B'Way Composer & Producer Frank Wildhorn Teaches at Broadway Theatre Project , 7/15-18

Multi-Grammy and Tony Award-nominated composer/producer Frank Wildhorn's works span the worlds of popular, theatrical and classical music.

In 1999, Wildhorn became the first American composer in 22 years to have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway: Jekyll & Hyde (written with Leslie Bricusse), which received four Tony nominations; The Scarlet Pimpernel (written with Nan Knighton), which received three Tony nominations; and The Civil War (written with Jack Murphy and Gregory Boyd), which received two Tony nominations. He also wrote additional songs for Broadway's Victor/Victoria (written with Leslie Bricusse) and was represented on Broadway by Dracula: The Musical (written with Don Black and Christopher Hampton) and Wonderland (written with Jack Murphy and Gregory Boyd). Wildhorn was also a producer and co-creator for Harlem Song, the first open-ended theatrical run at the famed Apollo Theater in New York City.

International projects include: Carmen (written with Jack Murphy and Norman Allen) in Prague, Czech Republic in 2008 (cast recording on EMI Czech Republic); The Count of Monte Cristo (written with Jack Murphy) in St. Gallen, Switzerland in 2009 (cast recording on MWB/HitSquad) and Seoul, South Korea in 2010 (cast recording from EMK Musical Company); Never Say Goodbye (written with Shuichiro Koike), performed by Takarazuka Revue in Takarazuka and Tokyo, Japan in 2006 (Wildhorn was the first non-Japanese artist to be commissioned to write an original musical for the company), the success of which resulted in their follow up with The Scarlet Pimpernel in 2010 (cast recordings for both productions from Takarazuka Revue Co.); Rudolf: The Last Kiss (written with Jack Murphy and Nan Knighton) in Budapest, Hungary in 2006, Tokyo, Japan in 2008, and Vienna, Austria in 2009 (cast recording on MWB/HitSquad); Cyrano de Bergerac (written with Leslie Bricusse) in Tokyo, Japan in 2009; Dracula in St. Gallen, Switzerland in 2005 and Graz, Austria in 2007 (cast recording on MWB/HitSquad); Mitsuko (written with Jack Murphy and Shuichiro Koike) as a musical concert in Vienna in 2005, and performed in a combined concert with Frank Wildhorn & Friends in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan in 2011; Tears of Heaven (written with Robin Lerner and Phoebe Hwang) opens in Seoul, South Korea in 2011 and has yielded a concept recording in English; Jekyll & Hyde everywhere!

U.S. projects include: Bonnie & Clyde (written with Don Black and Ivan Menchell) played at the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, CA in November 2009, had a second production at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, FL in November 2010, and opens on Broadway in Fall 2011; Zelda (written with Jack Murphy), based on the lives of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, had its world premiere at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, NJ in 2005; Camille Claudel (written with Nan Knighton) played at Goodspeed Opera's Norma Terris Theatre in 2003 and yielded the song "Gold," heard at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Upcoming projects include: Havana, Casanova, Excalibur, Mata Hari, Ali and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

About Broadway Theatre Project
Founded in 1991, Broadway Theatre Project (BTP) is described by Playbill magazine as "the world's most prestigious musical theatre arts education program for high school and college students." Under the Artistic Direction of Debra McWaters, the not-for-profit BTP (a 501c3) is an intensive three-week training program focused on the key disciplines of musical theatre including acting, dancing and singing, as well as the critical life skills necessary to work in the professional world of entertainment. BTP graduates have performed in more than 70 different productions on Broadway.

Broadway Theatre Project alums are currently performing in the following shows on Broadway: The Addams Family, Anything Goes, Book of Mormon, Catch Me If You Can, Chicago, Hair, How to Succeed in Business, Master Class, Mary Poppins, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Wicked.

 

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi