Recipients Revealed For Lucille Lortel Theatre's 121 Project

Five new musicals will receive tailored developmental support amounting to up to $10,000.

April 13, 2026 By Meg Masseron

The Lucille Lortel Theatre has announced the five new musicals that will receive support through the 121 Project, the Lortel's tailored development program for new musical works.

The 2026 recipients are Bandit Queen with book and lyrics by Sami Horneff and book and music by Amanda D’Archangelis; Francois & The Rebels: A Punk Rock Ritual with book, music, and lyrics by Jaime Cepero; Fusong with book and lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson, music by Cecilia Lin, based on “The Lost Daughter of Happiness” by Geling Yan, and conceived and directed by Gabriel Barre; Next Year in Connecticut! with book and lyrics by Sarah Rossman and music by Sequoia Sellinger; and Out There, co-created, directed, and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo, co-created and with a book by Isaac Gómez, and co-created, composed and with lyrics by Michelle J. Rodriguez.

The 121 Project is a program of the Lortel's Music Theatre Lab, which fosters the creation, development, and presentation of new musicals. The program provides up to $10,000 of tailored support for the specific needs of each project.

“The 121 Project is a tailored development program designed to meet artists exactly where they are in their process...Now in our third year, the depth and range of submissions continue to affirm what we’ve always believed: there is no single path to creating new work, and meaningful support must be as flexible as the artists themselves. We’re proud to have helped projects move forward in tangible ways, and we’re thrilled to support this year’s cohort as they take their next steps. Our hope is that the Lortel can continue to be a meaningful partner in their journey,” says Artistic Director of New Musical Development Michael Heitzman in a statement.

Visit Lortel.org for more information.