When professor Raymond Sage came to Penn State after firsthand experience on Broadway, he knew students were missing out on some valuable experiences.

That is why three years ago he conceived the idea of the Penn State's NU. Musical Theatre Festival. This annual new works festival features up-and-coming playwrights, composers and lyricists and allows them to workshop their original pieces in a professional setting.

This month, five new musicals will be premiering at Citizens Bank Theatre, 127 S. Allen St., by and for Penn State theatre and music students. Sage said one of the great parts about this year is that the shows are all in some way connected to Penn State.

Festival organizers looked all over the country for composers, but they mainly focused in New York City, said Matthew Toronto, assistant artistic director of the festival and assistant professor of acting, directing and musical theatre performance.

"It's a great place to get in contact with new, talented writers that are doing great creative things and just need a shot," Toronto said.

But this year they didn't have to look too far from home. Red River Quilt, the first show premiering this weekend, was written by Richard Biever (graduate-theatre).

The musical, along with three mini-musicals and a one-man show, will make its debut in true Broadway fashion, with only 29 hours to put it all together. A time restriction like this is a common occurrence in professional settings when a company is required to put the entire show together in a limited amount of time.

"This was the initial thought of the festival," Sage said, "It was strictly for the skill of the actor and for the writer to get their work out there."

But both Sage and Toronto said the need for newer works became much more prevalent since the festival's creation.

Toronto said once students graduate, most of the jobs they will get are in positions attached to a new musical rather than jumping into a mainstream show.

The ability to workshop new performances, Toronto said, is a skill students need to have. The professional networking and contacts they gain are other perks to the festival, he said.

"It is a great opportunity for students to interact with the composer-lyricist and possibly make a connection for the future," Sage said. "This is the type of work they will be doing once they graduate."

Toronto said it is an exciting task to work on new musicals that are "pushing boundaries."

This year, two of the musicals, Preface and Buzz & Bud, deal with the issue of same-sex relationships. Sage said although homosexual characters have long been on Broadway, it is not often they are the lead characters.

"Since Proposition 8, the whole gay marriage issue is so hot right now," he said. "It's only fitting that musical theater becomes the venue for it."

With intense universal issues and shortened preparation time, participants in the festival are feeling the pressure. This includes choreographer for the mini-musical, Unsung, Jason Sparks (senior-musical theatre).

"The process is very fast-paced," Sparks said. "I have done a lot of homework so I know exactly what I want from the actors."

But Sparks said this shouldn't be an issue because everyone participating comes into the performances with a professional mindset.

"There is no CD for them to listen to," Sage said. "They have to rely on the sight reading skills they have been taught."

The festival is a great opportunity for everyone to learn something, Sage said. The actors get a professional setting to hone their craft and the writers get a chance to show the societal values behind their work.

"These musicals are in transition," he said. "Now we get to see where they need to go."