OKC hosting national musical theater conference for the first time: Here's what to know

Brandy McDonnell, The Oklahoman
·4 min read

On a chilly March night in Oklahoma City, Martin Storrow watched as not only his words but also the poetry of his late mother came to life on Lyric Theatre's Plaza District stage.

"The poem that is recited at the very end is the last poem that she wrote, and it's actually the poem that is engraved on her headstone. ... She never really had a chance to put her words into the world the way that she wanted to, so there's a really beautiful full-circle feeling in being able to share her work," said Storrow, the composer and lyricist of the new musical "King of Pangaea," during a talkback after the March 23 opening-night performance.

From left, Logan Corley, Wendy Melkonian and Riley McCool perform in Lyric Theatre's production of the new musical "King of Pangaea."
From left, Logan Corley, Wendy Melkonian and Riley McCool perform in Lyric Theatre's production of the new musical "King of Pangaea."

For the first show of its 2024 subscription season, Lyric Theatre is continuing its long-running New Works Initiative by performing "King of Pangaea" through April 7 at its Plaza Theatre. In collaboration with Atlanta's Aurora Theatre, Lyric is staging the first fully realized production of "King of Pangaea" after the workshop of Storrow's debut musical enchanted audiences at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's fall 2022 Festival of New Musicals.

"Everyone that saw the workshop, a year and a half later, they're seeing a full production, which never happens. So, that was also another reason to get people to come to Oklahoma," said Lyric Theatre Producing Artistic Director Michael Baron, who is directing the new musical.

Lyric's production of "King of Pangaea" is coinciding with the OKC professional theater hosting the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's annual spring conference April 3-5. It's the national alliance's first event in Oklahoma.

“We’re so excited to partner with Lyric and have this opportunity to show theater professionals from across the country some of the great art and culture in Oklahoma City,” said National Alliance for Musical Theatre Member Services Director Adam Grosswirth in an email.

What OKC attractions will be showcased during the National Alliance for Musical Theatre conference?

Regarded as one of the most important educational and networking events of the year for musical theater producers and administrators, the spring conference is hosted each year by a different National Alliance for Musical Theatre member theater. So, the event travels across the United States and Canada.

For Lyric's first time hosting, the conference theme is “Marketing & Development Should Be Friends," with the title and session names riffing on the musical numbers from the iconic musical "Oklahoma!"

Conference participants will get the chance to tour OKC attractions like the state Capitol, Oklahoma City National Memorial, Oklahoma History Center and First Americans Museum.

Attendees also are invited to a kick-off party and "Oklahoma Cabaret" at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, a reception at the recently renovated Civic Center Music Hall and a closing event at Factory Obscura's Mix-Tape immersive art experience.

Along with local presenters, the conference will feature speakers and panelists from Washington, D.C., New York, Texas, Missouri, Connecticut, Kansas, Vermont, Pennsylvania and more. For details, go to https://namt.org/events/spring-conference-2024.

From left, Logan Corley, Matthew Alvin Brown and Riley McCool perform in Lyric Theatre's production of the new musical "King of Pangaea."
From left, Logan Corley, Matthew Alvin Brown and Riley McCool perform in Lyric Theatre's production of the new musical "King of Pangaea."

OKC Mayor David Holt will join Baron on April 5 for the conference's keynote conversation.

"OKC has established a prominent role in musical theater. One reason is the long-standing success of OCU's (Oklahoma City University's) musical theater department, which has produced Broadway performers for decades. Another reason is the growing prominence of Lyric Theatre. So, it is actually most fitting for us to host this conference, and it is an honor for us to do so," Holt said in a statement to The Oklahoman.

"I'm excited to have it in OKC and grateful I have an opportunity to spend some time with the participants."

Plus, conference attendees will get the chance to see Lyric Theatre's production of "King of Pangaea," Storrow's semi-autobiographical "fantasy musical memoir" that follows 21-year-old Christopher Crow (Logan Corley) as he suffers a sudden, shattering loss with the death of his mother. He then travels to Pangaea, the imaginary island of his childhood, hoping to find answers that will put the pieces of his life back together.

"I always love creating new works. ... You really get to get in there and do the art and do the work. I prefer new works, because it's distills everything down to why we have chosen to become actors and performers," said Lyric mainstay Matthew Alvin Brown, who plays Christopher's father, Arthur.

"I listened to the music, and I thought, 'Wow, this is an exceptional musical and piece of theater.' And I connected to it in ways that a lot of other people in the cast have connected to it. ... It's like a big hug of a show."

'King of Pangaea'

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: In an Oklahoma first, OKC hosts spring national theater conference