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Pitch Wars Showcase

Please note: These are the entries for the Pitch Wars season beginning in 2021 and continuing through 2022. Please note that our Agent Showcase ends at 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday, February 14, 2022. Agents will not be able to leave comments requesting material after that time.
PW2021 YA #07: ALSO STARRING (Contemporary Rom-Com – #OwnVoices LGBTQ+)
Mentee:
Brandon Arthur
Mentored by:
Brianna Bourne
Book Title:
ALSO STARRING
Category:
Young Adult
Genre:
Contemporary Rom-Com – #OwnVoices LGBTQ+
Word Count:
86,000
Manuscript Content Warning(s):
Presence and discussion of anxiety/panic attacks

Pitch:

Kenny Deluca may have a center-stage ego, but even he didn’t expect to be making his Broadway debut at sixteen.

And he definitely didn’t expect to be understudying Hugo Fuente, the youngest (and most charming) member of pop sensation The Fuente Brothers.

When something sparks between the two boys, Kenny must decide: his name in lights, or the boy who lights up his heart? Because on Broadway, nothing is certain – and the spotlight shines brightest just before a blackout.

 

Excerpt:

The first line of the show always comes out in a timbre I don’t recognize, like words spoken after a deep sleep.

I sing the opening notes as me, as Kenny – not as my character. Can anyone tell? No matter how hard I try to focus while waiting for my cue in the wings, it always takes a few minutes of stage time to become someone else.

Not that this is a “stage,” exactly. We’re in a rehearsal studio packed with people here to see the workshop of The Wolf Gang. Theatre Twitter has been buzzing about “that new Mozart musical,” and some seriously high profile guests are here today. It’s the kind of thing that should throw me off balance, but honestly, I live for it.

Buzz is what gets us to Broadway.

Before I sink fully into character, someone enters at the back of the room. The PA at the door startles, so I know it’s someone important. He’s hiding behind oversized sunglasses and has a baseball cap drawn low in front of his face. Heads begin to turn his way. Even in disguise, he feels magnetic.

But I refuse to let him pull my focus – or the audience’s. I shut my eyes, take a full breath, and become the story I want to tell.

13 responses to “PW2021 YA #07: ALSO STARRING (Contemporary Rom-Com – #OwnVoices LGBTQ+)”

  1. Andrea Cascardi says:

    Dear Brandon, what a great pitch and opening! I laughed out loud at The Wolf Gang, and was immediately in the moment with Kenny in the wings. I’d love to read the full manuscript and hope you’ll share it with me. Please send to andrea@transatlanticagency.com and put Pitch Wars YA request in the subject line. Looking forward to enjoying how this story plays out!
    Thank you, Andrea

  2. Laura Crockett says:

    Hello, Brandon! I’m back and requesting the full of this project. Very excited to see it. Please send the full manuscript in an attached Word doc, body of the email containing the official query/pitch, subj line containing “Pitch Wars,” to laura(at)triadaus(dot)com. Thank you! -Laura Crockett

  3. Erica Bauman says:

    Hi Brandon,

    Congratulations on completing Pitch Wars! This project sounds amazing, and your excerpt instantly had me back to my former musical theater days. I’d love to read more! If you could please send your query and the full manuscript using my Query Manager link: QueryManager.com/EricaBauman/PitchWars

    And if more than one ACM agent requests, feel free to send to both—just let me know who else is reading, so I can coordinate on my end.

    Looking forward to reading more!

    All my best,
    Erica

  4. Mandy Hubbard says:

    I would love to read more of this! Please send your full my way, as an attached document, to Mandy @ emerald city literary dot com.

    Looking forward to reading!

  5. Eva Scalzo says:

    Hi Brandon,

    This sounds super fun! I’d love to see the full manuscript, if you are interested in sending it my way. You can submit the full here: QueryManager.com/evascalzo/PitchWars2022

    And if you want to know more about me, here’s a link to my website: http://www.evascalzo.com and my twitter handle is @evascalzo.

    Best of luck to you!
    Eva

  6. Laurel Symonds says:

    Hello! As a Broadway fan especially, I’d like to see more of this! If you’re interested, please send me your query + first 25 pages with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line to symondsqueries@thebentagency.com. (If more than one agent from The Bent Agency requests materials, feel free to send to all of us–just let us know. Thank you!) Looking forward to reading more!

  7. Michaela Whatnall says:

    I’m always a sucker for a theater story, and then I read in your Pitch Wars interview that you used to be a stage manager–so was I! This project sounds like a ton of fun, and I’d love the chance to consider it. Please send a query and the first 50 pages as a Word document to me via Query Manager at this link: QueryManager.com/michaelawhatnall/PitchWars2021 If you have any trouble using the link, you’re welcome to email me instead at mwhatnall@dystel.com.

    If you’ve received a request from more than one Dystel, Goderich & Bourret agent, please only submit to the agent here that you feel would be the best fit, and let that agent know about any other requests you received from our agency. Thank you!

  8. Jennifer Herrington says:

    Hi Brandon,

    Wow! This sounds fabulous! I would love to see more if you were comfortable sharing. Please submit your query, synopsis, and the full manuscript to: QueryManager.com/JenniferHerrington/PitchWars2022.

    I hope to see your submission!

    Jenn
    Jennifer Herrington
    Associate Agent
    Harvey Klinger Literary Agency

  9. Molly Ker Hawn says:

    I’d love to see this! Please send the full to me at hawnqueries@thebentagency.com and put ‘Pitchwars’ in the subject line. Thanks, Brandon!

  10. Analieze Cervantes says:

    Hi!

    I’m digging your pitch/excerpt and would love to request the query, synopsis, and the first 3 chapters of your manuscript!

    Submit here: QueryManager.com/AnaliezeCervantes/PitchWars

    Can’t wait to see this in my box soon! Have a great day!

    Best–
    Analieze Cervantes

    Literary Agent
    Harvey Klinger Literary Agency

  11. Ameerah Holliday says:

    Hi, I’d love to see more! Please feel free to send your query and first 50 pages to Ameerah@serendipitylit.com

  12. Quressa Robinson says:

    Dear Brandon,

    Congrats on making it through the editing rounds with your mentor! I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to check out everyone’s showcase samples. Based on what I’ve read so far, I’d love to see more. Please query me at this link (QueryManager.com/QueryQuressa/PW2022) and follow the directions. If more than one Folio Lit agent requests work from you it is okay to query more than one of us, just give us a heads-up. Good luck!

    Thanks!

    Quressa

  13. Christa Heschke says:

    Hi Brandon!

    This sounds incredible–your premise and writing are so standout! (Plus my assistant, Daniele, is a huge Broadway fan!)

    We’d absolutely love to read it! Please send your query, synopsis, and full manuscript via Query Manager at this link: QueryManager.com/christa_heschke/PitchWars2122

    Thank you!
    -Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis