating Producer Opportunity
We are seeking a collaborating Producer or Producer/Director to take the lead
in advancing the continued development and early production life of An American Musical, stewarding its artistic mission and managing its production budget with care and intention.
The artistic mission of this project is to create a contemporary American musical
that entertains while engaging audiences in thoughtful reflection on democracy,
civic responsibility, and our shared public life bringing complex national questions
into human scale through story, character, and song.
PROJECT INFORMATION
An American Musical
Book, Music & Lyrics by John McDonnell Tierney
1. Project Overview
Title: An American Musical
Genre: Contemporary Americana (rock / pop / country influences)
Format: Two-act, full-length musical
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours + intermission
Cast: 10 principal roles (expandable chorus optional)
Orchestration: Piano, Keyboard, Bass, Drums (expandable orchestration in development)
An American Musical is an original contemporary musical set in a small New England diner on Election Day. The story centers on ten working Americans whose lives intersect over the course of a single day, revealing tensions, loyalties, generational divides, and shared hopes in a time of national dissonance. The work is designed for practical production by community and regional theatres while maintaining professional artistic standards. The score has been professionally recorded and mastered. Libretto and piano/vocal score are complete. Parts are available.
2. Artistic and Strategic Goals
Artistic Goals
- Present a character-driven musical grounded in contemporary American sound.
- Offer strong roles for actors of varied ages and backgrounds.
- Provide a flexible ensemble structure, including optional SATB chorus expansion.
- Balance emotional depth with accessibility and theatrical engagement.
Strategic Goals
- Secure a producing partner to shepherd the project toward regional premiere and/or professional development production.
- Position the musical for festival consideration, staged readings, or workshop productions.
- Establish a scalable production model suitable for both volunteer-based theatres and professional regional houses.
- Develop licensing and distribution pathways following initial productions.
3. Current Development Status
- Full book, music, and lyrics completed.
- 16-song professionally recorded demo score (May 2025).
- Principal orchestration complete for core band.
- Libretto and score formatted and production-ready.
The work is ready for producing partnership, further workshop development (if desired), and mounting.
4. Funding Structure
A dedicated fund of $25,000 has been committed to support a strategically selected production of An American Musical.
The purpose of this investment is to underwrite a focused, high-quality developmental production that can serve as a strong artistic foundation for the show’s continued refinement, documentation, and future producing life. These funds are intended to elevate the work to a more fully realized professional standard while maintaining disciplined and purposeful budget management. Specific financial arrangements (producer compensation, royalty structure, recoupment waterfall, and licensing terms) to be negotiated based on scope and scale of involvement.
5. Roles & Responsibilities
Working with the Composer/Playwright, the collaborating producer will ideally:
- Evaluate and refine the production goals and strategy
- Develop a realistic production budget and timeline.
- Help secure additional funding and backers as may be needed.
- Identify and secure rehearsal space and an appropriate performance venue.
- Assemble cast and crew (performers, director, musical director, designers, etc.).
- Oversee marketing, positioning, and audience development strategy.
- Pursue development opportunities (festivals, showcases, industry readings).
6. Ideal Collaborator Profile
The project seeks a producer with:
- Demonstrated experience in musical theatre production.
- Understanding of both artistic development and financial realities.
- Capacity to manage budgets and timelines responsibly.
- Strategic vision for positioning new work.
- Strong communication and partnership skills.
- Comfort engaging with material that explores contemporary civic and social themes.
- Regional producing experience and festival navigation expertise are assets.
7. Market Positioning
An American Musical offers:
- Contemporary American musical vocabulary.
- Manageable cast size with optional expansion.
- Practical production requirements.
- Built-in relevance to current civic dialogue.
- Appeal to community theatres seeking timely, audience-engaging material.
- A scalable model adaptable to regional professional theatre.
8. Long-Term Vision
- Successful premiere production.
- Secondary regional productions.
- Publication and licensing.
- Expansion orchestration package.
- Potential educational market distribution.
- National submission to new musical development programs.