Winter 2007 - BMI.com

Vol. 7, No. 28 Winter, 2007BMI Workshop WinsTony Award!And the Drama Desk Award!After nearly half a century, theBMI-Lehman Engel Musical T h e-atre Wo r k s h o p finally became arecipient of the Tony Honors f o rExcellence in Theatre. The pre s t i-gious honor was presented Oct. 24,2 0 0 6 at Tavern on the Green i nNew York City. The Tony Honors“ recognize contributions to thefield of theatre for individuals ando rganizations that are not eligiblein any of the established Tony categories.”In addition to the BMIWo r k s h o p , Forbidden Bro a d w a yand its creator, Gerard Alessandrini, a BMI composer-lyricist andWorkshop alum, were likewiseawarded. (Other honorees includedWilliam Morris Agency Senior VPSamuel Liff and La MaMa E.T. C .Founder/Director Ellen Stewart.)Deemed “The Harvard of MusicalTheatre” by The New York Times,the BMI-Lehman Engel MusicalT h e a t re Workshop was founded in1961 by the late Lehman Engel, aubiquitous Broadway musicald i rector who became known as“the dean of American musical theatre,”to create a setting where newwriters could learn their craft. TheWorkshop consists of approximately250 composers, lyricists andFrom the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . .2Works(Continued on page 3)Table of ContentsIn Performance . . . . . . . . . . . .4In Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8In Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10In Cabaret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Special Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Shelf Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14And the Winner Is... . . . . . . . .19Personals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Richard’s Almanac . . . . . . . . .22Richard Engquist

From the EditorApologies to Workshop membersand other regular readers for theu n p recedented gap of timebetween Newsletter editions. Afterover eight years of pumping out aregular quarterly, the chore of processingand formatting all the listingentries (noting member accomplishmentsand activities) becametoo overwhelming a task to maintainalongside my careers as musicaldramatist and teacher. As thedelay became longer and longer, itfinally occurred to me, in a blindingflash of logic, that I needed anassistant to take over that task. Andafter a search that, to my re l i e f ,wasn’t much longer than the timeit took to look over my shouldert o w a rd an obvious candidate,L i b rettist member J e ff Simnoa g reed to sign on. Adding a bit ofhis own editorial style to the establishedformat, and with whatseemed like only minutes for alearning curve, he has done wonde r f u l l y. I hope he sticks aro u n dfor a long time.Owing to the enormous backlogof material, I decided to forego theusual accompanying graphics forthis edition, but all things beingequal, we’ll be back to pictures ofyour lovely selves, colleagues, merchandiseand logos in the nextaction packed ish.BMI-Lehman EngelMusical Theatre Workshop320 West 57th StreetNew York, NY 10019212-830-2508theatreworkshop@bmi.comJean Banks – Senior DirectorSteering CommitteePatrick CookRichard EngquistFrank EvansFrederick FreyerNancy GolladayAlan MenkenSusan H. SchulmanJane SmulyanDavid SpencerMaury Yeston2

ookwriters, most of whom areactively writing new works for themusical theatre. Noted alumniinclude Tony Aw a rd winners J e ffMarx and Robert Lopez (Av e n u eQ), Edward Kleban (A C h o r u sLine), Maury Yeston (Titanic, GrandHotel, Nine), Alan Menken (B e a u t yand the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors),Michael Korrie & Scott Frankel(G rey Gardens), Lynn Ahrens &Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, OnceOn This Island) and Michael JohnLaChiusa (Hello Again, Marie Chris -tine, The Wild Party).The Drama Desk AwardThe Workshop received a special2006 Drama Desk Award “for nurturing,developing and pro m o t i n gnew talent for the musical theater.”Upon hearing the news, BMIP resident and CEO Del Bryantsaid, “We are thrilled to have beenselected for this unique honor. It isa recognition that the BMI LehmanEngel Musical Theatre Wo r k s h o phas truly become part of the fabricof Broadway over the past 45 years.The real credit goes to Lehman forhis inspiration and vision, and tothe many talented composers, lyricistsand librettists who have sogenerously given of their time andpassion to nurture generations ofemerging talent.”Tony Aw a rd-winning BMI composerMaury Ye s t o n (Nine, Ti t a n -t i c), a longtime moderator of theWorkshop who also cut his teethwith Engel, commented, “If youthink about it, it may be the greatestimpact that any corporation hashad on American culture, certainlyon the sector of that culture we callmusical theater. In addition to itsmission of training the next generationof Broadway creators in the artand craft of the musical, it has createda community among these creators.Because of the Wo r k s h o p ,these people know each other,work together and collaborate....It’s a nebula—a place where starsa re born—where talent coalescesinto new stars, and it’s happeningt o d a y, right now, making futurestars.”In addition to the special awardp resented to the Workshop, pastand present members were alsonominated for Drama DeskAwards, including alumni MichaelJohn LaChiusa (Best Music andBest Lyrics for See What I Wa n n aSee) and Michael Korie (Best Lyricsfor G rey Gardens), and current 2ndYear Workshop member Ryan Cunninghamfor his I Love You Becauselyrics.3

WorksIn PerformanceALL OF THE PEOPLE, ALL THETIMEDarwin Ortiz and David Roth,close-up magicians who specializein sleight-of-hand, played themselveslast November in their autobiographicalplay-with-magic, A l lof the People, All the Time, conceivedand co-written by Patrick Cook(Committee).P resented by Frank Evans(Committee), Lisa Dozier, andMusical Mondays Theatre LabDiscovery Series, the show wasd i rected by MTC’s Michael Bushand also featured Broadway veteransWilliam Parry (Sunday in thePark with George, Passion) and AlisonFraser ( Tony nominee for T h eS e c ret Garden and R o m a n c e /R o m a n c e) as the many characterswho come in and out of Ortiz andRoth’s lives.ARMENTO KID SHOWSThe People Garden and The NewK i d, young audience shows withbook, music and lyrics by P a u lArmento (Advanced), played aJ a n u a r y - F e b ruary return engagementat the York Theatre(w w w. y o r k t h e a t r e . o r g ). Theshows were originally pre s e n t e dlast Fall.BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITYhad the pre m i e re of its re v i s e dversion last June at the P r i n c eMusic Theatre in Philadelphia4starring Jeremy Kushnier ( B ro a d-way’s F o o t l o o s e and R e n t ) andd i rected by S t a fford Arima (A l t a rB o y z and the London and PaperMill Playhouse’s R a g t i m e). Thes c o re and approach to the storywere revised by composer-lyricistli b rettist Paul Scott Goodman(alumnus) and then re c o rded in aworld pre m i e re album on theG h o s t l i g h t / S h - K - B o o m l a b e l .Based on the hit novella, B r i g h tLights, Big City is a uniquely movingand touching coming-of-agestory set against the backdrop ofthe excessive yet glossy chaos ofthe 1980’s.CINDERELLA’S MICEa new children’s musical withbook and additional lyrics byJustin Wa r n e r ( L i b rettists) andmusic and lyrics by Ben Morss(Alumnus), had performances lastSpring at the Vital Theatre. Askewed, irreverent, Rosencrantz andG u i l d e n s t e r n-esque take on theclassic fairy tale, Cinderella’s Mice isthe story of a little mouse namedS p e n c e r, who’s got big plans forthe Royal Ball; but when Cinderella’sfairy godmother turns himinto a horse to pull Cindere l l a ’ scarriage, mouse and humandreams collide!CRAZY FOR THE DOG,a new play by Chis Boal(Advanced) had a limited run and

its world pre m i e re at the B o u w-erie Lane Theatre last June.GEORGE GRIGGScompleted his commission withsold-out performances of H e a r t sAre Wild (music and lyrics) at theCity Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA i nF e b ru a r y, 2006. Griggs’s song“ S h e ’s Got A Girlfriend Now”can be heard on A&E’s “RollerGirls.” And he re c o rded his ro c k“radio play,” “Transmitter Man” inOhio last September with re c o rdproducer Todd Tobias (Guided ByVoices, Robert Pollard, etc.).THE GRAPES OF WRATHan new opera with music byRicky Ian Gordon and libretto byMichael Korrie (both emeritus),was presented by the MinnesotaOpera Company. Based on theclassic John Steinbeck novel—which traces the Joad family’sa rduous journey from Oklahomato California—the new workplayed at the Ordway Center forthe Performing Arts in Saint Paul,MN, February 10-18. Eric Simonso n d i rected the three-act pro d u c-tion, which featured the MinnesotaOpera Orchestra.GREY GARDENSthe musical based on the documentaryfilm about “the lesserBouviers,” book and lyrics byMichael Korie (emeritus), musicby Scott Frankel (emeritus), bookby Doug Hughes, ended anextended summer run at P l a y-wrights Horizons, underwentsome stunningly effective revision,and transferred to an open-endedB roadway run at the Walter Kerrtheatre. The cast album of the off-B roadway version is available onthe PS Classics label. For moreinformation, go to the show’s officialwebsite, w w w. g r e y g a r d e n s-themusical.com.HATS! THE RED HAT SOCIETYMUSICAL,featuring original music byMelissa Manchester, Beth Falcone(Advanced), Pam Ti l l i s, K a t h i eLee Giff o r d, Carol Hall ( e m e r i-tus), Susan Birkenhead ( e m e r i-tus), Gretchen Cryer and H e n r yKrieger, premiered last October atThe New Denver Civic Center.The show, based on the ideas ofThe Red Hat Society, concerns a49.999 year old woman who triesto resist facing the inevitable BigFive Oh birthday—until she meetsseveral remarkable Red Hat Societywomen who show her aboutfun and friendship after 50.HENRY AND MUDGE,music and orchestrations byBrian Lowdermilk, book andlyrics by Kait Kerrigan ( b o t hAdvanced), had its New York premiereat the Off-Broadway LucilleLortel Theatre this past December.P resented by T h e a t r e w o r k s / U S Aand directed by Peter Flynn, thenew musical is based on C y n t h i aRylant’s picture books about a boyand his 182-pound, slobbery,canine companion.5

NEW YORK STAGE AND FILM2006 SEASONBMI alumni Andrew Lippa andDavid Tenney both had theirwork presented as part of the 2006season of the highly successfulNew York Stage and Film, locatedat the Powerhouse Theatre on theg rounds of Vassar College inPoughkeepsie, NY. The season alsof e a t u red new works by playwrightsDaisy Foote and K e i t hHuff, as well as fresh musicals byRachel Portman, Beth Henley,and a new revue of songs byStephen Sondheim called M i x e dCompany.Jerry Christmas, Lippa’s newmusical with librettist D a n i e lG o l d f a r b was directed by D a v i dWa r r e n and performanced July28th-30th. The show re v o l v e sa round a Jewish movie star whotries to reinvigorate his career witha television Christmas special.W h a t ’s Appropriate on a FirstDate With an Earthling, DavidTenney’s “sci-fi rock opera” withl i b rettist Steven Mark Te n n e y,was off e red as a special pre s e n t a-tion on July 1st and involves abeautiful alien, a burnt-out scientist,his daughter, a cyberpunkbiker and a visit to the Capitol.LISA DESPAINLisa Despain (Advanced) hadher first symphony, Sand & S t e e l,commissioned by the A m e r i c a nComposers Forum, pre m i e re lastJuly in Gary, Indiana as the culminatingevent in the City of GaryCentennial Celebration. A d d i-t i o n a l l y, Lisa’s oratorio An Ameri -can Nativity p re m i e red last7December at the Shubert Theatrein New Haven and featured Metsoloists Brian Mulligan a n dAmanda Borst, the vocal ensembleVo c e, and the New Haven Symph o n y, which commissioned thepiece.SCRUBS: MY MUSICALThe popular hospital sitcomScrubs o ff e red a unique musicalepisode in which a patient isfound to have an aneurysm thatcauses her to hear music. Theevents of her treatment are dramatized(and musicalized) from herperspective. The score for theepisode was provided in part bythe emeritus Avenue Q team of JeffM a r x and Robert Lopez, and inpart by supervising producer ands t a ff writer Debra Fordham(lyrics) in collaboration with veteranScrubs composers Paul F. Perryand Jan Stevens. The episode firstaired on January 18, 2007.SISTER ACTa musical based on the popularfilm scripted by Joseph Howard,with music by Alan Menken,lyrics by Glenn Slater (both emeritus),and book by C h e r i & B i l lS t e i n k e l l n e r, directed by P e t e rS c h n e i d e r, is currently in its outof-towndevelopment phase, havingjust finished a pre m i e reengagement at the Pasadena Playho u s e in California, and headingt o w a rd the Alliance Theatre i nAtlanta, Georgia.

SONGS AND STORIES WITHPAUL SCOTT GOODMANPaul Scott Goodman performed anevening last July at Makor, a programof the 92nd Street Y. With a host oftunes from the composer-lyricist’s catalogue,the show featured Ta r z a n’ sNatalie Silverlieb, singer- s o n g w r i t e rSabrina Stone and stage/screen veteranEllen Foley performing alongwith the author.THE STORY OF MY LIFEs c o re and orchestrations by N e i lBartram (Advanced), book by B r i a nH i l l, pre m i e red last November atC a n S t a g e’s Berkeley Street Theatrein To ronto. Directed by ManhattanT h e a t re Club veteran Michael Bush,the intimate, two-person show starredTony Award winner Brent Carver andB ro a d w a y ’ s J e ffrey Kuhn. A r a remusical without source material, T h eStory of My Life is a tender, musicalcelebration of lifelong friends and thepowerful bonds that can tie two peopletogether forever.THAT TIME OF YEARconcept and lyrics by alumni L a u-rence Holzman and Felicia Needlema n, was a revue highlighting “thejoys and anxieties of the holiday season,”according to press notes. Directedand choreographed by A n n e t t eJolles, its score a score featured musicby BMI alumni Sanford Marc Cohen,Nicholas Levin, Donald Oliver, KyleR o s e n, Brad Ross, and Wendy Wi l f.The show played at the York Theatreduring the 2006 Christmas season.THE TUTORThe multi-award-winning stagemusical, book and lyrics by Maryrose8Wood (Advanced), music by AndrewG e r l e (participating collaborator) isplaying a February 28–April 8 limitedrun at the Spirit of Broadway Theaterin Norwich, Connecticut, under thed i rection of Artistic Director B r e t tB e r n a d i n i. As described, “The Tu t o rtells a fresh, funny, contemporary taleof romance, art, and what it re a l l ytakes to get into Princeton.” SaidWood: “A few years ago I met a coupleof 20-somethings struggling to beartists and make a living in New YorkC i t y. Many of them were equippedwith Ivy League degrees, which Ifound rather dazzling because I comef rom humbler stock (I’m the firstwoman in my family tree to attendcollege at all, in fact). And the bestwork these brainiacs could find wastutoring rich kids! It was all verydizzying and took hold of my imaginationin the kind of way that generateslots of ‘what-if’ story ideas. Addto this that Andrew and I had a desireto write a small, contemporaryshow—our previous musical had al a rger cast and was set at the turn ofthe century—and The Tu t o r w a sborn.” For tickets, call (860) 886-2378or visit w w w. s p i r i t o f b r o a d w a y. o r g.For detailed information about theshow, visit www.tutormusical.com.In FestivalGLOBAL SEARCH (CARDIFF)FESTIVALThe Global Search for New Musicalsshowcase, a regular feature of theC a r d i ff International Musical TheatreFestival held annually in Wa l e s ,this year off e red five musicals(abridged, NAMT conference style).

Four of them were by BMI Wo r k-shop writers, and all of those four,and/or their authors were pre v i-ous award and honors winners:• About Face, Music by J e ff r e yLodin (alumnus), Book & Ly r i c sby David Arthur ( L i b re t t i s t s )• The Fabulist, Music & Lyrics byDavid Spencer ( C o m m i t t e e), Bookby Stephen Witkin ( a l u m n u s )• Like You Like It, Music byDaniel S. Aquisto, Book & Ly r i c sby Sammy Buck (both Advanced)• Top of the Heap, Music by JeffreyLodin (yes, Jeff was representedby two shows), Book & Ly r i c sWilliam G. Squier (alumnus).9KANSAS CITY CROSSROADSMUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVALTheatre League, Inc., the KansasCity-based national musical theat re presentation and pro d u c t i o nc o m p a n y, which has satellite presentingprograms in a number ofAmerican cities, introduced Missouriaudiences to readings ofseven new works over two weekendslast July at their first annualmusical theatre festival.S t a g g e r i n g l y, workshop memberswere represented in 6 of the 7works chosen:The Count of Monte Cristo,book and music by Philip deBlasi, lyrics by Jane Landers (bothalumni) based on the novel byAlexandre Dumas.F rog Kiss, An Unlikely Romance,book and lyrics by C h a r l e sL e i p a r t, music by Eric Schorr(alumnus), in collaboration withDaniel B. Brambilla, an adulttwist on the fairy-tale The Fro gPrince.Route 66, book by Jerold Goldstein& William Squier (alumnus),music by Fred Stark, lyrics byS q u i e r, about a big-city journalistand a bohemian photographerassigned to create a photo essay ofthe historic Route 66.Thorstein Veblen’s Theory of theL e i s u re Class, book and lyrics byCharles Leipart, music by RichardB. Evans (alumnus), about an outof-workeconomics professor in1900, New York City who takes his‘Theory of the Leisure Class’ to theFifth Avenue Vaudeville Theatrestage.Too Good To Be Tr u e, book byalumni Amy Coady and G e r a l dS t o c k s t i l l, lyrics by Coady, musicby Stockstill, loosely based on thelife of Elmyr de Hory, one of themost notorious art forgers of the20th century.Dakota Sky, composed by DeborahWicks La Pama, libretto byKathleen Cahill, directed byalumna Amy Coady, inspired bythe letters and diaries of then u m e rous single women whohomesteaded the plains ofWyoming, South Dakota, and Coloradoat the turn of the century.THE SECOND ACT PROBLEMa play by Carey Lovelace( L i b rettists) was featured at the30th Annual Samuel French Off -O ff Broadway Original ShortPlay Festival last June. The shows t a r red Julie Fitzpatrick and D a r-rel Blackburn and was directed byAllison Talis.DAHLIA: A MUSICAL CRIMEBook by Yvonne Adrian (Librettists),Music and Lyrics by L u c y

