Jonathan Brielle

Birth Place: Neptune, NJ

Get Jonathan Brielle Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Jonathan Brielle BIO

Jonathan Brielle (Playwright, Composer, Lyricist) Torn between theater and music, Jonathan started out as a teenage at the Jersey shore, playing folk/rock with a theatrical bent. Moving to New York City at 17, he quickly became ensconced the music scene. After growing tired of dragging gear from club to club, he began producing, running the first Songwriter’s Room at Uncle Lulu’s on 56th Street. There legendary writers such as Sammy Cahn, George Weiss, Doc Pomus as well as up and coming writers would audition their new songs for audiences of writers. This lead to a stint as National Projects Director of The Songwriters Guild of America while completing the songs for the Broadway show, Foxfire, staring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.
After Foxfire, Jonathan returned to performing, recording and music production, opening his first studio on Manhattan’s lower East Side. Honing his skills with great session players and singers, Jonathan began writing and producing shows for Corporate America. He moved his studios to TriBeCa and began creating shows for Las Vegas, circus as well as providing studios for rap artists such as JayZee and Busta’ Ryhmes. Theater remained a passion. He became a a composer in residence at Circle Rep in New York, and developed his next musical, Himself And Nora, which had it’s world premiere at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in 2005 followed by a Dublin showcase in 2008 at the James Joyce Center. The show will make its New York debut July 9th at the NYMF Festival.
From 2008-2010, Jonathan worked closely with the late Gil Cates, legendary Artistic Director of The Geffen Playhouse where Nightmare Alley had its world premiere April 2010. Jonathan has dedicated future productions of Nightmare Alley to the memory of Gil Cates. 40 Naked Women, A Monkey & Me has been selected as the only musical at the Eugene O’Neill Cabaret Festival where it will debut August 2012. In addition to his plays, Jonathan serves as the Vice-President of The Johnny Mercer Foundation, which supports, celebrates and nurtures songwriting.

Jonathan Brielle Photos

Jonathan Brielle Videos

Jonathan Brielle News


Goodspeed Musicals Unveils 2024 Season Featuring Darko Tresnjak's ASK FOR THE MOON! & More

Two-time Tony Award-winning Goodspeed Musicals will present its return to a full season at The Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn.

Trey Ellis, Rona Siddiqui, Anthony Fedorov & More to Join Goodspeed's 12th Annual JMF Writers Grove

Goodspeed Musicals has revealed the participants for the 12th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals.

Deadline Extended for the Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriting Intensive

The Johnny Mercer Foundation and Snow Pond Center for the Arts have extended the deadline for submissions to their inaugural Songwriting Intensive. Grammy-nominated composer/lyricist Rona Siddiqui and award-winning composer/lyricist Adam Gwon will join as mentors.

L Morgan Lee, Bianca Leigh And More Set For Industry Reading Of A COMPLICATED WOMAN

Tony Award nominee L Morgan Lee, Bianca Leigh, and more are set to star in an industry reading of the new musical 'A Complicated Woman.' Directed by Jeff Calhoun, the reading will take place on December 15th.

Photos: Tovah Feldshuh Creates The Feldshuh Fund for Women's Health

See photos of Tovah Feldshuh celebrating 50 years on Broadway with the creation of The Feldshuh Fund for Women’s Health.

Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project Participants and Master Teachers Revealed

The Johnny Mercer Foundation’s (JMF) Songwriters Project will once again convene in-person June 18 to 24 at Northwestern University, continuing an 18-year partnership with the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP). 

Joriah Kwamé, Beth Malone & More to Join 11th Annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals 

Now celebrating its 11th anniversary, Goodspeed Musicals has announced the participants for the annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals which will be held January 31 - February 27 on the Goodspeed campus in East Haddam, Connecticut.

The Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove Continues New Musical Salons In Nashville With New Musical Theater Nashville

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) is continuing to work with New Musical Theater Nashville (NMTN) running monthly gatherings for songwriters and playwrights in Nashville writing new musicals. Based on the successful JMF Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals, the evening salons are a peer to peer program. JMF's and NMTN's goal is to help establish and grow the musical theater writing community in the Nashville area.

Tovah Feldshuh Brings A MONKEY AND ME to Axelrod PAC This Weekend

Can a twice divorced songwriter find love and happiness? Maybe a performing monkey from his Las Vegas extravaganza can show him the way. Find out when Jonathan Brielle Holtzman's semi-autobiographical musical comedy, A Monkey and Me: Stories I Never Told My Mother premieres at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center from June 24-26, starring five-time Tony Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh.

A MONKEY AND ME: STORIES I NEVER TOLD MY MOTHER Premieres at Axelrod PAC

The Axelrod Performing Arts Center will present A MONKEY AND ME: STORIES I NEVER TOLD MY MOTHER, a new musical comedy by New Jersey playwright, composer and lyricist Jonathan Brielle Holtzman, from June 24-30. In this show, Holtzman portrays himself opposite TV and Broadway legend Tovah Feldshuh as his mother. It also stars the award-winning actress, Veanne Cox, as his “monkey.”  

The Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove Expands With New Musical Theatre Nashville

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) has joined forces with New Musical Theater Nashville (NMTN) to create a new monthly gathering for songwriters and playwrights in the Nashville area interested in creating new musicals.

JMF Writers Grove at Goodspeed Announces 30 Participants

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals will return to the Goodspeed campus January 31 - February 27, 2022 after being virtual in 2021.

17th Annual Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project Seeks Submissions For 2022 Workshop

The Johnny Mercer Foundation and the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University once again seek out the nation's most talented young songwriters and writing teams for the Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project, now in its 17th year. The free weeklong songwriting workshop returns to Northwestern's Evanston campus from June 19-25.

Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project Participants Announced

The Johnny Mercer Foundation and the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University will continue their partnership with the 16th annual Songwriters Project.

20 Writers and New Works Announced For 2021 Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed

This year's Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals is going virtual! In what has become an annual ritual, a total of 20 established and emerging composers, lyricists and librettists representing 11 new musicals will gather in a unique virtual space April 18 – May 1, 2021.

16th Annual Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project Seeks Submissions

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University are seeking the nation's most talented young songwriters and writing teams for the 16th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project. The free weeklong songwriting workshop will take place virtually from June 20-26, 2021.

Johnny Mercer Foundation and Goodspeed Announce Renaming Of Writers Residency

Now entering their ninth year of collaboration the Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and Goodspeed Musicals have announced an official name change for their annual writers retreat.

Jeff Calhoun to Direct Reading of A COMPLICATED WOMAN: THE JOHN KENLEY SHOW at New York Theatre Barn

New York Theatre Barn will produce a reading of the new musical A Complicated Woman: The John Kenley Show on February 27th, 2020 in New York City. The reading will be directed by Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde, Big River). New York Theatre Barn serves as a home for new musicals during incubation.

2020 Johnny Mercer Writers Colony At Goodspeed Participants Announced

In what has become an annual ritual, a total of 40 established and emerging composers, lyricists, and librettists will converge on the Goodspeed campus from mid-January through mid-February 2020 to participate in the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing 15 new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration.

Goodspeed Announces FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS 2020 Lineup

The lineup has been announced for the 15th Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals.

Jonathan Brielle FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Jonathan Brielle has written 1 shows including Himself and Nora (Lyricist).

Get Jonathan Brielle Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos