4th Annual Festival of New Musicals

STEVEN M. ALPER composed and orchestrated the score of The Immigrant, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination (cast recording on Ghostlight Records). Other musicals include Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance, which received a National Alliance of Musical Theatre Producers grant, was developed at the New Harmony Project, and premiered at Maine State Music Theatre; The Library, which received an NEA grant, was developed at the New Harmony Project, and was produced at Stamford Theatre Works; Rappaccini’s Daughter; C’est la vie; and The Audition (which premiered at Manhattan Class Company). He has composed for the theatre, film, commercials, and award-winning educational musicals (with Karen DeMauro). He is the author of Next! Auditioning for the Musical Theatre (Heinemann Books, reprinted by Girandole Books) and has worked in theatres around the country as conductor, music director, vocal arranger and orchestrator on numerous theatrical projects.

Michele Brourman is an award-winning singer/songwriter whose best-known song, “My Favorite Year”, has been recorded by Michael Feinstein, Margaret Whiting, Cleo Laine, and more. With lyricist Amanda McBroom, she’s written the songs for 18 animated features for Universal Studios, including the beloved “Land Before Time” series, writing for Reba McIntyre, Michael York, David Carradine, Jodi Benson, Olivia Newton-John, Donny Osmond, Corbin Bleu and a host of others. Her work has been featured in television and film and performed by countless cabaret artists, garnering numerous awards and critical acclaim. Brourman’s work for the theater includes the dance and incidental music for the original Broadway production of “Working”, and the score for the musical “Dangerous Beauty” (with Amanda McBroom) produced at the Pasadena Playhouse. With Sheilah Rae, she’s created a series of short musicals, five of which have been finalists for the prestigious Heideman Award at the Actors’ Theater of Louisville.

Paul James studied music theatre with Stephen Sondheim during his period as Visiting Professor at Oxford University. He has written book and lyrics for the musicals New Things to Feel Bad About (Winner of UK Quest for New Musicals; Finalist in 1992 NAMT Festival of New Musicals),The Demon Headmaster (based on the novel by Gillian Cross; Pleasance Theatre, UK No 1 Tour), Police Story (commissioned and premiered by Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts), and The Late Sleepers (commissioned by the National Youth Music Theatre; Newcastle Theatre Royal).

The Boy Who Fell Into A Book, based on the play by Alan Ayckbourn, premiered at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough in July 2014 in an acclaimed production directed by Alan Ayckbourn. A song from the show – ‘Kaboom Kapow’ – won the Stiles and Drewe Award for best new musical theatre song of the year.

SARAH KNAPP appeared on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel. Among her Off-Broadway credits are Nunsense, Smoke on the Mountain, The “No- Frills” Revue, Godspell, and Gifts of the Magi. She has appeared regionally in productions at The Alley Theatre (Houston), Asolo Theatre (Sarasota, FL), Cincinnati Playhouse, Coconut Grove Playhouse (Miami), North Shore Music Theatre (MA), Goodspeed Opera House and Seven Angels (CT), and many others, and toured Europe in Richard Foreman’s Africanis Instructus. She has appeared in several Law and Order and L&O:SVU episodes and numerous recordings. As bookwriter/lyricist she works with her husband, composer Steven M. Alper. Their produced musicals include The Library, Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance, and The Immigrant—which garnered two Drama Desk nominations off- Broadway and has been produced across the United States and Canada. It is published by Samuel French and is available on Ghostlight Records.

LA premiere-Grey Gardens, (associate conductor), I Only Have Eyes For You (Montalban Theater); London debut with Mel Brooks. also at Geffen Playhouse / HBO 2015; Resident Musical Director of Reprise! six seasons; eleven Ovation nominations (winning in 2006 ) and seven LADCC nominations (winning in 2007, 2008 and 2012); seven Cabaret fundraisers at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, working alongside Marilyn Horne and Carol Burnett; Carrie Fisher’s one-woman show, Wishful Drinking (Geffen Playhouse); LA Philharmonic debut (Hollywood Bowl 2005) -Stephen Sondheim’s 75th Birthday; Associate conductor Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Merlin, and The Tap Dance Kid (all Broadway), Les Miserables (LA premiere). He has worked with Jennifer Hudson, Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, Adam Lambert, Nancy Wilson, Lainie Kazan, John Lithgow, Kelsey Grammar, Judith Light. As a songwriter/composer, has contributed songs to three Ringling Brothers’ Circuses, the musicals Heartbeats (with Amanda McBroom), Amother Musical (with Elin Hampton)