Composium
In early 2010, Theatre 20 called for submissions from across Canada for new original musicals. The result was over 300 submissions coming from coast to coast and five solid days of presentations from this country's talented musical theatre creators. Although the goal of this venture was to find hidden gems by Canadian composers, we found something else: remarkable undiscovered composers, lyricists and librettists, all eager to have their hard work listened to and valued.
This cause speaks to the heart of Theatre 20's mandate, and the need is prevalent throughout the country. So, in April 2011, Theatre 20 created the Composium. It allows a group of musical theatre creators to receive constant attention to their current work, whether by dramaturges, music directors, peer composers and by Theatre 20's Founding Artists. Our Composium program offers these talented creators a sounding board as well as an opportunity to collaborate in a safe and nurturing environment. The ultimate goal for each Composium member's work is to reach full production, if not within a Theatre 20 season, then with another company.
A home for Canadian musical theatre simply doesn't exist; we want the Composium to change that. This extremely important initiative can only succeed with the help of generous, like-minded people, passionate about musical theatre and those brilliant artists who create it.
This cause speaks to the heart of Theatre 20's mandate, and the need is prevalent throughout the country. So, in April 2011, Theatre 20 created the Composium. It allows a group of musical theatre creators to receive constant attention to their current work, whether by dramaturges, music directors, peer composers and by Theatre 20's Founding Artists. Our Composium program offers these talented creators a sounding board as well as an opportunity to collaborate in a safe and nurturing environment. The ultimate goal for each Composium member's work is to reach full production, if not within a Theatre 20 season, then with another company.
A home for Canadian musical theatre simply doesn't exist; we want the Composium to change that. This extremely important initiative can only succeed with the help of generous, like-minded people, passionate about musical theatre and those brilliant artists who create it.
2011-12 toronto composium
DANIEL ABRAHAMSON - Toronto Composium Director - A graduate of the Sheridan College Musical Theatre - Performance Program, Daniel has worked as a performer, musical director and composer across Canada. Training includes the Craft of Musical Theatre Writing Intensive and Lehman Engel Advanced Workshop Series for Musical Theatre through ScriptLab. Works include Funny Business: The Musical (2007 Toronto Fringe, internationally produced, now published by Samuel French Inc.), Tunnel Vision (Theatre Sheridan), and Act Now! (2010 Toronto Fringe, Patron’s Pick, Best of Fringe).
RACHEL BRITTAIN - Bookwriter and librettist. Sheridan College Music Theatre Performance program graduate. Artist educator and facilitator, specializing in Forum Theatre. Written works include Funny Business - The Musical (2007 Toronto Fringe, internationally produced, now published by Samuel French Inc.), and Act Now! (2010 Toronto Fringe, Patron’s Pick, Best of Fringe). For Composium: Co-wrote the book for the comedy showcase Songs in the Key of Wrong, presented at the 2011 Toronto Fringe (in the famous Beer Tent venue, of course!) and was a contributing comedy writer for the 2011 Business for the Arts Awards (performed by Bob Martin, who presented the Edmund C. Bovey Award to John McKellar). Currently: Collaborating with Daniel Abrahamson on the musical comedy Heartbrokers.
SCOTT CHRISTIAN - Scott is equal parts composer, musical director and pianist. Most recently he was the intern musical director at the Shaw Festival working on Ragtime. Other MD credits include I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Angelwalk, upcoming), Cabaret (Hart House), Rent (Fallen Rock Productions), Scrooge (Rose Theatre Brampton) and Second City Toronto. Scott composed the music for the original musical Hero & Leander, which was a hit at the 2011 Summerworks Festival. His latest musical, Through the Gates, (with fellow Composium member Daniel Cummings) is in currently in development with Theatre 20. Also under construction is a musical adaptation of Chekhov's short story A Misfortune with lyricist Wade Bogert-O'Brien and book-writer Kevin Michael Shea. Scott is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music and is the musical director for Theatre 20’s Emerging Artist Ensemble.
