EAST HADDAM, Conn. (March 21, 2025) – Goodspeed Musicals is pleased to announce that Myjoycia Cezar has been selected as this year’s recipient of The Andrew A. Isen Prize at Goodspeed Musicals. This award is funded through a generous gift given by DC-based entrepreneur and musical theatre devotee Andrew A. Isen and was created to give young people who are in the early stages of professional development financial assistance and encouragement to focus on artistic excellence in musical theatre.
Cezar, assistant production manager for Goodspeed Musicals, said this upon learning of the decision, “I am extremely thankful to accept this award! As an early career stage manager and production manager, it is an honor to be recognized for my aspirations and goals in musical theatre, and to receive the support from this award is an absolute game changer for me as I progress towards my short- and long-term career goals. I am so appreciative to the team at Goodspeed, to all that have influenced and shaped me thus far, and to the Andrew Isen Award committee. I am excited to use this award to further hone my skills as a theatre-maker and uplift others along the way!”
Isen served on the selection committee and is thrilled with the recipient. “This was our dream – to acknowledge young theatre artists in the beginning stages of their career, especially those who are rarely recognized for their vital contributions,” Isen said. “Myjoycia has a vision that is unique and vital. I am pleased we are able to facilitate an important step in her pursuit of a career in musical theatre. She has a rare talent, a strong vision for her future and a passion to make a difference in the world through her art.”
The Andrew A. Isen Prize at Goodspeed Musicals is the first-of-its-kind prize dedicated to supporting emerging musical theatre professionals across all disciplines. Given annually, this prize recognizes a young person between the ages of 20 and 29 who has demonstrated excellence in their work during the previous Goodspeed Musicals’ season. Chosen by a committee of theatrical professionals, the honoree is awarded $5,000 to aid in their pursuit of a career in musical theatre. The establishment of this award with Goodspeed Musicals also serves to enhance Goodspeed’s efforts to recruit exceptional technicians, designers and other theatre professionals.
For more information about employment opportunities at Goodspeed Musicals, please visit gooodspeed.org.
ABOUT THE RECIPIENT
Myjoycia Cezar (she/her) is a stage manager, production manager and leader. She graduated in 2022 from Northwestern State University of Louisiana with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production & Design. Currently, she serves as Goodspeed Musicals’ assistant production manager where she helps coordinate and fulfill production needs for the current and upcoming seasons! Before joining the Goodspeed team, her work has ranged across the country: from stage managing regional theatre in New Orleans, Los Angeles and North Carolina to working Off-Broadway in New York City to stage managing numerous outdoor productions at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. As a leader and lover of all things management, Myjoycia is passionate about creating welcoming, inclusive spaces for theatre-makers so that the process of creating theatre is just as enjoyable as the performance of it.
ABOUT GOODSPEED MUSICALS
Goodspeed Musicals has achieved international acclaim and is the first theatre in the nation to receive two Tony Awards for outstanding achievement in musical theatre. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Donna Lynn Hilton, Goodspeed Musicals is dedicated to the celebration, development and advancement of musical theatre. Goodspeed creates powerful, world-class productions of enlightening new and established works to delight, inspire and challenge audiences on its two stages – The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn., and The Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn. From Goodspeed, 21 musicals have gone to Broadway (including Man of La Mancha, Annie, Shenandoah, All Shook Up, and Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn) and 89 world premieres have been launched. Goodspeed’s Festival of New Musicals, GoodWorks commissioning program and the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed are distinguished cornerstones of the organization that highlight its commitment to nurture creators and the creative process. Goodspeed also maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. The organization is supported in part by the Burry Fredrik Foundation; the Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; The Hoffman Auto Group; Masonicare; The Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; The Shubert Foundation; and WSHU Public Radio. Additional support is provided by Comcast, the 2025 ticket-back sponsor; Sennheiser, the official audio sponsor; and United Airlines, the official airline of Goodspeed Musicals. For more information, visit www.goodspeed.org.