named programs · 10 · from sources
What they call their work
4x15s
Biannual showcase featuring four musical storytellers presenting 15-minute excerpts of new works in progress to build momentum and industry connections.
Co-Productions
Collaborative productions with partner arts organizations to support artists moving into 29-hour readings or workshop productions, with MTF as a creative and strategic thought partner.
Fast Forward
Biannual live-taped discussion series that brings together artists and experts to explore urgent themes in musical storytelling, with sessions recorded for a podcast.
Flowback
Personalized dramaturgical support for artists, offered as either deep-dive (20-hour) or drop-in sessions.
Generators
Structured writing sessions ranging from 20 hours to one week, supporting individual artists or creative pairs in developing original material with expert collaboration.
Groundwork
Free, facilitated creative sessions where artists set intentions, work on goals, and reflect on progress in community.
Hot Mic Night
Collaborative event with The People’s Theatre for artists to share works-in-progress in a supportive environment and receive peer feedback.
Pulsepoint
Audience-forward development moments including cold readings, 29-hour readings, staged readings, and concerts to test and refine works-in-progress.
Realms of Innovation
Creative playgrounds for experimentation in music, movement, story, design, and XR (MTFxR), encouraging unconventional collaborations and low-pressure innovation.
Story of the Night
Biannual gathering featuring narrative-driven live music performances by indie bands or DJs, culminating in an open jam session to foster community connection and collaboration.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Arts Education Professional Development 2 activities
- Capacity Building for Justice-Centered Musical StorytellingEquips artists to create musical stories focused on justice, healing, and radical imagination through sustained support, equitable production models, and iterative development pathways. Co-founded the Director-Choreographer Coalition to center underrepresented voices in musical theatre.
- Facilitated Artist Workshops and Planning SessionsOffers free monthly "Groundwork" sessions for artists to set creative intentions and reflect on progress, along with Visioning Workshops to help individuals and teams define goals, values, and realistic pathways for long-term development. Also conducts Listening Tours to gather honest feedback across organizational levels.
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Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 1 activity
- Advocacy and Community Investment CampaignsLeads the We Got Us Campaign, an ongoing initiative to mobilize community investment in New York City's creative ecosystem, promoting inclusive practices and community-informed decision-making.
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New Play Development Programs 1 activity
- Artist Support and Creative Development ProgramsOffers structured programs such as "Generators" writing intensives, "Pulsepoint" readings and concerts, and personalized "Flowback" dramaturgical sessions to support artists in creating and refining original musical works. Includes Cold Readings, 29-hour Readings, Staged Readings, and workshop productions with audience feedback.
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Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
- Community Engagement and Showcase EventsHosts biannual "4x15's" showcases featuring four artists presenting 15-minute excerpts of new musical works in progress. Organizes "Story of the Night" events, "Fast Forward" dialogues, and co-hosts "Hot Mic Night" with The People’s Theatre to connect artists, audiences, and experts through live performances and peer feedback.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Operational and Financial Support for ArtistsProvides artists with a monthly financial wellness stipend, promotional media, and logistical support to advance their creative development and visibility. Manages financial stewardship, operational planning, and institutional innovation to sustain programming.
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Subsidized Rehearsal and Performance Space 1 activity
- Provision of Rehearsal and Creative SpaceProvides free access to rehearsal and creative space at the Factory Floor for musical theatre artists, including shared studio space for rehearsals, experimental development, and content capture. Offers weekly community studio hours and maintains a time-shared, equitably accessible facility with scheduled bookings and shared maintenance responsibilities.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Residency Program for Musical Theater DevelopmentOperates a residency program for individual artists and creative pairs to develop interdisciplinary musical storytelling through a focus on process, collaboration, and impact. Provides dramaturgical resources, research opportunities, table reads, concerts, and labs to support artistic development.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$642K
Contributions & grants$642K100%
Program service revenue$1960%
Investment income$110%
Other revenue$217
expenses
Total expenses$384K
Program expenses62%
Admin / overhead21%
Fundraising18%
Salaries & benefits$178K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$318K
Cash$310K
Investments$0
Liabilities$52K
Net assets$266K
Liquid reserves9.7 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +113.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABIGAIL GRUBB | MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT | 40 | $33K |
board members · 9
- AMY GOLDWASSER — BOARD CHAIRPERSON
- ARIEL ESTRADA — SECRETARY
- CATHERINE PULLEY-DENNISON — BOARD MEMBER
- CHEYENNE MYRIE — BOARD MEMBER
- ISABEL QUINZANOS ALONSO — TREASUER
- JEFFREY TRACHTMAN — BOARD MEMBER (RESIGNED DECEMBER 2024)
- M VON NIDA — BOARD MEMBER
- OPHELIA CHUA — TREASURER (RESIGNED JUNE 2025)
- SHAKINA NAYFACK — BOARD CHAIRPESON (RESIGNED JUNE 2025)
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Abigail Grubb Partner — Point of contact for inquiries about MTF consulting services
- Benevity Partner — Registered with Benevity to facilitate corporate matching gifts
- Brainpool Partner — Collaborated on the workshop production of JUNK: A ROCK OPERA.
- Doris Duke Foundation Funder — Isabel Quinzaños Alonso, a board member of MUSICAL THEATRE FACTORY INC, is a Senior Program Officer at Doris Duke Foundation.
- Factory Floor Partner — Provides rehearsal space for Makers in residence
- GiveButter Partner — Platform partner for the We Got Us Campaign fundraising initiative
- Joe’s Pub Partner — Presented the concert GET THE NAYFACK OUT in partnership with Joe's Pub.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provides funding support that enables free access to The Factory Floor for the MTF community.
- Shakina Nayfack Partner — Collaborated as director on the workshop of JUNK: A ROCK OPERA, with Sidney serving as choreographer.
- The Music Building Partner — Co-manages shared facility space with MUSICAL THEATRE FACTORY INC.
- The New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provides funding support that enables MTF to offer free access to the Factory Floor space.
- The People’s Theatre Partner — Collaborates with MTF on "Hot Mic Night," a community-sharing event for artists in the Groundwork program.
- artists Partner — Collaborates with artists to co-create musical stories and develop equitable production models.
- communities Partner — Engages communities as central participants in the creation and reception of musical stories.
- corporations Funder — Institutional funder supporting innovation in musical storytelling
- foundations Funder — Institutional funder supporting innovation in musical storytelling
- government agencies Government — Source of institutional support for musical storytelling innovation
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artist-Centered Ecosystem with Holistic Supportmethodology: whole_person_supportBy providing artists with integrated creative, personal, and structural support—including resources, fair pay, and care infrastructure—the organization enables sustained artistic risk-taking and innovation because holistic support reduces systemic barriers to participation.
- Collective Artistic Creation for Social Changemethodology: collective_artistic_creationBy supporting artists to collaboratively create musical storytelling, the organization advances justice, healing, and radical imagination because collective creation fosters shared ownership of narrative and challenges dominant cultural frameworks.
- Justice-Driven Incubation Through Relational Trustmethodology: relational-ecosystem-buildingBy centering trust, reciprocity, and deep collaboration in a justice-driven residency model, the organization cultivates liberatory artistic development because relational ecosystems enable collective care and empower marginalized voices.
- Radical Imagination as Liberatory Practicemethodology: radical-imagination-centered-developmentBy using radical imagination, iteration, and risk-taking as core creative practices, the organization creates pathways for redistributing power and dismantling oppressive ideologies because imaginative freedom enables transformation beyond reformist constraints.