The creators of the new musical based off of the trials and tribulations of the popular social networking site MySpace, titled 'Top 8: A New Musical' will be performing selections at the Duplex (61 Christopher Street) in NYC on November 2nd and 3rd, 2008.
Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning composer Charles Strouse will be at Theatre Building Chicago (1225 W. Belmont Ave.) to discuss his new book PUT ON A HAPPY FACE: A BROADWAY MEMOIR with Theatre Building Chicago Artistic Director, John Sparks.
Jordan Beck (Book & Lyrics) is 23 years old. As a member of the Academy for New Musical Theatre in North Hollywood, CA, he has studied under John Sparks and Scott Guy. Previously, he wrote the book and lyrics to Sequins! The Show Choir Musical with composer Gregory Nabours, as well as a musical adaptation of Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. As a lyricist, he has also collaborated with composers Jason and Nolan Livesay, the Violin Twins. As a producer, Jordan runs his own production company GreenRoom Stage Productions along side Shafik Wahhab and also produces the successful monthly Caffeinated Cabaret! at Sips Coffee House in Riverside, CA.
Jonathan May (Music) is 19 years old. He began studying classical piano at age 5 with Elizabeth Beck and at 13 began studying jazz piano with UCR Jazz Piano Professor Larry Flahive. At 15 he began playing with the UCR Jazz Ensemble, directed by Bill Helms. He currently plays solo jazz piano at the Citrus City Grille in Riverside, the Citrus City Grille in Orange, and he performs with his Uncle, Benjamin May, in a piano/bass duo every week at the New York Grille in Ontario, CA. He also plays solo ragtime piano weekly at Disneyland's Refreshment Corner on Main Street. As a composer and arranger, Jonathan has had his original choral compositions and arrangements performed by various groups. This marks his first musical theatre collaboration, though he has worked with Jordan Beck on additional material before including the audition favorite 'A Little Tude' which can be heard on the GreenRoom Stage Productions MySpace
