For 15 years, the New York Musical Festival has been a launchpad for original musicals and fresh voices—from writers to talent—in musical theatre. Of the shows seen at past Festivals, 23 have gone on to Off-Broadway commercial productions—from Altar Boyz to A Letter to Harvey Milk to Gigantic (Fat Camp) to the currently running Desperate Measures; 19 have continued on to non-profit Off-Broadway runs—from Bread and Roses to The Other Josh Cohen. Perhaps most famous are NYMF alums Next to Normal, [title of show], Chaplin, and In Transit, which all went on to Broadway runs.

But aside from its reputation, Executive Director Dan Markley and Producing Artistic Director Rachel Sussman have five additional reasons to check out the offerings at the 2018 New York Musical Festival. The most curated festival to date, the 12 productions (in addition to readings, concerts, and educational events) feature more diverse creative teams and stories than ever before. Watch the video above to find out more.

And NYMF isn’t just for theatre insiders; anyone can attend. For tickets and more information, visit NYMF.org.