C o o l i d g e (Advanced, Libre t t i s t s )had a reading at Ensemble StudioTheatre’s Octoberfest 2006 featuringCarla Arnone (Advanced).AN EVENING WITH MOLLYHADAFEWwas featured at the W PA F r e eFest. The show with text and lyricsby Lisa Ferber (Second Ye a r ) ,music by Robert Firpo-Cappiello,s t a r red Alyssa Simon as theb o o z y, been-there-done-that damewho tells all about the great picklecaper on Mott Street.COMMON GROUNDSa highly innovative dance musicalset in a midtown Manhattanc o ffee shop, where an overwrought b a r i s t a fumbles an ord e rthat causes an accident and sets offa chain of events that eventuallyaffects the lives of everyone in theshop, was commissioned byNYMF.In this Robert A l t m a n - e s q u epiece (think C r a s h meets C o n t a c t) ,writer Sammy Buck ( A d v a n c e d ) ,along with composer Doug Katsa r o s (emeritus) and dire c t o r I g o rG o l d i n, collaborated with chore o-graphers Ray Leeper, L i s aS t e v e n s, Tiger Martina, Ron DeJ e s u s, and Rhonda Miller to createthe unique, stylized danceshow.MEET MISTER FUTUREbook and lyrics by M i c h a e lKorie (emeritus), music by S c o t tF r a n k e l (emeritus), directed byChristopher Ashley, was featuredat The Barrington Stage Companyinaugural Musical Theater Labseries, curated by Tony Aw a rd -10winning composer William Finnin tandem with N Y U ’s GraduateMusical Theatre Writing program.Meet Mister Future, set at the1939 World’s Fair, concerns an exboxerwhose career is transformedby a feisty young publicist.In ProgressCARABOO, PRINCESS OFJAVASUbook by Marsha Norman (‘NightM o t h e r), music by Jenny Giering(alumna), lyrics by Beth Blatt(alumna), tells the true story of apoor maid in 1817, who consBritish society into believing she isan exotic princess.The show was presented in areading last May, produced byMichael P. Price at G o o d s p e e d ’sNorma Terris Theater in Chester,CT. Directed by Gary Griffin (TheColor Purple), the reading’s castincluded Kathy Vo y t k o , whostarred in the title role of the 2004national tour of E v i t a, The Wo m a nin White’s Richard Todd Adams,Assassins’ Sally Wilfert, Beauty andthe Beast’s Chris Hoch, Sly Fox’ sJ e ff Ta l b o t t, P a r a d e’s Robin Skye,Crazy for Yo u’s Kerri Jill Garbis,Alexandra Melrose, and Rich Silverstein,with musical direction byAndrew Wilder and sound designby Jay Hilton.CHOCOLATArianna Rose (alumna) andR o b b y S t a m p e r p reviewed songselections from their musical versionof C h o c o l a t in the 3rd FloorBMI Media Room last June.

DEAR EDWINAbook and lyrics by M a r c yH e i s l e r, music by Zina Goldrich(both alumni), had three benefitreadings last July at the RattlestickT h e a t r e. The show, suitable for“children of all ages,” concerns 13-y e a r-old Edwina Spoonapple whotackles all the world’s pro b l e m s ,f rom birthday party etiquette tothe proper way to set a table, inher hopes to be a part of the KalamazooAdvice-a-palooza Festivaland land a coveted spot on herfamily fridge.GAY GRIMMSkicked off the new year of fre ereadings at the York theatre compa n y. With a book by Ted Sod( L i b rettists), music by Dan Martinand lyrics by Michael Biello (bothalumni), the new musical, accordingto press notes, concerns “Jackieand Leon, the Cousins Grimm,adapting their ancestors’ belovedstories and adding a queer sensibilityto them. The cousins learn alot about themselves in thep rocess; including revelations thatp rovide a mysterious and surprisingtwist to their creative collaboration.”GREETINGS FROMYORKVILLE, THESONGWRITER MUSICALmusic & lyrics by Robert Grusecki(alumnus), Lovers, lyrics & bookb y Anya Turner had a developmentalreading at the York Theatrein January. As described: “Collaborators,partners in all things, acouple of songwriters from theMidwest try to make it in the big11c i t y. Together they set out on thejourney of a lifetime. Ultimately,this is a love story about tryingagain, and again, and again…”The reading was directed byThommie Walsh. This two-charactermusical, performed by the writers,was named a finalist for theRichard Rodgers Aw a r d by theAmerican Academy of Arts andLetters.LOVE INCORPORATEDby Marc Castle (alumnus) followsthe adventures of a successfule n t re p reneur who uses businesssavvy to save her hopeless love lifeand find the man of her dreams.The show most recently had areading last June presented byMeri Krassner at the S n a p p l eTheatre Center s t a r r i n g J i mStanek (L e s t a t ), Becca Ay e r s(Avenue Q), Heather Ay e r s (S a r a h ,Plain and Tall), and Rich Affannato(Les Miséérables) with direction byChris Presley and musical dire c-tion by Jana Zielonka. Earlierreadings were performed in 2005at the York Theatre Company andin 2002 at A S C A P ’s MusicalWorkshop.LUCK!a musical based on a folk tale byIsaac Bashevis Singer, book andlyrics by Mark Waldrop, music byBrad Ross (both alumni) wasgiven a workshop production bythe Pace University Musical TheaterDepartment, January 18-23.THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS—THE MUSICAL!which satirizes the musical the-

