Watch: Amber Ardolino, JJ Niemann & Alex Wong Star in RANKED, A MUSICAL Music Video

Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes, the creators of Ranked, A Musical (book by Kyle Holmes and music & lyrics by David Taylor Gomes), have announced a brand-new recording and music video for the song "Eye on the Prize," featuring Amber Ardolino (Funny Girl), JJ Niemann (The Book of Mormon), and Alex Wong ("So You Think You Can Dance" All Star). The song is available for streaming on Apple Music and Spotify and the music video is available to watch!

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Amber, JJ and Alex. Like many, we have fallen in love with their talent and the sincerity that they share with millions in the musical theatre community," said Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes. "This cheeky and playful pop arrangement of 'Eye on the Prize' sets the stage perfectly for the ultimate Broadway TikTok crossover we've all been waiting for!""

"Eye on the Prize" is produced by Kyle Holmes and features music production by Andrew Heringer and David Taylor Gomes. The music video is by Tyler Milliron at Milliron Studios and casting is by Stephanie Klapper, CSA

Buy your grades, buy your future. But what happens when the rest of the world finds out? Debuting just weeks after the College Admissions Scandal took the nation by storm, Ranked tells the story of a dystopian world where competition reaches new heights as publicized academic excellence defines each student's worth. In the face of an intense and perverse culture of performance, Lily must come to grips with her place in the status quo as she watches friends and enemies alike destroy themselves and each other to score their way to the top of academic leaderboards. When an impossible lie is discovered, the fate of these students' futures hangs in the balance.

Since debuting in April of 2018, Ranked has been produced and further developed by the University of California, Davis, and has been licensed by over seventy-five schools across the United States, Canada, England and China without ever having a commercial production. Ranked also inspired Uproar Theatrics, a new theatrical licensing company is on the scene, with shows both new and established and an all-digital model for materials.

Ranked is also the subject of a new documentary from HBO called My So-Called High School Rank, which is now streaming on HBO Max.

My So-Called High School Rank chronicles the creation of a musical theater production at Granite Bay High School in Sacramento, CA, inspired by students' stories of the constant pressures to achieve a top-rank in every part of their lives to get ahead in today's fierce college admissions process.

In an uncanny case of art anticipating real life, Granite Bay's musical Ranked was in the works weeks before Rick Singer and the "Varsity Blues" scandal made headlines in 2019. The play's apt timing and subject matter speak to a culture where many students feel driven to succeed at any cost.

As news emerged of the production of a musical exploring these critical issues, other schools reached out to stage their own productions. High schoolers around the country connected with the show's themes as they themselves struggle to find their place in the world amid intense college admissions competition. The film chronicles auditions and rehearsals at three high schools from Ripley, WV, to Cupertino, CA, as well as to the Bronx, NY, where students face similar challenges despite dramatically different life circumstances. In spring 2020, the students' worlds are upended by the global pandemic and sociopolitical turmoil in the wake of George Floyd's murder, and through video diaries and intimate verité, the film follows the students and their teachers as they confront unprecedented challenges without the creative connection and community that the arts, particularly theater, had always provided. Despite their isolation, the students find new ways to cope and connect, and we see the realization of their dreams in a final, heartfelt performance in the spring of 2021 on the eve of graduation.

My So-Called High School Rank also charts the success of the musical and the first steps towards the realization of the creators' dream to mount the show on Broadway, only to be sidelined by the global shutdown.

With the mental stresses and challenges of teenagers seen in the news, the documentary is a timely look at the academic, social, and economic pressures heaped upon today's youth, and a clarion call to listen to their voices and provide the lifeline of creative expression that performing arts allow. Shot over two years in public schools representing vastly different communities, My So-Called High School Rank reveals the remarkable resilience and similarities that bind this generation across economic and racial divides.

The film features the Ranked creators Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes, as well as students, parents and staff of Granite Bay High School and Cupertino High School in California, Fordham High School for the Arts in New York City, and Ripley High School in West Virginia.

