Check out the latest news here!
Jan 2025
I was honored to be a Finalist for the Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre.
Jan 2025
Thank you to SongSpace for awarding a Space Grant in partnership with Open Jar Studios to me and my collaborator Meg Loughran for our musical For Love or Funny.
Dec 2024
I received an ASCAP Plus Award in Musical Theatre.
Nov 2024
I taught a workshop at New Perspectives Theatre Company on "Your Play Needs a Tune: Now What?" Are you a playwright looking to add music to your script? Composer Sonya Hayden explains when to seek out a composer and how to collaborate with them. Tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sweeet-noise-festival-of-readings-tickets-1058512843409
Oct 2024
I had a wonderful time in residency at The Legacy Theatre in Connecticut to work on my musical North Star. https://www.legacytheatrect.org/artist-residencies
Sept 2024
I was a Finalist for the Dramatists Guild Foundation (DGF) Fellows program, one of 30 applicants selected from over 550 submissions.
Sept 2024
My play The Dictator's Dentist was a Second Rounder (top 20% out of 10K submissions) for the Austin Film Festival's Stage Play Competition.
Sept 2024
I was a featured artist in the Verse-Intro Cabaret series at Soho Playhouse on a double bill with é boylan, accompanied by Matthew Lowy on piano, and performed by Marialena DiFabbio, Maya Keleher, Jason Long, and Megan Loughran. Produced by Briana Harris and Andi Lee Carter. Tickets here: https://www.sohoplayhouse.com/upcoming-events/verse-intro-cabaret
Aug 2024
My musical For Love or Funny (co-book and lyrics by Megan Loughran) was a Finalist for Manhattan School of Music's Musical Theatre Lab Series.
June 2024
I and my collaborator Meg Loughran were awarded were awarded an Across a Crowded Room Fellowship from the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts to do a reading of our musical comedy For Love or Funny in their '24-'25 season. https://www.nypl.org/blog/2024/06/18/announcing-2024-across-crowded-room-fellows
May 2024
My short play Tourist was a Finalist out of over 350 submissions for the 2024 Schreiber Shorts Festival.
May 2024
My songs "Partner in Crime" (lyrics by Megan Loughran) and "The Plant Song" were featured in the Spring Roundup, an evening of songs from new musicals at Three's Brewing, produced by Marialena DiFabbio.
Mar 2024
I won the Lucy Powis Mentorship Prize in the 2024 ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition with my play The Dictator's Dentist.
https://screencraft.org/blog/2024-screencraft-stage-play-competition-winners/
Feb 2024
I received a Songbook Award from the Kurt Weill Foundation for my song "If I Didn't Know Better".
Feb 2024
My musical Taking Off! (music by Matthew Lowy) was in the Top 6 for Michigan State University’s New Musical Laboratory.
Feb 2024
My play The Dictator's Dentist was one of 10 Finalists out of ~600 submissions for the 2024 ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition:
https://screencraft.org/blog/2024-screencraft-stage-play-competition-finalists/
Jan 2024
I won the MAC John Wallowitch Award, which is awarded annually to a songwriter under age 40. Past winners include Adam Gwon, Shaina Taub, and Joe Iconis. https://macnyc.com/awards/dottie-burman-john-wallowitch-awards/
Jan 2024
My play The Dictator's Dentist was one of 26 Semi-Finalists selected out of ~600 submissions for the 2024 ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition: https://screencraft.org/blog/2024-screencraft-stage-play-competition-semifinalists/
Dec 2023
My song "Snow One Else for Me" (lyrics by Alara Magritte) was selected for Maestra First Takes: Holiday Edition. It was featured in a reading session at Carroll's Studio with music direction by PJ Ju, orchestrations by Sarah Brett England, and singers Marina Yiannouris and Maria Limon from the Circle in the Square Theatre School.
Dec 2023
My short musical Crazy But True (music by Jon Hugo Ungar) was featured in an evening of performance at Pink Frog Cafe in Brooklyn. Directed by Victoria Gruenberg, produced by Katie North, Jeffrey Sweet, Kristin Nevin, and ANDTheatre Company, featuring Katie North, Serena Berman, and Zach Landes. Tickets here: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/a-play-thing/a-play-thing
Dec 2023
My song "Snow One Else for Me" (lyrics by Alara Magritte) was performed in Janine McGuire and Arri Lawton-Simon's Holiday Salon at Maravel Arts Center. Featuring Serena Berman and Jenna Levere, accompanied by Ayumi Okada.
Nov 2023
I was named a Finalist for the Manhattan Association of Cabaret's (MAC) John Wallowitch Award for songwriting, which honors songwriters under age 40.
Nov 2023
My short play Circus Act was a Finalist for B3 Theater's Feminist Festival in Phoenix, Arizona.
Nov 2023
My musical Taking Off! (music by Matthew Lowy) was a Finalist for Circle in the Square Theater School’s Emerging Writers Residency.
Oct 2023
I was selected for and completed a three-week fully funded artist residency at Marble House Project in Vermont.
https://www.marblehouseproject.org/residency-58/2022/12/2/sonya-hayden
Oct 2023
My musical Taking Off! (music by Matthew Lowy) was a Semi-Finalist for the O’Neill National Music Theatre Conference.
June 2023
My play There's Always Tomorrow had a production at the Piccolo Spoleto
Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Directed by Madison Berry. Tickets here: http://www.piccolospoleto.com/theater-and-dance/
May 2023
My play The Dictator's Dentist had a reading at New Perspectives Theatre. Directed by Zoya Kachadurian. Tickets:
https://www.newperspectivestheatre.org/current-programs/2023/4/7/may-mini-fest-2023
Mar 2023
My song "The Perfect Catch" (lyrics by Caitlin Collins) was a finalist for Song Slam at the 2023 TYA/USA Festival and Conference.
Jan 2023
My song "Away From It All" (lyrics by A.J. Freeman) from our new musical It Ain't Over 'Til the Bat Lady Sings was workshopped with Circle in the Square Theatre School students and performed on the Circle in the Square Broadway stage.
Dec 2022
My song "Our Little Life" (music by Alex Rybeck) was performed by Karen Akers as part of Urban Stages' Winter Rhythms Festival in an evening featuring original songs by members of the New York Songwriters Alliance, produced by Tom Toce, Music Direction by Jon Delfin.
Dec 2022
My holiday song "Hallmark Christmas Movie" (lyrics by Kenny Harmon) was featured in Janine McGuire and Arri Lawton Simon's Holiday Salon, performed by Kenny Harmon, accompanied by Beth Falcone. Livestream link: tinyurl.com/2022holidaysalon
Dec 2022
My holiday song "Snow One Else for Me" (lyrics by Alara Magritte) was featured in Urban Stages' Winter Rhythms Festival in an evening of music and comedy produced by Megan Loughran and Steve Young, performed by Meredith Brandt and Meagan Raker, accompanied by Fernanda Douglas.
Nov 2022
I was the English Script Consultant on the Equity 29-hour reading of new South Korean musical Crazy Bread by Hansol Kim and Boram Han, directed by Kenneth Ferrone, produced by Jack Dalgleish and YellowBomb.
Nov 2022
My short musicals Sing a Song of Six Pants (with lyricist and co-bookwriter Megan Loughran, directed by Nico Krell, music directed by Eli Schildkraut) and It Ain't Over 'Til the Bat Lady Sings (with lyricist and co-bookwriter A.J. Freeman, music directed by Jonathon Lynch) had readings at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts as part of the Across a Crowded Room program. Tickets (free with reservation): https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2022/11/19/across-crowded-room-2022
Sept 2022
My one-act play The Clumps was selected for a production in the MainStage Series of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, produced by The Heritage Players. Directed by Greg Pegher and featuring John Reilly and Hannah Taylor.
https://pittsburghnewworksfestival.thundertix.com/events/202213
Sept 2022
I was invited to join the BMI Advanced Librettists Workshop, a workshop for professional musical theater book writers.
Aug 2022
My one-act play Cassie Goes to Congress was produced by New Perspectives Theater. Directed by Dani Ortiz and featuring Nadia Diamond, Celia Berk, Emma Davis, Jonon Gansukh, and Gus Ferrari.
May 2022
A recording of my song “If I Didn’t Know Better” by singer Katherine Riddle was released by the Kurt Weill Foundation, as part of their Lotte Lenya Competition Songbook, Volume 2 ($1,500 award). Check out the recording here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VizKuPbs0Pk
Mar 2022
My song/comedic music video "Love in the Time of Corona" and song "I'm Here" (music by Kris Bjarke) were selected by the Women in Media & the Arts Coalition for their upcoming concert "Conversations in America: 2020 Vision." Check out the songs here! http://www.womenartsmediacoalition.org/conversations-1
Feb 2022
I was selected for New Perspectives Theatre Company's Women's Work Short Play LAB, where I developed a new one-act play to be produced in their summer festival.
Feb 2022
I was selected for The Recording Academy's Musical Theater Task Force Mentorship Program, a free six-month program where I will be mentored by Grammy Award-winning Music Producer Kurt Deutsch.
Dec 2021
My song "Snow One Else for Me" (lyrics by Alara Magritte) was featured in Playdate Theatre's Holiday Cabaret at The Duplex in NYC. https://www.playdatetheatre.com/holiday-cabaret-fundraiser
Nov 2021
My song “If I Didn’t Know Better” was selected for the Kurt Weill Foundation's Lotte Lenya Competition Songbook, Volume 2 - $1,500 award + song recording.
