The 2025 Relentless Musical Award Celebration

On October 12, 2025, we gathered at Theatre Row to celebrate the winning musical, Jo Jenkins Before the Galactic High Court of Consciousness by Jack D. Coen, and to honor Adam Schlesinger, for whom the Relentless Musical Award is given.

​

The event kicked off with Natalie Walker's performance of "It's Not Just For Gays Anymore," written by Adam Schlesinger as Neil Patrick Harris' opening number for the 2011 Tony Awards. In tribute to Adam, Jesse Malin sung "Hey Julie," and Fountains of Wayne members Chris Collingwood and Steven Gold re-united to perform "Half a Woman."

 

Each of this year's finalists presented a song from their relentless musicals- Cheeyang Ng led the audience in an immersive performance of "In the Beginning" from their musical Legendary, Emy Coligado and Claire Kwon sang "Lucky Numbers" from Yoko's Husband's Killer's Japanese Wife, Gloria by Brandy Hoang Collier, Clare Fuyuko Bierman, and Erika Ji, and a rockstar cast led by Jelani Remy performed "Adeline" from Francois & the Rebels by Jaime Cepero.

​

Artistic Director David Bar Katz and Literary Manager and Artistic Producer Anna O'Donoghue presented the 2025 Relentless Musical Award to Jack D. Coen, who then played the accompaniment for "Ordinary Jo" and "Phenomenon of I" from his boundary-pushing sci-fi musical, Jo Jenkins Before the Galactic High Court of Consciousness, with Julie Benko singing the title role.

​

Following the event, guests and honorees were invited to an afterparty at BEA.