PAST FESTIVALS
The Cast of SOUND BITES 5.0
SOUND BITES Menu
Festival History
The 10-Minute Musicals
- 6.0 Selections
- 5.0 Selections
- 4.0 Selections
- 3.0 Selections
- 2014 Selections
Festival Judges & Past Winners
Video Reels
Past Programs
Submission Information
The SOUND BITES Festival of 10-Minute Musicals was first presented in 2013. Through an open submission policy, writers submit 10-minute musicals. All of the submissions received each year are evaluated by an adjudication committee of peer industry professionals and the top 8 finalists are chosen for presentation. Every few years we grow into a bigger venue in Manhattan. Our goal is to grow the festival to produce SOUND BITES for one night in a Broadway Theater.
The 47th Street Theater (196 Seats)
SOUND BITES - December 9, 2013
SOUND BITES 2014 - December 8, 2014
SOUND BITES 3.0 - January 18, 2016
The Irene Diamond Stage Theatre at the Pershing Square Signature Center (294 Seats)
SOUND BITES 4.0 - May 29, 2017
SOUND BITES 5.0 - May 28, 2018
Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center (449 Seats)
SOUND BITES 6.0 - April 2, 2019
(UPCOMING) SOUND BITES 2022 - April 23, 20202
It has become an annual event –now on its seventh year– and continues not only to grow larger each year, but also to provide musical theatre writers with much needed opportunities to develop their work through performance. Past selections have gone on to be part of New York Musical Festival's Next Link Project, City Theatre’s Short Play Festival in Miami, FL, and The Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival.
Festival History
THE MUSICALS
Hover Over the Musical for More Information
SOUND BITES 6.0
Based on the classic tale by Aesop. Hardworking, miserable Ant meets fun-loving, irresponsible Grasshopper. Together they learn that everyone needs both discipline and creativity, and that life is better shared with a friend!
A single mother struggles to raise her two sons in the middle of the civil rights era. One son is at the forefront of the fight for justice, while the other has huge dreams of being a dancer and changing the world through art.
Two struggling songwriters live in the same apartment decades apart. In one magical night, their voices connect through time and they begin a collaboration that leaves them forever changed.
In 1856, abolitionist John Brown is frustrated with the protests to end slavery, he takes his family to the new state of Kansas to take a stand and drive the pro-slavery Border Ruffians from the territory, by any means necessary.
Charlotte is secretly in love with the librarian. She rejects the idea of romance until three of literature's "greatest" lovers escape from their books to convince her to take a chance on love.
Comedy - 3m, 4f
Middle school has taught Madison lessons in algebra, literature, and life. She's learned that boys drool... does that mean girls get to rule?
Comedy - 4m, 3f
Ian (a regular high school kid) and Kyle (a stoner college dropout) working at a Tropical Smoothie in Panama City Beach, Florida. Together, along with Ian’s older sister Gabby, they explore love, life, weed, smoothies, and what it means to grow up. Oh…and their boss is Gollum.
Frustrated with their small cottage and strict parents, Jack and Jill run away from home; wishing for a life free of rules and full of adventure. But, when they stumble upon the darkest part of the forest, they quickly realize they should be careful what they wish for…
An exploration of one Chinese-American girl’s relationship with an iconic piece of public art.
Drama - 3f
Three adult sisters have dinner together at one of their homes in the suburbs. Kerri, the middle child and black sheep of the family is determined to not be undermined by the judgments and critiques of her two more well-adjusted and successful sisters.
Drama - 3f
SOUND BITES 5.0
On a late-night subway, a passenger accuses a young woman wearing a hijab of terrorism, which puts the only other rider in a precarious situation.
Drama - 1m, 2f
It's the first season finale of Food Network's latest, Tasty Time with Jenny and Brett - but as the cameras roll, the eponymous couple's cheary facade starts to crack.
Comedy - 1m, 1f, 1m or f
At age 82, Polly believes she is meant to spend the rest of her days with her unfaithful and manipulative husband. But she finds strength and courage in a strange place with an unlikely new friend.
Dramedy - 2m, 2f, +m ensemble
How do you spark up a conversation with a stranger? Meet Ben. He has no idea.
Comedy - 2m, 2f
Four worker ants set out on a routine mission to retrieve tasty morsels for their colony and end up on the quest of a lifetime...
Comedy - 2m, 2f
A hilarious, madcap, heartwarming romp of a musical that follows three young cancer patients as they embark on a quest to meet their idol, the flawless Hollywood hottie Ryan Reynolds.
Comedy - 3m, 3f
While on the lam, a teenage Mexican boy and his outspoken "Pet" cockatoo encounter a former Mariachi cover band turned Banditos, a posse of hostile Texas Rangers, a beautiful señorita and trouble in Old Mexico.