atre genre, returned to the Londonstage Dec. 5 when it began a limitedengagement at the King’s HeadTheatre.Directed by Julian Woolford, theproduction officially opened Dec. 7and played a six-week run throughJan. 14, 2007. The cast includedSusannah Fellows, Ian McLarnon,Paul Baker and J u l i e - A l a n a hBrighten.The Musical of Musicals—TheMusical!, made its U.K. premiere atLeicester Square’s Sound Theatrein March 2006. In a statement, producerMelanie Herman said, “I amthrilled beyond belief that we willbe returning to London, where wew e re so enthusiastically re c e i v e dlast spring, and performing in thelegendary Kings Head Theatre ,which has presented so manyacclaimed plays and musicals.”The Music of Musicals—The Musi -c a l ! , which was the longest-ru n-ning show in the York TheatreC o m p a n y’s 35-year history (itplayed 256 performances there ) ,reopened at Dodger Stages, StageFive, where it played nine previewsand 318 regular performancesbefore closing in November2005. Featuring music by E r i cRockwell, lyrics by Joanne Bogart(both alumni) and a book by Rockwelland Bogart, The Musical ofMusicals is a satire of various musicaltheatre genres. One story isplayed five times, each in the styleof a different musical theatre composeror team, including Rodgersand Hammerstein, A n d rew LloydWebber and Stephen Sondheim.The Musical of Musicals—TheMusical! was nominated for a 200412Lucille Lortel Award for OutstandingMusical, five 2004 Drama DeskAw a r d s, including Best Musical,and a 2005 Drama League Aw a r dfor Best Musical. The original castre c o rding is available on the J a yRecords label.ORDERa new horror-slasher comedy byChris Boal (Advanced), was performedin a reading last October bythe Resonance Ensemble’s Thrillsand Chills Department.STORYVILLELisa DeSpain (Advanced) andKristen Anderson-Lopez ( A d v a n c e d )showcased selections from theirmusical Storyville last September asthe culminating event of their residencyas Dramatist Guild Fellowsunder the direction of emeritusmembers Stephen Flaherty a n dLynn Ahrens.VOICE OF THE CITYlibretto by Kenneth Jones (alumni),music by Elaine Chelton(alumna), inspired by the O. Henrystory Springtime a la Carte, had areading last October at T h eHuman Race Theatre in Dayton,OH, directed by Karen Azenberg.An earlier reading of the show wasdone at The York Theatre in 2004.WRITING ARTHURWith book, music, and lyrics byDavid A. Austin (Second Ye a r ) ,was presented in a reading lastAugust starring Lisa Howard,Allen Fitzpatrick, Nancy Opel,Stephen DeRosa, Nora Mae Lyng,Colin Hanlon, Courtney Balan,

Jamison Stern, Kat Ramsburg,Felicity LaFortune, To d dB u o n o p a n e, Tricia Rapier, J a s o nD u l a, Rebecca Robbins, J e n n aLahr, David Jon Wilson, Eric Picker i n g, Ve r o n i c a P u r i c e l l i, L i a mMurphy and Tommy Byrne.The show tells the story of isolatedArthur Danby, who avoids theoutside world by writing theworld of his novel. When bothworlds threaten to collapse, howev e r, Arthur finds the strength tolive his own life from the verycharacters he has created.Emily Schiff-Glenn, Gavin Creel,Amanda Ye s n o w i t z, D e b o r a hA b r a m s o n, Jill Abramovitz( A d v a n c e d ), Brad Alexander(Advanced), M a r y - M i t c h e l lC a m p b e l l, Tesha Buss, S a r aWordsworth (Second Ye a r ), J a m e sAllen Ford (alumnus), S t e v eM a r z u l l o, Brent Lord, To d dA l m o n d, Bill Augustin(Advanced), Andy Abrams(Advanced), Leslie Becker, G e o r-gia Stitt, Denver Casado ( a l u m-nus), and Betina Hershey ( a l u m-na).In CabaretMONDAY NIGHTS, NEWVOICES (SEPTEMBER)In September 2006, at theDuplex Cabaret Theatre’s M o n -day Nights, New Vo i c e s c o n c e r t ,Brad Alexander (Advanced) hadt h ree of his songs featured withlyrics by Adam Mathias ( L i b re t-tists), Helen Chayefsky ( a l u m n a ) ,and Andrea Schulman Gellert(alumna).HOT MAMAS!The cabaret property H o tM a m a s ! , featuring three pre g n a n tactresses singing about impendingmotherhood, played at SymphonySpace’s Thalia last November as abenefit for ASTEP (Artists Strivingto End Poverty), Campbell’s notfor-profitorganization.Hot Mamas! includes originalsongs by Bobby Lopez (alumnus),Kristen Anderson-Lopez ( A d v a n c e d ) ,13

SpecialEventsTHE ALCHEMY OF THEATRETony Aw a rd-winning actor/singer Brian Stokes Mitchell,Tony-winning lyricist Ly n nAhrens (emeritus) and make-upartist Angelina Avallone took partin a discussion about the newPlaybill Books tome “The Alchemyof Theatre” Jan. 29. The one-nightonlydiscussion/signing was heldat the Barnes & Noble Lincoln Trianglebeginning at 7 PM. R o b e r tVi a g a s (alumnus), editor of thePlaybill Books text—published byApplause Theatre & Cinema Books—moderated the discussion abouttheatrical collaboration. More thantwo-dozen theatrical pro f e s s i o n a l ss h a re essays on their own re a l -world experiences in The Alchemyof Theatre—The Divine Science:Essays on Theatre and the Art ofCollaboration.Shelf LifeCAROLS FOR A CUREComposer Neal Hampton a n dlyricist Phoebe Kreutz ( b o t hAdvanced) had their song “SomethingMust Be Wrong With MyMistletoe” recorded by the cast ofDirty Rotten Scoundre l s for the2006 Broadway Cares: Carols for aCure CD.I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (OriginalCast Album)hit stores October 3rd, 2006 withan exclusive early web-release onSept. 19th, 2006, by PS Classics,the record label devoted to musicaltheatre and popular song.Dubbed “a modern day musicallove story,” I Love You Because f o l-lows Austin Bennet, “an uptightg reeting card writer whose life isturned upside down when hefinds his long-term girlfriend inbed with another man. Forc e dback into the tre a c h e rous NewYork dating scene, Austin meetsMarcy Fitzwilliams, a free-spiritedphotographer whose spontaneityis matched only by her ability todrive him insane. They are constantlymisguided by A u s t i n ’ sb rother Jeff and Marcy’s bestfriend Diana Bingley. To g e t h e r,they explore the ‘rules’ andnuances of dating in the big city asthey learn how to love someone,not in spite of their differences, butbecause of them.I Love You Because opened at Off-B roadway’s Village Theatre F e b .14, and completed its run May 21,14