DANIEL CUMMINGS - Lyricist and bookwriter. Studied Creative Writing at UBC. Daniel's first musical, Kid Cosmic (book and lyrics), was part of Summerworks 2008 and his second musical, Act Now! (lyrics), played at Toronto's Fringe Festival in 2010 (Patron’s Pick and Best of Fringe).
COLLEEN DAUNCEY- Composer writing alongside lyricist Akiva Romer-Segal for the past three years (colleenandakiva.com). Last year the duo wrote and produced the song cycle The Subway Songs, which she also musical directed. In June 2011 they attended the Johnny Mercer Songwriter’s Project where they were mentored by Craig Carnelia, Marcy Heisler and Lari White, and performed in a gala honouring legendary composer Charles Strouse. Recently received FACTOR grants for studio recordings of her work with Akiva and her pop/folk music group (pettyvictories.com).
BRAM GIELEN - A composer/lyricist/multi-instrumentalist living in Toronto, Bram busies himself with varied work for theatre, film, and in countless projects dreamt up in the city's vast and ever-inspiring community of artistic wizards. His song-cycle Biggish Kids premiered at Summerworks in 2010.
ROBERT GONTIER - Bookwriter & lyricist. Work: In Flanders Fields (Smile Theatre, Lunchbox Theatre); Central Park Tango (Theatre Aquarius readings); Johnny Jackson and His Heavenly Passion (Toronto Fringe). Training: Johnny Mercer Songwriter's Project (led by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Craig Carnelia); Craft of Musical Theatre Writing, Lehman Engel Advanced Workshop Series (ScriptLab). Education: MA in Voice Studies, Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London; BFA in Acting, Ryerson University. Mentors: Leslie Arden, Jim Betts, Sheldon Rosen. Membership: Dramatists Guild of America.
THOMAS MORGAN JONES - Director, playwright, dramaturg working in the city of Toronto. Most recently with Theatre Direct, The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Passe Muraille and Cahoots Theatre Company.
NICKY PHILLIPS - Composer & Lyricist. She is currently a member of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop in NYC. Last fall, Nicky was honored to have written an original song about Broadway Legend Colm Wilkinson. The song was presented to Mr. Wilkinson at his Doctorate Presentation at Ryerson University in Toronto. Nicky is the composer/lyricist of Becoming Tussaud (CAP21 Writers Residency 2013). She is also the composer and co-lyricist of In Flanders Fields (Golden Apple Theatre, Lunchbox Theatre, Smile Theatre) and Central Park Tango (Square One Series NYC reading, five-week workshop as part of the inaugural season of the Canadian Music Theatre Project). She is an alumnus of the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project in Chicago (master teachers Craig Carnelia and Lin-Manuel Miranda). Nicky has scored music for the following plays: The 39 Steps (Manitoba Theatre Centre) and The Old Man and the River of Tears, a new play in development at Theatre Direct. Up next she will write original music for Margaret Atwood's The Penleopiad (Manitoba Theatre Centre). Nicky is a proud member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild of America. Visit nickyphillips.com.
AKIVA ROMER-SEGAL - Lyricist. After graduating from Ryerson Theatre School, began writing with collaborator Colleen Dauncey. Their full-length song cycle, The Subway Songs, was produced in June 2010. Selected to participate in a masterclass with William Finn, and the Johnny Mercer American Songwriters project in Chicago under Marcy Heisler, Craig Carnelia and Lari White. Colleen and Akiva have recently received a grant from FACTOR to record a demo of their compositions. Find out more at colleenandakiva.com.
GRANT TILLY - Composer, lyricist and librettist. Works include The Christian Republican Fundraiser in Dayton Tennessee... (Toronto Best of Fringe 2008), Red Fightin’ Blue (Talk is Free Theatre), and My Side of the Country (Scriptlab workshop). Grant is currently working on a new musical for Rising Tide theatre in NL called The Naming of Port Rexton for which he's received a Canada Council Grant to write. His one act musical Bingo Ladies was commissioned by Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary and he is currently working on a full length version. As an actor, Grant has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada and was in the Canadian national company of Jersey Boys. He’s also a singer/songwriter with a recently released CD- hear the tunes and learn more at granttilly.com.