Des has to introduce his fiancée to his parents, and they're, well... elves.
Comedy - 2m, 2f
A jazzy comedy about a gangster in the 1920s who is frustrated with his friends and accomplices, and wants to work with and learn from a pro. However, he soon realizes people aren't always who they seem to be, and sometimes your friends are your best partners.
A perfect town where everyone follows a strict regimen of traditions. Today is Cleansing Day, the only time when families have the right to tell each other the truth that's been pent up all year.
Drama - 2m, 2f
SOUND BITES 4.0
A poignant through-composed musical that deals with love and loss, heartache and heartbreak.
Drama - 2m, 1f
The story of one woman’s life in New York, with each segment depicting a chance encounter that transforms her.
Bitter 30-year-old misanthrope who makes continuous attempts at human connection the only way he knows how: by antagonizing people on Facebook.
In a fictional town in Texas where the sun is hot, but the salsa's hotter. politics of competitive hot pepper is growing in a small town. The organic farmer, Taylor, wants to win the heart of the local restaurant owner, (and hot tamale) Carlotta, but the villainous Pepper Pete has other plans.
When 8th-grader Jennifer is assigned Franklin Pierce for her class's President's Day project, she's bummed to have gotten one of the history's most forgettable presidents.
Comedy - 1m, 1f
Based on missed connections from Craigslist. Romantic, funny, sad and exhilarating this dance play uses contemporary modern dance set to popular music to tell a story that will enchant and captivate old and young audiences alike.
Dance - ensemble
An autobiographical musical about learning to love and accept oneself and the extraordinary gift of mediumship.
Dramedy - 1f
Freshman Jenny as she spends her first Friday night at college alone. Unlike her three roommates, Jenny does not have extraordinary plans for the evening.
A bunch of colorful canines incarcerated in THE POUND! No one understands them – except Laura, their new shelter worker.
Shoot-outs, robberies, gas-huffing, drug dealing, pill popping, murders, and tap dancing - what do these all have in common? These are just a few of the parts of being a member of the Wild and Wonderful White Family.
SOUND BITES 3.0
Without instrumental accompaniment, is a new musical that, through song, dance, and comedy, explores the universal experiences of falling in, being in, and stumbling out of - what else? - love.
Gertie may be the worst girl scout the troop has ever seen: She has never won a badge, and ate all the girl scout cookies she was supposed to sell.
Burning up is a new musical about the collision of Silicon Valley and Burning Man.
In 1856, abolitionist John Brown is frustrated with the protests to end slavery, he takes his family to the new state of Kansas to take a stand and drive the pro-slavery Border Ruffians from the territory, by any means necessary.
A progressive Sicilian town is thrown into turmoil when they discover they have a rule that the oldest person in town is always right.
Brooklyn, 2015. Chelsea is getting fed up with her slacker singer-songwriter sister, Jackie, and it's time she moved out.
Ian (a regular high school kid) and Kyle (a stoner college dropout) working at a Tropical Smoothie in Panama City Beach, Florida. Together, along with Ian’s older sister Gabby, they explore love, life, weed, smoothies, and what it means to grow up. Oh…and their boss is Gollum.
A contemporary re-imagining of the Aesop Fable 'The Tortoise and the Hare,' this fun new show takes the familiar classic and exposes the truth behind this infamous woodland race.
An exploration of one Chinese-American girl’s relationship with an iconic piece of public art. As she digs deeper for answers she may never find, her connection with Maya Lin blossoms into something she has never expected.
Jane must overcome her depression (which is portrayed by another character) to be with the man she falls in love with, who happens to be her psychiatrist's son.
SOUND BITES 2014
five pieces of household waste that are tossed into a garbage can and, together, go on a thrilling journey through Roosevelt Island's unique AVAC sanitation system.
Raquel, Sandy and Gretl are so close to selling enough cookies to earn their cookie badges when two local thugs steal their cash box.
After the dust bowl of the 1930s, two teenaged girls struggle to balance hope &realism, loyalty to family & desire to form new friendships, & how to hold onto their past while moving forward into their future.
Video game golden boy must struggle to keep his family together while dealing with his late night binges.
A devised folk musical in the style of Grimm's Fairy Tales. It's about two boys who are sucked into a magical storybook and try to make it out alive!
Seven refugees applying for asylum in the United States. Asylum is granted with a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, sex, nationality, political belief or social class. Denial of asylum means deportation, for many, death.
When Jesse decides to find his true self, he logs onto Grindr - the gay geosocial networking and hook-up app. With the help of a chorus of Grindr boys, he delves into an underworld of anonymous sex, promiscuity, and general male horniness.