2006. The score with music byJoshua Salzman (Advanced) andbook/lyrics by Ryan Cunningham(Advanced) can be heard on 18tracks featuring the Off - B ro a d w a ycast: Farah Alvin, David A.A u s t i n (Advanced), Avenue QTony Aw a rd nominee S t e p h a n i eD ’ A b r u z z o and Colin Hanlon,with Jordan Leeds and C o u r t n e yBalan.O rchestrations are by L a r r yH o c h m a n. Christopher Gattellic h o reographed. Daniel Kutnerd i rected. Musical direction is byJana Zielonka. Larry Gates p roducedthe CD.As a footnote, the show recentlyopened at the Actors Playhousewithin the Miracle Theatre i nCoral Gables, Florida.I’M NOT SENTIMENTALa new album by Rob Kendt(Second Year) was marked by aJanuary 9 performance by the composerand special guests at P e t e ’sCandy Store in Wi l l i a m s b u rg ,Brooklyn.LOOK FOR MEJenny Giering sang with ro c kband Groovelily and other specialguests at J o e ’s Pub last August tocelebrate the release of her newsolo album, Look For Me. The BrendanMilburn produced album hasreceived rave reviews and can bepurchased at jennygiering.com.R e p e a t i n g , composer Stephen Flahe r t y (emeritus) and dire c t o r-adaptor Frank Galati’s musicalabout the world of writerGertrude Stein [on the J a yRecords label], is in stores now. . . .[The show’s] stock went up Nov. 6,2006, when Galati and Flahertywon the 2006 Joseph Jeff e r s o nAward for Best New Work (Musical),for the world-pre m i e re productionthat appeared earlier in2006 at Chicago’s Museum ofContemporary Art, in a co-productionwith About Face Theatre.Subtitled A Musical of GertrudeS t e i n, the work, which is nowbeing considered by pro d u c e r soutside of Chicago, draws on thewriting of Gertrude Stein, exploringher life and times in the contextof her relationship with AliceB. Toklas.SEASONED GREETING: ASTARDUST FAMILY ALBUMa CD of 12 all-original holidaysongs, was released this past 2006Christmas season to rave re v i e w s .The album, executive produced byJ e ffrey Simno ( L i b rettists), waswritten, performed, accompanied,e n g i n e e red, mastered, pro d u c e d ,and designed by the talentedsinging-waiters of Ellen’s StardustDiner, NY, NY. Stop in the restaurantor visit to order your owncopy.LOVING REPEATING(excerpted from a report by KenJones in Playbill Online): The 30-track cast re c o rding of L o v i n g15

Non-writingGigsAND/ORHarris Doran (alumnus) wasfeatured along side Lestat’s MeganReinking in the cast of A n d / O r a tthe Dixon Place HOT! Festivallast August. Written by S t a nR i c h a r d s o n and directed by J o y’ sBen Rimalower, And/Or is comprisedof four dark comedies andone live music video which chroniclethe heart-shattering decisionspeople make that seem like—andsometimes are—life or death.BROADWAY BACKWARDS 2Mark Janas (Advanced) is musicaldirector for this second benefitconcert for the New York Lesbian,G a y, Bisexual & Tr a n s g e n d e rCommunity Center. Hosted bySeth Rudetsky, the Feb. 26 concertwas held at 37 Arts and will featu re direction by Robert Bartley.Among those who were part of thee v e n i n g — w h e re men sang tunesoriginally performed by women,and vice versa—were Tony Awardwinners Betty Buckley and L e nC a r i o u, Vi e w co-host R o s i eO’Donnell, Jacques Brel’s ConstantineMaroulis, Wicked’s Kate Reinde r s, playwright-actor C h a r l e sB u s c h, recent P ro d u c e r s s t a rRichard Kind, Tony winner G a r yB e a c h and Miss Saigon’s Liz Callaway.16FAIR-HAIRED BOY, or THEABCs OF SUCCESSan obscure musical by S h e l d o nH a r n i c k—best known for hislyrics to Fiddler on the Roof, SheLoves Me and F i o re l l o !—was presentedin a sold-out Jan. 6 readingat the Playwrights Theatre in Patterson,New Jersey. Musical dire c-tion was provided by re t u r n i n gFirst Year composer Stephen Randoy.IN THE HEIGHTSa new musical at 37 Arts f e a-tures First Year member John Herrerain a leading role. (Asdescribed: “In the Heights is a newmusical about three days in the lifeof Washington Heights , a vibrantand tight-knit community at thetop of the island of Manhattan . It’sa place where the coffee from thecorner bodega is light and sweet,the windows are always open, andthe breeze carries the rhythm ofthree generations of music.”)JACQUES BREL etc.Rick Hip-Flores ( A d v a n c e d )recently joined the off - B ro a d w a ycompany of Jacques Brel is Aliveand Well and Living in P a r i s a smusical dire c t o r. The show, at theZipper Theatre, also feature sRobert Cuccioli, C o n s t a n t i n eM a r o u l i s , Gay Marshall, andJayne Paterson in the cast.JONI MITCHELL AT THEDUPLEXIn April 2006, at the D u p l e xCabaret Theatre, J e ff Blumenkrantz(Advanced) was one ofm o re than 20 distinguished per-

