Cutting-Edge Composers is a concert series that strives to create greater exposure for
up-and coming songwriters by providing them with venues, publicity, Broadway performers and musicians to
best showcase their material.
Cutting-Edge Composers is produced by Laura Pietropinto and
Jillian Robbins.
The fourth production of
Cutting-Edge Composers: A New Generation of Musical Theater Songwriters
was held on February 4, 2013 at 7:00pm at Joe's Pub in New York City.
The performer list included:
- Christy Altomare (Mamma Mia!)
- Matt DeAngelis (HAIR)
- Ali Ewoldt (Les Misérables)
- Jason Gotay (Bring It On)
- Emma Hunton (Rent)
- Two time Tony Award nominee Robin de Jesús (In The Heights, La Cage Aux Folles)
- 2012 Tony Award nominee
Jeremy Jordan (Newsies)
- Adam Kantor (The Last Five Years)
- Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies)
- Tracy McDowell (Rent)
- Zachary Prince (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever)
- Danny Quadrino (Bye Bye Birdie)
- Tanesha Ross (American Idol)
- Preston Sadleir (Next to Normal)
- Katie Thompson (Giant)
- 2012 Tony Award nominee Josh Young (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Featured songwriters included:
- Drew Fornarola and Scott Elmegreen
- Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich
- Joe Iconis
- Lourdes Lane
- Peter Lerman
- Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond
- Virginia Hart Pike
- Will Reynolds
- Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham
- Charlie Sohne and Tim Rosser
- Nathan Tysen and Chris Miller
- Benjamin Velez and Katie Hathaway
- Zack Zadek
Browse available videos or a photo slideshow from CEC IV.
If you're a songwriter who would like to participate in future productions,
please submit three songs in the form of MP3s, streaming audio links or Youtube clips to
.
Dear Composers and Writers,
As you know, Cutting-Edge Composers is committed to creating greater exposure for musical theatre writers.
We are hoping to extend this support beyond concerts by presenting readings of new musicals as well.
These readings will vary from small-scale table reads for the writers only to large-scale industry readings or public concerts.
We understand the various stages of the writing process, and are prepared to provide resources to nurture new work at any stage.
If you are interested in submitting, please send a script or treatment and song tracks to us at
.
We hope to hear from you soon. And please,
in the words of Brian Yorkey, "keep writing."
Best,
Laura Pietropinto & Jillian Robbins
The third installment of
Cutting-Edge Composers: A New Generation of Musical Theater Songwriters
was featured at the
New York Musical Theatre Festival on
Monday, July 23, 2012. We presented two shows at the
Theatre at St. Clements.
Featured composers/lyricists
included
Scott Burkell and Paul Loesel,
Joey Contreras,
Anna Dagmar,
Kevin Fogarty,
Drew Fornarola,
Drew Gasparini,
Michael Kooman and Chris Dimond,
Peter Lerman,
Virginia Pike,
Will Reynolds,
Zoe Sarnak,
Akiva Romer-Segal and Colleen Dauncey,
Benjamin Velez,
Michael Patrick Walker and
Zack Zadek.
Their work was performed by top musical theatre singers, including
Matt Bailey (Jersey Boys),
Steven Booth (Dogfight),
Al Calderon (13),
Andrew Call (American Idiot),
Joe Cassidy (Catch Me If You Can),
Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening),
Jennifer Damiano (Spiderman),
Blake Daniel (Spring Awakening),
Jennifer Diamond (Broadway Dreams),
Noah Galvin (The Burnt Part Boys),
Emma Hunton (RENT),
Nate Kassas (Sydney Dance Co.),
Derek Klena (Dogfight),
Eric Michael Krop (Godspell),
Jessica Phillips (Leap of Faith),
Allison Posner (Factory Girls),
Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family),
Nic Rouleau (Book of Mormon),
AJ Shively (La Cage Aux Folles),
Maddy Trumble (Newsies) and
Donna Vivino (Wicked).
Browse the videos or photo slideshow from CEC III.
Read the
CEC III program note written by Brian Yorkey, book writer and lyricist of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Next to Normal.
On March 1, 2012, Josh Young made his Broadway debut as Judas in
Jesus Christ Superstar.
He quickly received a Tony Award nomination for this role as "Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical".
Congratulations, Josh - very well deserved! Watch
Josh on the Tonys!
The second installment of Cutting-Edge Composers: A New Generation of Musical Theater Songwriters
was held at 8:00pm on November 9, 2009 at the Canal Room
in New York City.
Presented Laura Pietropinto, the concert featured the songs of Jeremy Schonfeld,
Peter Lerman,
Brian Lowdermilk and Kait Kerrigan, Jonathan Reid Gealt,
Brad Alexander and Adam Mathias, Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen,
Carmel Dean and Anna Jacobs, Creighton Irons and Sean Mahoney,
Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, Joe Iconis,
and Ryan Scott Oliver. Laura Pietropinto directed and Julie McBride was music director.
Performers included
Tituss Burgess (Guys and Dolls),
Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening),
Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening),
Molly Hager (Factory Girls),
Michael Hunsaker (Ragtime),
Jay A. Johnson (Hair),
Morgan Karr (Spring Awakening),
Lauren Kennedy (Vanities),
Jeremy Kushnier (Jersey Boys),
Brooke Sunny Moriber (The Threepenny Opera),
Allison Posner (Factory Girls),
Lance Rubin (The Black Suits),
Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent),
Katie Thompson (R.R.R.E.D.),
Clarke Thorell (Hairspray),
Jason "Sweettooth" Williams (The Black Suits) and
Josh Young (Les Misérables).
Browse the videos or photo slideshow from CEC II.
The first installment of Cutting-Edge Composers: A New Generation of Musical Theater Songwriters
was held on July 27, 2009 at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City.
Presented by Laura Pietropinto, the concert featured the songs of Brad Alexander and Adam Mathias,
Eli Bolin and Sam Forman, Bobby Cronin, Adam Gwon, Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler, Rick Hip-Flores,
Peter Lerman, Brian Lowdermilk and Kait Kerrigan, J. Oconer Navarro and Joel B. New, and
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Performers included Steven Booth (Avenue Q),
Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening),
Gemma-Ashley Kaplan (The Hatpin),
Michelle Kinney,
Kerry O'Malley (Into the Woods),
Kate Pazakis (Jerry Springer the Opera),
Allison Posner (Factory Girls),
Zachary Prince (Jersey Boys),
Krysta Rodriguez (The Addam's Family),
Phoebe Strole (Spring Awakening),
Marty Thomas (Xanadu)
and Josh Young (Les Miserables).
The show was presented and directed by Laura Pietropinto.
Music direction by Julie McBride.
Browse the videos or photo slideshow from CEC I.
Stay up to date with all the Cutting-Edge Composer news! Follow us on: