Signature Theatre Initiative American Musical Voices Project, 2006: In May, 2006, Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre of Arlington, Virginia, announced a $1 million grant made by The Shen Family Foundation to the Signature Theatre primarily to support the launch of the Signature's American Musical Voices Project, a two-prong program consisting of Musical Theatre Composer Grants and Musical Theatre Leadership Awards. Under the Musical Theatre Composer Grants part of the Signature's initiative, Ricky Ian Gordon, Michael John LaChiusa and Joseph Thalken were each commissioned to write a new musical to be developed and produced at Signature Theatre. Those new musicals are scheduled to be presented one each year beginning with the 2008-2009 season. In addition, each of the three composers received a four-year grant stipend plus health insurance coverage. The Musical Theatre Leadership Awards portion of the initiative recognized four individuals for their extraordinary influence on and contribution to the advancement of new musical theatre. The recipients were: orchestrator, Bruce Coughlin; composer, Adam Guettel; singer/actress, Audra McDonald; and director, musical director and orchestrator, Ted Sperling. Each Leadership Award was presented in conjunction with a one-time grant stipend to support the artist's continued contributions to musical theatre. Additional information can be found through the following links: http://www.signature-theatre.org/american_voices.htm http://www.sondheim.org/php/news.php?id=1908 American Musical Voices Project: The Next Generation, 2008: In June, 2008, Signature Theatre announced that it has received an additional $300,000 grant from The Shen Family Foundation to fund The Next Generation, its new commissioning program designed to help emerging composers create new works for musical theater. An expansion of the original American Musical Voices Project that was launched in 2006, this follow-on Next Generation program will award three commissions in 2008 to Matt Conner, Adam Gwon and Gabriel Kahane to write new musicals for Signature Theatre. In addition, Signature is awarding developmental grants to Peter Foley and Marisa Michelson to help them prepare their musical ideas in anticipation of the Next Generation grants to be made in May, 2009, when three additional full commissions will be awarded. The program also includes a performance component for the new works. The Next Generation commissioned artists will take part in Signature's new summer performance initiative entitled "21/24 - The Signature Lab." Beginning in July, 2009, each Next Generation commissioned musical will be given a three-week rehearsal period and two performances. "21/24" will also feature a cabaret performance highlighting the Next Generation composers. Additional information can be found through the following link: http://www.sig-online.org/american_voices_next_gen.htm