formers who leant their talents toTales of Joni: The Storefront SingsM i t c h e l l, an evening of songsdevoted to the work of composerJoni Mitchell p resented by TheStorefront.LEGALLY BLONDEthe upcoming Broadway musicalbased on the film, feature sAndy Karl (Second Year) in thecast.MARYMOUNT SERIESLast September, Lynn Ahrensand Stephen Flaherty (R a g t i m e ,Once On This Island, Dessa Rose andm o re), appeared as special guestpanelists in a segment of M a r y-mount Manhattan College DanceD e p a r t m e n t’s lecture series,Broadway Dances Ballet, Jazz andTap: Where Has It Been? AndWhere Is It Going? The two, alongwith their frequent collaborator,d i re c t o r- c h o re o g r a p h e r G r a c i e l aDaniele, were featured in the firstof the four-part series called, ACollaborative How To: Write ForDance; Find Points of Entry in theScript; Realize the Dancing andMake it Work.M A RTIN SHORT: FA M EBECOMES MEJill Abramovitz u n d e r s t u d i e dNicole Parker in the mostly fictionalBroadway biography of theSCTV alumni comedian. Happily,audiences had several opportunitiesto see Jill make the multiplecomic roles snugly fit her owninimitable style.Craig Baldwin (2nd Year) wasAssistant Musical Director for thes h o w, and Beth Falcone(Advanced) played keyboard inthe pit.MONDAY NIGHTS, NEWVOICES (APRIL)The Monday Nights, New Voicesseries at the Duplex Cabaret Theat r e, which showcases up-andcomingtalent, was hosted by Maxvon Essen last April, featuringcomposers Ricky Ian Gordon andRyan Scott Oliver.The one-night-only eventincluded Ty e B l u e, Alison Cimme t, Tory Ross, Alééna Wa t t e r sand Katie Thompson with musicald i rection by Advanced memberBarbara Anselmi.MARY FEINSINGERwhen not busy writing, is busydoing everything else. The pastyear she revived her starring ro l eas Rifke in the Folksbiene productionof Di Yam Gazlonim (the Yiddishversion of The Pirates of Pen -z a n c e) at the 92nd Street Y; shewas mezzo soprano soloist at theSt. Albans Music Festival’s Musicfor Kings and Cro w n i n g s o rc h e s-tral concert conducted and dire c t-ed by Jeffrey Hoffman (Alumnus);she was music director andarranger for both Ta i l s (book andlyrics by Mark Masi [ L i b re t t i s t s ] ,music by Jess Platt) and The Bellsof Christmas at the Irish Rep; shewas commissioned by the N e wYork Children’s Aid Society Choru s to write a choral piece whichp re m i e red at the Ethical CultureA u d i t o r i u m; and she conducted17

the B roadway at the Y’ s s p r i n gconcert, also at the 92nd Street Y.TURNER MEETS GUTENBERGO ff - B roadway’s G u t e n b e rg! TheM u s i c a l !, the critically acclaimedshowbiz musical about bumbling,no-talent musical comedy writers,got a new bumbler starting Feb.13. David Tu r n e r ( A d v a n c e d ) —recognized as the delicious, anticcenter of the otherwise bizarre ,critically drubbed Broadway musicalIn My Life—took over the roleof Bud Davenport, having justreturned from playing Sir Robin inthe national tour of M o n t yP y t h o n ’s Spamalot. He hasa p p e a red on Broadway in To mS t o p p a rd’s The Invention of Love,and as Winston in In My Life, forwhich the Playbill Broadway Yearbookcited his work beneath theheading “Valiant PerformancesUnder Adverse Circumstances.”18

And the Winner Is...AVENUE Qthe Tony Aw a rd-winning musical—musicand lyrics by Jeff Marxand Robert Lopez (both emeritus),book by J e ff Whitty—has beennominated for an Olivier Award inthe Best Musical category for itsL o n d o n p roduction at the N o ë lCoward Theatre.BAITa 2-actor/30-character one-actplay by Tom Gualtieri and DavidS i s c o about two friends whoattend a “Gay Bait” speed datingevent together, premiered last yearat the 3rd bi-annual C o l u m b u sNational Gay & Lesbian TheatreFestival where it garnered awardsfor Best Actor: Tom Gualtieri, BestOriginal Script: Gualtieri & Sisco,Best Director: Laura Josepher,Best Comedy, Best of the Festival,and Audience Favorite.BEAUTY AND THE BEASTSTAMP DEDICATIONOn Thursday, April 27th, castmembers from Disney’s B e a u t yand the Beast on Broadway kickedo ff the U. S. Postal Service’s commemorativestamp dedication celebratingthe new The Art of Disney:R o m a n c e stamp featuring B e l l eand the Beast from the Disney animatedfilm whose famous score isby Alan Menken (emeritus) andHoward Ashman (honorary member).With help from some of Wa l tDisney’s famous animated characters,four stamps illustrate thetheme of romance. U.S. Postal Serviceart director Terrence W .M c C a ff r e y joined with a Disneyteam including artist P e t e rE m m e r i c h and creative dire c t o rDave Pacheco to create fourstamps that feature Cinderella andPrince Charming; Beauty and theBeast; Lady and Tramp; and Mickeyand Minnie Mouse. This is thethird stamp pane honoring the artof Disney to be issued by the U.S.Postal Service. The first, issued in2004, was on the theme of friendship.The second, issued in 2005,focused on celebrations.CAROLINE OR CHANGEThe musical with book andlyrics by Tony Kushner and musicby Jeanine Tesori (alumna) recentlywon the London Critics CircleAward and been nominated for anOlivier Award for Best Musical.PETER FOLEYan alumnus composer, wasamong the artists chosen to participatein the Sundance InstitutePlaywrights Retreat at the Ucro s sFoundation Feb. 5-23.THE 2006 JEFF AWARDScelebrating the best in Chicago’sEquity theatre, recognized manyBMI members’ shows with nominationsand awards:19

