The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is launching a new initiative to present readings of in-development musicals, New Works Project, December 15-16, with readings of Winner and Much Ado.

Winner, by Nico Juber (Millennials Are Killing Musicals) and AADA Head of Musical Theatre Joe Barros, centers on a rigged high school election in 1999. The work has previously been developed in New York, London, at UC San Diego (with Blindspot Collective), and in Goodspeed Musicals' Johnny Mercer Writers Grove.

Ben Diskant's Much Ado gives a Grease by way of–Mean Girls spin to Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, re-setting the romantic comedy to center on a group of high school seniors.

Performing both works will be second-year musical theatre students at AADA, including Taylor Bumann, Riley Canalejo, Patrick Carpenter, Esha Chatha, Ria Chhabra, Jahlil Coleman, Jasper Eichel, Charlize Elizabeth, Zoë Fletcher, Brigid Fuller, Dani George-Garcia, Matthew Gory, Evy Gover, Salimah Hankins, Nejra Jerlagic, Daniel M. Lane, Via Lofton, Caden Mills, Theo Nobrega, Jayme Lolita Pacheco, Zach Pollard, Schenoa Ramos, Jafet Rodriguez, Luca Schultze, Jacob Smith, Aurlia Snyder, Leonie Thomas, Eddie Thompson, and Jay Wilson.

Barros is directing both readings. Winner will feature music direction by Matthew Russell, and Much Ado will be music directed by Rob Baumgartner, Jr.