TV Exclusive: CUTTING-EDGE COMPOSERS CORNER - Morgan Karr and Jay Armstrong Johnson Sing Ryan Scott Oliver's 'Halfway'

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Our featured composer this week is Ryan Scott Oliver. Here is his song "Halfway" sung by Morgan Karr (Spring Awakening) and Jay Armstrong Johnson (Hands on a Hardbody) at our Cutting-Edge Composers concert at the Canal Room. We asked Ryan where he got the inspiration for the song and this was his reply:

"I got the idea for "Halfway" when I was using Mapquest to get somewhere in Los Angeles. Knowing how clinical Mapquest directions might be for a lyric, I wanted to amp up the emotion, and used my own personal experience (and my then relationship) to create a romance between two long-distance lovers. Plus, there are so few songs written for gay couples, I thought it could be a bit of a coup.

The directions are totally authentic (albeit, a bit abridged!), and I've been so honored to receive fan-mail from folks driving through Tonganoxie, Kansas!!"

Ryan Scott Oliver is a 2009 Jonathan Larson Grant Recipient, 2008 Rodgers Award Winner, 2011 Lortel Award Nominee, a 2009 ASCAP Harold Adamson Lyric Award Winner, a 2007 Dramatists Guild Fellow, and most recently, the recipient of residencies at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Weston Playhouse, and Cap 21 for We Foxes, a commission by Broadway Across America. Music and lyrics for 35mm: A Musical Exhibition (original cast recording avail. on Ghostlight Records), Darling (featured on NBC¹s The Apprentice), Mrs. Sharp (Playwrights Horizons July 2009 starring Jane Krakowski, dir. by Michael Greif), and the commissions Jasper in Deadland and The Frog Prince Continued; a collection of his work, Rated RSO, played the Kennedy Center, Joe's Pub, New York Musical Theatre Festival; Off-Broadway and elsewhere: Disney Theatricals commission, TheatreWorksUSA's We the People, Rosie O¹Donnell¹s Theater Kids, and cabarets worldwide. He is a professor at Pace University in Manhattan and the artistic director of the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program. B.A. Music Composition, UCLA; M.F.A. Musical Theatre Writing NYU. Songbooks and sheet music now available: Music+Lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver: Volume 1 and 2, and 35mm Vocal Selections. More at www.ryanscottoliver.com.

Cutting-Edge Composers is a platform for the next generation of musical theatre writers who have not yet been produced on Broadway. In addition to footage from our live concerts featuring Broadway performers, Cutting-Edge Composers on Broadwayworld.com will present in-studio clips, composer interviews and new musical sneak-peeks! Cutting-Edge Composers was co-founded by Director/Producer Laura Pietropinto and Josh Young, and and is co-produced by Jillian Robbins, with Music Direction by Julie McBride and Virginia Hart Pike. Stay tuned for original music by all of your favorite Cutting-Edge Composers sung by Broadway's hottest performers!

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