Our featured composer of the week is Jonathan Reid Gealt. Here is an exclusive video of powerhouse performer Katie Thompson, who recently starred in the musical Giant at The Public Theater, singing Jonathan's song "No Reason at All" at our Cutting-Edge Composers concert at the Canal Room.
When asked about his process for writing the song, Jonathan replied:
"My reasonings for writing 'No Reason at All' were pretty simple. I started writing it for a show I was working on at the time 'FORWARD,' but shortly after I started writing the song for the character, the moment and the song got cut. So I finished the song as more of a pop song rather than the initial theatrical song I was starting to write. Inspiration came from being at a place in my life where I was getting so close to so many wonderful things and none of them actually panned out. So that's where it initially came from."
Jonathan Reid Gealt attended the Boston Conservatory and graduated with a BFA in Musical Theater Performance, having a dual emphasis in both dance and composition. He moved to New York City the day after his last class, hit the ground running, and has found much success his first few years in New York.
Jonathan is currently working on three musicals and is a member of the advanced BMI Theater Writing Workshops. He is at work adapting the Novel "Dust and Shadow." The demo recording of Jonathan's first full length song cycle, "Forward," showcases the incredible Kelli O'Hara, Liz Callaway, Lauren Kennedy, Shoshana Bean, Michael McElroy, Jonathan Groff, and Tituss Burgess. Collectively, his online videos have passed more than 3 quarters of a million views.
Jonathan's debut album 'Thirteen Stories Down' was released in 2011 on Sh-k-Boom/Ghostlight Records, produced by 7-time Grammy award winner Joel Moss, and features Kate Baldwin, Will Chase, Lauren Kennedy, Caissie Levy, Matt Doyle, Darius de Haas, Tituss Burgess, Carrie Manolakos, Adam Chanler-Berat and Lindsay Mendez, to name a few. Jonathan's second album, "Here For You - Ballads for Broadway Impact," was just released worldwide on April 30th, 2013. A portion of all sales will go to benefit Broadway Impact. Produced by Jonathan, James Bilodeau, Brian Parker and Matt Hinkley, the album boasts the vocal talents of Loren Allred, Jeremy Jordan, Caissie Levy, Kelli O'hara, Adrienne Warren, Katie Thompson, Jason Gotay, Natalie Weiss, Rachel Potter, and Jonathan Reid Gealt.
Jonathan's music has been featured in sold out venues and concerts all over NYC including the Broadway in South Africa Benefits, Symphony Space, The Canal Room, Joe's Pub, Le Poisson Rouge, and Birdland. His music has been sung around the world including: Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Manila, Japan, Australia, and Canada, as well as a sold out concert debut in London this past year.
A performer as well as a composer, select favorites from his theater credits include "The Secret Garden" (Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC), "Rags" (Nokia Theater, NYC), "Les Miserables" (Tour), St. Louis MUNY, Atlanta Theater of the Stars, Kansas City Starlight, The Wolf Trap, "Junie B. Jones" (Tour), and "Thrill Me" (New England Premiere). FILM/TV Across The Universe and Kidnapped. Jonathan also appeared as a soloist with the Boston Pops under the baton of Keith Lockhart.
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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