28 Apr KSF Artists of Choice 2016: US Musical Theatre Selection Panel
Today we were interviewing shortlisted applicants for KSF Artists of Choice: US Musical Theatre Category. Below you can read about the high level industry professionals who worked with us on the selection panel to uncover some of the best new talent working in the US Musical Theatre industry today.
Cynthia Erivo is currently starring in The Color Purple alongside Jennifer Hudson on Broadway having first performed it at London’s Chocolate Factory. Her other stage credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Liverpool Everyman), Henry IV (Donmar Warehouse) and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (West End). She is a recent recipient of the BEFFTA International Rising Star Award.
Zina Goldrich (Composer) and Marcy Heisler (Author/ Lyricist) are currently working on the musical HOLLYWOOD ROMANCE with book writers Jen Crittenden & Gaby Allan. Their most recent musical EVER AFTER, completed a successful run at the Paper Mill Playhouse last year. They were the first women ever honored with the Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theatre Songwriting, and Heisler was honored with the 2012 Kleban Prize for Outstanding Lyrics. They received a nomination for the 2009 Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Lyrics and Music for their musical DEAR EDWINA, a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for JUNIE B. JONES and most recently, a Helen Hayes Award nomination for their Kennedy Center production of SNOW WHITE ROSE RED (and FRED).
Michael Kerker has been director of Musical Theatre for ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) since 1990. He co-produces ASCAP DreamWorks Musical Theatre Workshop in LA as well as a regular series of concerts at Carnegie Hall with Michael Feinstein and “Broadway Up Close and Personal” for the Kennedy Centre. These onstage conversations have included evenings with Jerry Herman, Alan and Marylin Bergman, Charles Strouse, Sheldon Harnick, Marvin Hamlisch, and Stephen Schwartz.
George Maloian is the director of Theater Development for Sony/ ATV Music Publishing. He has twenty-five years experience in music supervising and licensing. He works creatively with writers, artists and musical theater writers.
Benj Pasek is one half of songwriting team Pasek & Paul, the Tony/Emmy-nominated duo behind the Broadway musical A Christmas Story, The Musical (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations), Dogfight, (Lucille Lortel Award winner, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, London Evening Standard Awards nominations), James and The Giant Peach, and Edges. TV credits include Smash, Sesame Street and Johnny and the Sprites. Pasek and Paul created the song “Unlimited” for Old Navy’s 2014 back-to-school campaign.
Maury Yeston is a composer and lyricist. His work includes Titanic (which won five Tonys including Best Musical); Nine (which won five additional Tonys) and Grand Hotel (which won an Olivier Award when it was revived at the Donmar) as well as being nominated for a Tony and two Drama Desk Awards. The film adaptation of Nine was nominated for 5 Golden Globes and 4 Academy Awards. Yeston was nominated for a Critics Choice and Golden Globe for Best Original Song (“Cinema Italiano”) and an Academy Award for Best Original Song (“Take It All”).
KSF Artists of Choice is a pioneering funding and mentoring initiative for UK, US and Canada based emerging artists working in theatre, musical theatre, dance or film. Epitomizing KSF’s aim of ‘sending the elevator back down’ it will provide funding, year-round support and mentoring by industry heavyweights.