The USC School of Dramatic Arts and its dean, David Bridel, have announced LiveRead@SDA, a new program created to cultivate and provide critical support for the creation of innovative and contemporary new musicals for the American theatre. LiveRead@SDA invites professional artists to weeklong workshop residencies on the USC campus, where they can take bold steps to refining their work with access to a diverse student population. The workshops, which culminate in a reading for industry insiders and the School of Dramatic Arts community, will afford students an invaluable opportunity to work with industry leaders – producers, directors, playwrights, lyricists, composers and choreographers – while gaining insights and practical experience in what it means to intensively workshop new musicals headed toward commercial production. VP Boyle will serve as creative director of the program, which was made possible in part by an anonymous donor. In addition to fostering show development, casting and general management of selected shows, Boyle will create show-specific strategic plans to integrate educational opportunities with each creative team for the entire School of Dramatic Arts, including master classes, panel discussions, observerships and more. For its inaugural year, Bridel and Boyle reviewed a portfolio of industry recommendations, referrals and curated proposals and chose two forward-thinking musical theatre projects that highlight the contemporary voices and global diversity of Los Angeles. This fall will be EMOJILAND with Book, Music and Lyrics by Keith Harrison and Laura Harrison. After being cyberbullied by kids at school, a 16-year-old girl runs away from home, only to wind up getting zapped into her smartphone by a freak lightning storm. In the spring 2017 semester they will worshop HIPSTER SWEATSHOP with a Book, Music and Lyrics by Kyle Puccia, Kurtis Simmons & Darryl Stephens and produced by Chad Kukahiko. When a super-stylish heiress inherits a commercial property in downtown Los Angeles, she is expected to evict the current tenants to prep for renovations. However, she reconsiders that plan when she visits the space and is charmed by the staff of millennial tastemakers creating high-end jewelry. Press contact: Delphine Vasko/USC (213/821-4040)...