National Centre for New Musicals

Presented by
Incite Foundation for the Arts



The National Centre for New Musicals (NCNM) at Theatre Aquarius is a one-of-a-kind incubator for developing new musical theatre in Canada. With a flexible program offering both remote mentorship and immersive in-person experiences, NCNM supports creators at any stage of their musical’s journey, guiding them as they move their work forward while fostering bold, innovative projects with lasting national and global impact. 

VISION

The National Centre for New Musicals envisions a dynamic future for Canadian musical theatre. By supporting the creative process, whether it is from concept to presentation, NCNM aims to be a transformative force in both Canadian and international theatre, amplifying voices and elevating Canada’s global presence in musical theatre. 

Submissions will reopen November 18th 2024-January 6th 2025.

IMPACT

Support musical projects at any stage of development—from initial concepts to fully written pieces—through tailored dramaturgy, mentorship, and music supervision. 

Provide a hybrid program of remote development and in-person collaboration, culminating in the NCNM Creators Summit, an in-person intensive for the Development Stream writers in January 2026. 

Create pathways for future opportunities by connecting writers with industry professionals and presentation opportunities for continued development of their musicals. 

INCUBATION STREAM

The Incubation Stream supports new musical theatre projects at the idea stage, focusing on early development and nurturing creative potential over an eight-month process. 

  • The Incubation Stream offers flexible, remote mentorship designed to support writers at their unique stage of development, guiding them through the process of creating their first draft. 
  • Teams will receive dramaturgical guidance, music supervision, and feedback from industry-leading professionals on the NCNM team. 
  • The Incubation Stream is fully remote, allowing writers a flexible path to create their piece. 

DEVELOPMENT STREAM

The Development Stream is dedicated to advancing new musical theatre projects that are further along in the writing process, who have a draft in place or those seeking to break open their current work. This eight-month hybrid program focuses on exploration and collaboration to elevate pieces to the next level through remote and in-person development support. 

  • Writing teams will receive remote mentorship, dramaturgical guidance, and music supervision as they work on enhancing their projects.  
  • The Development Stream culminates at the NCNM Creators Summit—an in-person intensive in January 2026. 
  • The Creators Summit may include tailored support through table reads or workshops, allowing writers to explore their pieces more thoroughly.  
  • The program concludes with a presentation of songs or excerpts, providing valuable opportunities to connect with industry professionals and potential collaborators for future development. 

“I’ve always believed Canadians are great storytellers in different aspects of the arts. We’ve seen Canadians succeed in music, in comedy, in animation. I’ve always believed Canadians could succeed in the genre of musical theatre. What they needed was two things: continuous support, and the opportunity to fail and to learn from that failure how to succeed.”

Michael Rubinoff, co-chair of the centre’s advisory committee, originating producer of “Come From Away”

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Michael Rubinoff

Co-Chair of the NCNM Advisory Committee

BIO

Lily Ling

Co-Chair of the NCNM Advisory Committee

BIO

Mary Francis Moore

NCNM Artistic Advisory Committee

BIO

Sean Mayes

NCNM Artistic Advisory Committee

BIO