A genetically modified mosquito and legendary king are confronted with an unthinkable truth. Fantastical, mythic, and everyday collide as tiny and titanic alike seek answers and solid ground in a world offering neither.
David, a young boy whose lack of talent is made up for by his honesty, kindness, and love of gardening. This comes in handy when it comes time for the King to choose an heir.
An epistolary romance set in the answering machine of a party guy's college dorm room.
Judges & Winners
Voting committee assembled of industry professionals vote on the winners in many categories. A musical was not limited on the number awards it could receive.
BEST MUSICAL:
Gollum Owned a Tropical Smoothie
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:
Bleeding Kansas
BEST DIRECTION:
Ethan Crystal & Garrett Poladian
(Gollum Owned a Tropical Smoothie)
&
Will Lacker (Bittersweet Lullaby)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
(Behind The Bar)
BEST ACTOR:
Jason Veasey (Bittersweet Lullaby)
BEST ACTRESS:
Michelle Dowdy (Bittersweet Lullaby)
BEST MUSIC:
Behind The Bar
(Audrey Martells & Etienne Stadwijk)
BEST LYRICS:
Ethan Crystal & Garrett Poladian
(Gollum Owned a Tropical Smoothie)
BEST BOOK:
Will Lacker (Bittersweet Lullaby)
JUDGES:
Margaret M. Ledford, Barbara Anselmi,
Alison Franck, Casey McLain, James Darrah,
Julie Haverkate, Robert W. Schneider
BEST MUSICAL:
The Almost In-Laws
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:
Dinosaur
BEST DIRECTION:
Angelique Ilo (Run This Town)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Sidney Erik Wright (Dead Flowers)
BEST ACTOR:
Kyle Olsen (The Almost In-Laws)
BEST ACTRESS:
Laura Shoop (Welcome to Ridgington)
BEST MUSIC:
Bystander (Eric Grunin)
BEST LYRICS:
Dinosaur (Zach Spound)
BEST BOOK:
Hospital Kids (Lisa Mongillo)
JUDGES:
Kristy Cates, Ken Cerniglia, Ciera Iveson,
Casey McLain, Matt Murphy,
Stephen Nachamie, and Zach Zamchik.
BEST MUSICAL:
The Facebook Fighter
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia
BEST DIRECTION:
Amanda Connors (The Facebook Fighter)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Jimmy Burgio (Happenstance)
BEST ACTOR:
Chris Kerrigan (The Facebook Fighter)
BEST ACTRESS:
Sarah Smithton (A Most Average Musical)
BEST MUSIC:
The Facebook Fighter (Chris Kerrigan)
BEST LYRICS:
The Facebook Fighter (Chris Kerrigan)
JUDGES:
Ken Cerniglia, Alex Britten, Shelby Comstock,
Evan Pappas, Adam Feldman, and Jenny Gersten
BEST MUSICAL:
Gorgonzola
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:
A Cappella Love
BEST DIRECTION:
Jonathan S. Cerullo (Fictitious)
BEST ACTOR:
Cory Conley (Gorgonzola)
BEST ACTRESS:
Patti Perkins (Gorgonzola)
BEST MUSIC:
Nolan Livesay (Gorgonzola)
BEST LYRICS:
Gorgonzola (Gregory Bonsignore)
JUDGES:
Alex Britten, Shelby Comstock,
Timothy Huang, Richard Caliban,
Abigail Katz, and Seth Greenleaf
BEST MUSICAL:
The Answering Machine
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:
Cookie Soiree: a sweet new musical short
BEST DIRECTION:
Benjamin Viertel (Grindr the Musical)
BEST ACTOR:
Sam De Røest (What's Your Wish?)
BEST ACTRESS:
Desireé Rodriguez (Cookie Soiree)
BEST MUSIC:
Thicket and Thistle's What's Your Wish?
BEST LYRICS:
The Answering Machine (Kevin Hammonds)
JUDGES:
Alex Britten, Ken Cerniglia, Shelby Comstock,
Alex Dinelaris, Peter Filichia, & Mitch Weiss
BEST MUSICAL:
A Relative Relationship
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:
Singing Dixie: A Country Jukebox Musical
BEST DIRECTION:
Evan Pappas (Some Place Like Home)
BEST ACTOR:
Hansel Tan (A Relative Relationship)
BEST ACTRESS:
Katie Whestsel (Finding the Words)
BEST MUSIC:
The Oedipus Project: Antigone (Kyle C. Norris)
JUDGES:
Alex Britten, Ken Cerniglia. Eric S. Goldman, Esq. Marcus Woollen, & Zach Zamchick
