The Man in the Ceiling 2019

PURCHASE THE ALBUM NOW!

About the Album: New York, NY – Ghostlight Records has announced that the new musical The Man in the Ceiling – with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by Jules Feiffer, based on his novel – is available for digital download and streaming today, Friday, April 19. The CD package will be released on Friday, June 14 and includes a 36-page booklet with full lyrics, original illustrations from Jules Feiffer, a synopsis from Andrew Lippa, and a note from director Jeffrey Seller (Tony Award-winning producer of Hamilton). The album is produced by Will Van Dyke and Andrew Lippa, with Andrew Lippa and Kurt Deutsch serving as executive producers. To download or stream the album, or pre-order the CD, please visit ghostlightrecords.lnk.to/manintheceiling

The cast features Kate Baldwin, Gavin Creel, Grady Miranda, John-Michael Lyles, Ashley Park, and Andrew Lippa.

In The Man in the Ceiling, twelve year-old Jimmy Jibbett (Grady Miranda) would rather be a successful cartoonist than in 7th grade. His father (Gavin Creel) disapproves. His mother (Kate Baldwin) is busy. His Uncle Lester (Andrew Lippa) tries to understand but is too wrapped up trying to write a love song for his next flop musical. Where can Jimmy turn to for inspiration and hope? Maybe The Man in the Ceiling can lead him to his true destiny. If only Jimmy would look up!

The Man in the Ceiling opened at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY for its first production on June 3, 2017. The show was hailed as “endlessly imaginative and whimsical” and “pure theatrical joy” by Dan’s Papers. 27 East raved “this collaboration between writer Mr. Feiffer and composer Andrew Lippa bounces along with high-voltage energy to its exuberant end.” The New York Times added “the high points of this show are musical, with Mr. Lippa providing a sublime Act I duet, ‘Disappear.’” According to Hamptons.com, “The Man in the Ceiling is a show that will stir emotions, make you laugh and in the end leave you gleeful.”

JULES FEIFFER has won a number of prizes for his cartoons, plays, and screenplays, including the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. His books for children include A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears; I Lost My Bear; Bark, George; and Meanwhile... The Man in the Ceiling is his first musical, for which he wrote the book and which is based upon his novel. He lives in Shelter Island, New York.

ANDREW LIPPA premiered Unbreakable – an epic choral work exploring the gay experience in America – with The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus last year. It will presented by ten more choruses across the country within the next season and the original cast album is available from Ghostlight Records. In addition, he conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a new production of his musical A Little Princess in concert in London at the Royal Festival Hall in May 2018 to a sold-out crowd of nearly 3,000 people. His hit song “Evil Like Me” appears in Disney’s film Descendants. Written for Kristin Chenoweth, that soundtrack hit #1 on the “Billboard 200” album chart, #1 on the iTunes and Billboard soundtrack charts, has been viewed over 70 million times on YouTube, and “Evil Like Me” was certified gold in 2017. That same year, Lippa opened the new season of the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center with his sold-out concert of “Andrew Lippa and Friends.”

In 2016 he composed and conducted “Rising Tide,” a world premiere piece for the international piano virtuoso Lang Lang and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China. His concept opera I Am Anne Hutchinson/I Am Harvey Milk had its world premiere at The Music Center at Strathmore in 2016 starring Kristin Chenoweth as Anne Hutchinson and Mr. Lippa as Harvey Milk. Summer 2016 saw the US premiere of Life of the Party – a musical compendium of Mr. Lippa’s career – produced by Theatreworks in Mountain View, CA and starring Mr. Lippa.

Lippa’s Broadway credits include: music and lyrics for Big Fish, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman; the Tony Award-nominated music and lyrics for The Addams Family, directed by Jerry Zaks; and music for Aaron Sorkin’s play The Farnsworth Invention, directed by Des McAnuff. Other musicals include the Drama Desk Award-winning The Wild Party (book/music/lyrics); A Little Princess (music); john & jen (music/book); Asphalt Beach (music/lyrics); and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (additional music/lyrics and arrangements). His oratorio for men’s chorus, orchestra and soloists, I Am Harvey Milk has seen over 30 productions including Disney Hall and Lincoln Center. His honors include: Tony and Grammy nominations; shared Emmy for Nickelodeon’s “The Wonder Pets”; SFGMC Vanguard Award; the Gilman/Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation Award; ASCAP’s Richard Rodgers/New Horizons Award; the Drama Desk Award; and the Outer Critics Circle Award. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Mr. Lippa serves as president of the board of The Dramatists Guild Foundation.