MISS AMERICA: A New Musical

Book, Music and Lyrics by Emma Ashford

MISS AMERICA, a dystopian musical tragicomedy, tells the story of Eve - a driven, idealistic, and accidentally pregnant Indiana 17-year-old on the eve of her freshman year at college. After a failed illegal abortion attempt, Eve ends up at the New Life Center: a pilot prison created by the McGowan administration, which has codified abortion as murder. Over the next 8 months, Eve, alongside her fellow inmates, must reckon with parenthood, purpose, and the gendered expectations that confine all of us. With comedy, heart, and a sweeping score of pop/rock and pastiche, this uniquely American coming-of-age musical nods to hits such as Orange is The New Black and The Handmaid's Tale as it confronts what the reproductive laws of today could mean for us tomorrow.

You better deliver.

VIEW ON NPX

DEVELOPMENT/AWARD HISTORY

April 2026 - O’Neill NMTC Finalist

March 2026 - MISS AMERICA Choreography Lab choreographed by Niani Feelings and directed by Britt Berke

November 2025 - UMICH MT’s New Works Residency + Presentation - directed by Britt Berke (ZACK), music directed by Jason DeBord (ONCE), and supported by CHHASSEM @UofM and The New Works Series produced by Lynne Shankel.

October 2025 - North American Cultural Laboratory Residency

October 2025 - DGF Fellows Industry Presentation - featuring Jordan Tyson (HADESTOWN), Alli Mauzey (KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Wade McCollum (FLOYD COLLINS), Shanel Bailey (GYPSY) and Katryna Marttala.

February 2025 - JMF Writer’s Grove at Goodspeed Musicals Residency

October 2024 - Syracuse New Works/New Voices Finalist 2025

September 2024 - Dramatists Guild Fellow Project 2024-25 - Emma is selected for the year-long Fellows program to work on MISS AMERICA.

May 2024 - NYC Industry Reading - This reading, directed by Lauren Zeftel (SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS) and music directed by Cole P. Abod (HADESTOWN) featured Alli Mauzey (KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Ryan McCartan (THE GREAT GATSBY) Anna Zavelson (MASQUERADE), Maggie Kuntz (JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN), Ashlyn Maddox (PARADE) Miguel Gil (THE LOST BOYS) and more. This reading was produced by Lily Rosen.

April 2024 - O’Neill National Musical Theatre Conference Semi-Finalist

August 2023 - Songbyrd Foundation Demo Fund Recipient - Leslie Kritzer (SPAMALOT) records a version of “Choices” from MISS AMERICA. The Songbyrd Foundation was founded by Drew Brody and Michael R. Jackson to support emerging composers.

December 2019 - MISS AMERICA’s (then HEARTBEATS) first staged reading, supported by the student-run Blank Space Workshop at The University of Michigan. This reading featured Helen J Shen (MAYBE HAPPY ENDING), and was a 7 song play with music.

UofM Workshop November 2025

Photos: Peter Smith Photography