Grand Hotel: The Musical, Dru r yLane Theatre Water Tower Place:Nomination for Production—MusicalNomination for Michael Weber,Director—MusicalNomination for James Rank,Actor in a Principal Role—MusicalAward for Jeff Kuhl, Actor in aSupporting Role—MusicalNomination for Dina DiCostanzo,Actress in a Supporting Role—MusicalAw a rd for Barbara Robertson,A c t ress in a Supporting Role—MusicalNomination for Tammy Mader,ChoreographyNomination for Robert C. Martin,Scenic DesignNomination for Brian SidneyB e m b r i d g e, Lighting Design*Award for Christine Sherrill,Actress in a Supporting Role—MusicalD e s s a R o s e, Apple Tree TheatreNomination for Mark Lococo,Director—MusicalNomination for Susan Moniz,Actress in a Principal Role—MusicalNomination for Doug Peck,Musical DirectionLoving Repeating: A Musical ofGertrude Stein, About Face TheatreNomination for Pro d u c t i o n —MusicalNomination for Ensemble*Award for Stephen Flaherty(emeritus) & Frank Galati, N e wWork—MusicalNomination for Frank Galati,Director—Musical*Award for Cindy Gold, Actressin a Principal Role—MusicalNomination for Tom Murray,MusicalDire c t i o nOnce Upon a Time in New Jersey,Marriott TheatreNomination for Susan DiLallo(alumnus) & Stephen We i n e r(alumnus), New Wo r k — M u s i c a l20

PersonalsTUNESMITH/ARRANGERSOUGHTas collaborator and co-cre a t o rfor musical play. Book and lyricscomplete. Requires traditional,melody-driven songs. No ro c k ,new age or experimental, please.Seeking the right person who cantake written words as raw materialin the manufacture of tears andl a u g h t e r. Contact B . W .Pratt a t(386) 801-2300 orbrucewpratt@netscape.net.SEVERAL CHARACTERS INSEARCH OF A COMPOSERTwo musical plays set in Manhattanwith lyrics desperately seek -ing music! music! music! Please callNita at (856) 667-2325.age 40 he is about to implode andfinally makes the decision to leaveall that he knows, loves and possessesand strike out on a differentpath to pursue his natural talentsas a composer. His decision hasmajor implications forh i s p a t i e n t s and for the people heloves creating the strong dramaticconflict trying to pull him back. Bythe end of his journey he discoverswhat he really needs in life anddeals with some very painful decisions.“ The author is a member ofthe Dramatists Guild and a playwrightpublished by SamuelFrench. Contact: John Anastasi / 5Tudor City Place #1631 / N e wYork, NY 10017, (814) 931-9090,Gannonmd@aol.com.LYRICIST/COMPOSER WA N T E DPlaywrite N. Cohen is lookingfor lyricist/composers for two newmusical comedies to be workshoppedthis spring/summer.Funny and witty are the two keyw o rds for the writer(s) beingsought. If you’re funny and have ag reat sense of humor send anemail to: n a t c o h e n @ e a r t h l i n k . c o mwith “musicals” in the subject.COMPOSER WANTEDfor a new musical. As described:“An extremely talented m u s i c i a nand composer is forced to deny hisGod given gifts pursuing a veryd i ff e rent but noble career (ah e a r t s u rg e o n ) which he is verysuccessful at but not happy. At21

y Richard EngquistBeing a curmudgeon is so satisfying.It’s like playing the age card: itmakes me feel I have license to sayall sorts of unpleasant things withoutconsequences. Of course thatisn’t true—no one has license to bedisagreeable—but I pretend. Herewith,a few rants I’ve got off mychest before but need to do again:I. Introducing your presentationin the Workshop:Write it down. Rehearse it. Keep itbrief. Don’t tell us more than weneed to know. Remember, we’vebeen doing this a long time; we’resmart and intuitive. We get it. Donot shoot yourself in the foot byboring us or condescending to us.One minute is more than enoughto set up your song. You need not,and should not, summarize thewhole show.II. Commenting on presentations:Lately, when I’m not moderating, Ihear long, self-indulgent commentariesrather than to-the-pointcomments. Pick the most importantobservation you want tomake, say it succinctly, move onand give someone else a chance.We ’ re not there for autobiographiesbut for helpful advice. Also,if you hate something, say nothing,because if you hate somethingand say something, howeverveiled, we won’t be fooled.III. Standard English:Talk like a grownup! If you’vereached the age of 25 or 30 and stillsound like a Valley Girl, somethingis seriously wrong with your maturation—oryou’re perpetuating atedious affectation.Anyone who can learn calculus,operating a computer, or writingmusic or lyrics can learn to constructand deliver a simple declarativesentence. That is, a sentenceuncluttered by “basically,” “actually,”“sort of,” “know what I’m saying?”Remember that theatre writinginvolves expressing yourself clearly. That means identifying objectsand actions accurately. To say thatsomething is “like” something isnot to say what it is. Call a spade aspade.“ We ’ re, like, crossing the stre e tand he’s, like, on my case and I’m,like, is it any of your business? andthen we’re, like, in each other’ sface and about to have this, like,awesome fight……”Gibberish! Paralyzing! A n d22

what does it mean?If you can’t break the teenspeakhabit on your own, run to a speechtherapist and get some help. It willbe a worthwhile investment.(On the other hand, twentyyears from now there may not besuch a thing as Standard English.But I won’t be around to suffer.)IV. Loyalty:What is it with people who applyto the Workshop, get accepted, gothrough the program, stick arounduntil they get started on a pro f e s-sional care e r, and then aff i l i a t ewith ASCAP? To enjoy an educationthat’s free but worth thousandsof dollars—not to mentionthe support and encouragement ofh u n d reds of colleagues—and thendecamp! Maury Yeston has oftensaid this does not trouble him, butit certainly troubles me. Am I missingsomething? What ever happenedto gratitude, loyalty, taste,good manners or a simple sense ofjustice? (I’m not referring to thosewho are A S C A P members beforethey join the Workshop. That’sanother matter.)Well, that’s enough ranting andventing. On a positive note, I’mstill very happy to be associatedwith a gang of such talented, brilliant,stimulating and for the mostpart likeable people. It’s been aunique adventure, and I wouldn’thave missed it for the world.Editor:Newsletter StaffListings Editor:Design andLayout:Contributing Editors:David SpencerJeff SimnoPatrick CookRichard EngquistFrank Evans23