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

Click Here to Play the Video!

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!