My So-Called High School Rank is directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg and executive produced by Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller (Executive Producers for HBO), and Tina Nguyen (Senior Producer for HBO). Michelle McCabe is the cinematographer and Hannah Vanderlan is the editor.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT

RANKEDMUSICAL.COM

TikTok: @RankedMusical

Facebook: @RankedMusical

Instagram: @RankedMusical

KYLE HOLMES

(he/him) is an educator, director, playwright and a co-founder of Uproar Theatrics, a new theatrical licensing company. He spent almost a decade as the Director of Theatre Arts at Granite Bay High School in Northern California where his students went on to create art in Southern California, New York City, and across the United States. He currently works with school districts receiving Title I funding to create equitable opportunities in California schools. As a playwright he wrote the book for Ranked, A Musical. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, and a proud alumnus of artEquity's first National Board Training cohort. @kylepholmes / kpholmes.com

David Taylor Gomes

(he/him) is a Seattle-based Composer, Music Director, Actor, and Educator, best known for writing the music and lyrics for Boxed Up: The Musical and Ranked, A Musical. David teaches songwriting and vocal performance for Village Theatre's Kidstage Institute in Seattle, as well as private music coaching at his music studio and online. His voice students have performed on Broadway, national and international tours, The Disney Channel, and many regional theatres across the US. He is a proud member of Actors Equity Association, The American Federation of Musicians, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, and a founding member of UproarTheatrics.com - a digital licensing company. @daytaygo / davidtaylorgomes.com

Amber Ardolino

is currently playing Vera in Funny Girl on Broadway! Other Broadway shows include Hamilton, Moulin Rouge! OBC and Head Over Heels OBC. Film and TV credits include In The Heights, "Fosse/Verdon," "Law & Order: SVU." Next up, Amber is playing The Fabulous Miss Jenny in The Last Match: A Pro Wrestling Rock Musical! You can follow Amber on TikTok and Instagram at @ambernicoleardolino.

JJ Niemann

is an NYC-based Broadway actor and content creator. JJ creates online content for actors, performers, theatre kids, and fellow New York City-lovers, and has reached over 1 million followers and 400 million video views across his platforms. Some select acting credits are The Book of Mormon on Broadway; the upcoming premiere of Hercules at Paper Mill Playhouse; Sky in Mamma Mia! at Flat Rock Playhouse; Doody in Grease at Cape Playhouse; the World Premiere of BLISS at The 5th Avenue Theatre; Footloose at The Rev Theatre Co.; Hairspray at The Muny; Shrek, Damn Yankees, South Pacific at Pittsburgh CLO; and the iconic TikTok musicals for you, Paige and Ratatouille. Connect with him on Instagram or TikTok @jjniemann!

Alex Wong

was born in Canada. In 2000 Alex won two Junior World Titles in Tap and Showdance. Alex won the Audience Choice Award and was a Bronze Medallist in the 2003 Genee International Ballet Competition. In 2004, he became the first Canadian to win the Prix de Lausanne competition in Switzerland. He danced with American Ballet Theatre and was a Principal Soloist with the Miami City Ballet. Alex was a finalist on Season 7 of the FOX hit series "So You Think You Can Dance" competing for the title of America's favorite dancer but was sidelined by an injury halfway through the season. Later that year, both pieces Alex danced on "So You Think You Can Dance" choreographed by Mia Michaels and Tabatha & Napolean both won Emmy Awards. Alex has returned as an All Star for many seasons on "SYTYCD" and several of his pieces he danced in received Emmy nominations or wins. Alex was also a Semi Finalist on "American Idol" Season 11 and in 2011, Alex had his Broadway debut, playing the role of "Sniper" in the Original Broadway Cast of the Disney musical Newsies which won two Tony Awards and received six other Tony nominations. Alex also won the ACCA Award for Outstanding Original Chorus for the Broadway 2011-2012 season and the album was nominated for a Grammy Award. Alex's recent notable credits include "Dancing with the Stars," Taylor Swift, Jonas Brothers, Ariana Grande, Dolly Partons' "Christmas on the Square, Mariah Carey's Christmas Special, Rebel Wilson's Isn't It Romantic, Starz TV series drama "Flesh & Bone" playing the role of "Kim", NBC's Peter Pan and Annie Live, Ted 2, "Glee," The King & I on Broadway, CW's "Crazy Ex Girlfriend," "Drunk History," "The Voice," "SNL," "The Daily Show," "James Corden," "Fosse/Verdon," the Billboard Awards with Paula Abdul, The Oscars, Little Mermaid Live, Disney's Hip Hop Nutcracker, "Schmigadoon," In The Heights Movie and he has been the cover star of Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit and many others. Alex was part of the hit movie musical The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Zendaya and Michelle Williams playing the role of "Oriental Oddity" and was a lead actor in the Christmas movie Who is Christmas Eve?. Alex also continues to travel around the world heralding dance conventions and create content on his social media pages IG and TikTok amassing over 4 million followers. @alexdwong