TV Exclusive: CUTTING-EDGE COMPOSERS CORNER- Spotlight on Paul Loesel and Scott Burkell!

This week our spotlight is on Paul Loesel and Scott Burkell, whose original musical LMNOP received developmental productions at the University of Michigan and Goodspeed Musicals (Norma Terris Theatre). The show, produced with Third Coast Creative, will open in April 2015 at TUTS Underground in Houston, TX.

When letters begin to fall from a monument in town, government officials ban them one by one. Chaos ensues until a determined teenage girl rallies the community to fight for freedom of speech. This unique musical is part romance, part clever word game and part adult fable that reminds us of how precious our liberties are; how quickly unbridled extremism can take them from us; and how important it is to have the courage to stand up for what we believe. A captivating story you'll n_v_r forg_t!

Scott Burkell and Paul Loesel's songs have been premiered by Kristin Chenoweth (Carnegie Hall), Rebecca Luker (The Kennedy Center, Symphony Space), Marin Mazzie (Lincoln Center), Jason Danieley (Joe's Pub), Stephanie J. Block (Birdland), Susan Egan, and Liz Callaway (Chicago Humanities Festival.) Together they have received the Jonathan Larson Award, and as a composer, Paul is the recipient of the Burton Lane Award. Recordings of their work appear on Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley's OPPOSITE YOU, Stephanie J. Block's THIS PLACE I KNOW, and Rebecca Luker's GREENWICH TIME, and their debut album (SORTA) LOVE SONGS (Sh-K-Boom Records). Their musical THE EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY received a Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Grant, ASCAP and CAP21 workshops, and productions at the Philly Fringe Festival, Off-Broadway's Clurman Theatre, and Farmer's Alley Theatre (Kalamazoo, MI - Wilde Award nom.). Musical revues include LOVE SONGS AND OTHER CRAP (MAC Award nom.) and SORTA LOVE SONGS (Birdland). LMNOP, their new musical, received developmental productions at the University of Michigan and Goodspeed Musicals (Norma Terris Theatre). It will open in April 2015 at TUTS Underground in Houston, TX. For production photos, video/audio clips, and sheet music, visit www.scottandpaul.com.