Connecticut's Goodspeed Opera House begins their 17th annual Festival of New Musicals March 17. The three-day festival spotlights new works through seminars, cabarets, staged readings, and more.

The first day will feature a staged reading of Madeline Myers' musical Double Helix, which explores the life and struggles of scientist Rosalind Franklin, whose contributions to the discovery of DNA's structure were looked over by her male colleagues following her premature death. March 18 will center on a staged reading of another new musical based on true events, The Great Emu War, with a book by Cal Silberstein and music and lyrics by Paul Hodge. The festival will come to a close March 19 with Little Miss Perfect, including the viral song of the same name, with book, music, and lyrics by Joriah Kwamé. Additional festival events, including seminars, symposiums, and cabarets, will be announced at a later date.

"Every year we are amazed by the breadth and depth of the talented writers who join us on the Goodspeed campus to share their work with our audiences―and this year is no exception. We are so proud to highlight each of these writers and to foster their collaboration with directors, music directors and students," said Donna Lynn Hilton, Goodspeed’s artistic director. "The Festival is a key part of Goodspeed’s new works development program and we invite all musical theatre fans to join us."

For more information, visit Goodspeed.org.