The Harriet B. Mathis Lovewell Catalogue is the publishing branch of Lovewell Institute for the Creative Arts. The catalogue contains a carefully curated selection of full-length and one-act original musicals available for licensing to schools and other educational theater groups. These shows have been developed by students (ages 13-21) and staff in our creative workshops around the world using the Lovewell Method – a process by which professional artists guide students through the steps of conceiving, writing, and producing an original musical by focusing on creativity, collaboration and communication, along with artistic craft.

Our goal for the catalogue is to bring fresh voices to the world of educational theatre by licensing original musicals that have been written by and for young performers. As you explore our offerings, we think you’ll find our shows to be inclusive, unique, and highly customizable to the needs of your group. The icing on the cake? After costs are covered, all licensing fees from the catalogue go back into our scholarship fund, which assists students who would not otherwise have the means to attend one of our workshops. Arts education giving back to arts eduction – this is what we proudly call “Lovewell’s Creative Eco-System”. 

FLEXIBILITY: Many of the musicals commonly performed by student actors are written with 2-6 leading roles, and often are not nearly as diverse as the young people who participate in today’s theatre programs. This can be discouraging to young artists, who struggle to see a role for themselves in the “same-old, same-old” theatrical offerings. Lovewell musicals feature ensemble casts with roles of varying size and are flexible in regard to the gender and racial/ethnic background of the characters. This means more opportunities for students to gain valuable theatrical experience, and to see a place for themselves in the shows their schools produce. The result? A more equitable experience for everyone.

AFFORDABILITY: It’s no secret that licensing a musical can be expensive, and producing a well-known show comes with certain expectations in regard to  production value. These expectations can create an enormous amount of pressure on creative teams and production budgets. Lovewell simplifies this process by offering shows that can be licensed for a reasonable cost, and produced on a sliding scale of production budgets, making them accessible to schools and performing groups of all sizes. We believe that innovative, quality theatre should be available to all programs – not just those that can afford it.

INGENUITY: Lovewell works year-round writing new musicals with young people across the globe, putting us in the unique position to conceive and produce shows that are relevant to today’s audiences. Whether we’re taking a modern look at a figure from history or tackling a news event that’s currently making headlines, we always strive to co-create theatre that reflects what’s on the minds and in the hearts of our workshop participants. While a typical musical can take years to develop, our shows come to life quickly in intensive workshops, using a time-tested methodology. The result is new works of musical theatre that feel fresh and thought provoking for audiences of all kinds.