Sept 2021
I was accepted to the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop's Bookwriting course, a free year-long training program for emerging musical theater librettists.
Aug 2021
My original kids musical Wanda Does the Water Cycle was performed at Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival. Watch excerpts here!
Aug 2021
My short play Baubles, Bangles, and Bankruptcy was selected for the New Play Development Workshop at the ATHE conference and had development and virtual reading, directed by Robin Stone.
Dec 2020-May 2021
I was accepted to the Maestra Mentorship Program, a free six-month program where I was mentored by Broadway Music Director & Orchestrator Mary-Mitchell Campbell. maestramusic.org/mentorship/
Feb 2021
My play There's Always Tomorrow was a finalist for the national Tennessee Williams & New Orleans 2020-2021 Writing Contest.
Feb 2021
Our short musical Crazy But True (music by Jon Hugo Ungar) had a virtual production in Iowa, produced by CAIM Creative Co. and The Coffee Boyz Productions. Listen to a song from the show here!
Feb 2021
My short play Just Like Magic had a virtual production at Little Fish Theatre in California. www.littlefishtheatre.org
Feb 2021
Commissioned by Mind’s Eye Producing to write and produce musical comedy video for virtual corporate event at Bespoke Education. www.mindseyeproducing.com
Dec 2020
My song “Snow One Else for Me” (lyrics by Alara Magritte) was selected for a studio recording on Playdate Theatre’s Holiday EP.
Oct 2020
My short play Baubles, Bangles, and Bankruptcy was selected for the 10 Minutes a Month Playwriting Contest in the UK and received a virtual reading.
Oct 2020
My song “Love in the Time of Corona” was featured in the Zoom Thespians Telethon for the Arts, NYC.
Oct 2020
My song “I’m Here” (music by Kristoffer Bjarke) was selected for Empower Her Voice's Scratch Night in the UK. Listen to the song here!
Sept 2020
I was invited to join the BMI Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, a workshop for professional musical theater composers and lyricists.
Sept 2020
My short play Just Like Magic was a semi-finalist for the Pick of the Vine contest at Little Fish Theatre in California.
Aug 2020
My short play Just Like Magic was a semi-finalist for The Seven, Fusion Theatre Short Works Festival in New Mexico.
Sept 2019
Our short musical Taking Off! (music by Matthew Lowy, lyrics by Sonya Hayden, book by Rachel Sklar) had a reading at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, as part of the Across a Crowded Room program.
June 2019
Our short musical Crazy But True (music by Jon Hugo Ungar) had a reading at the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop in NYC. Listen to a song from the show here!
Apr-May 2019
I was selected for The Workshop Theater's writers’ intensive (free, application only) in NYC, where I developed my play Herr Dentist.
Apr 2019
My song “If I Didn’t Know Better” was performed at The Duplex, NYC, featuring singer Katie Welsh.
Oct 2018
My short play Death at the Airport: A Post-Truth Tale was selected for a reading in INKshorts! at Art House Productions in New Jersey.
Sept 2018
I was selected for the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, a two-year, free premiere training program for emerging musical theater writers, NYC.
Feb-Mar 2018
I was awarded an Erasmus+ traineeship grant to do a two-month placement as a Marketing Assistant at the Irish National Opera in Dublin, Ireland.
Aug 2017
My play Herr Dentist had a reading at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland, directed by Alan McKendrick.
Aug 2017
I completed my Master's in Playwriting with Distinction from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland (adviser: Nicola McCartney).
May 2017
My short play Just Like Magic was performed at the Village Pub Theatre in Scotland, directed by Philip Howard.
May 2017
My short play Death at the Airport: A Post-Truth Tale was a winner of the Merlin Theatre Short Play Contest in England.
Mar-Aug 2017
I joined the Writers Collective of the Village Pub Theatre in Scotland.
Mar 2017
My short play Death at the Airport: A Post-Truth Tale was performed at the Village Pub Theatre in Scotland, directed by Caitlin Skinner.
Mar 2017
I was selected via competitive application to attend a fully funded showcase of new European theater with other emerging theater artists in the E.U. at the Münchner Kammerspiele in Munich, Germany.
Feb-Apr 2017
I joined Traverse Young Writers at the Traverse Theatre in Scotland, and my short play Death at the Airport: A Post-Truth Tale had a reading, directed by Fiona Graham.
May 2016
I was awarded the Witherspoon Scholarship - a full merit scholarship to complete a Master's in Playwriting at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
May 2016
I graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in Music and a Minor in Theater; Phi Beta Kappa.
May 2016
Received Music Theater Award from the Princeton University Lewis Center for the Arts.
Apr 2016
My musical The Luckiest Girl had a workshop production in the Princeton Theater Department's season, directed by Ethan Heard.
Nov 2015
Received the Milton Lyon Award for Outstanding Writing from the Princeton Triangle Club.
