Jorge Rivera-Herrans Receives First Show Shepherd Career Launch Fellowship

Show Shepherd, a theatrical consulting group that works with writers, independent producers, and theater companies to develop new work, has announced the first recipient of its new The Career Launch Fellowship: Jorge "Jay" Rivera-Herrans.

The Career Launch Fellowship is for promising early-career playwrights, producers, and musical theater composers and librettists who are eager to embark on a professional career in the theater. Show Shepherd has been dedicated to helping artists and emerging producers navigate the industry and advance their new work since 2011. With The Career Launch Fellowship, Show Shepherd extends its services for free to talented and deserving theater-makers.

Over a twelve-month period, Fellows receive professional services from Show Shepherd advisors, including artistic guidance, industry exposure, and career advice. Throughout the experience, Fellows have numerous opportunities to gain valuable industry knowledge and connections. To learn more about the Fellowship, visit https://www.showshepherd.com/career-launch-fellowship/.

Show Shepherd's first-ever Fellow is composer/lyricist/performer Jorge "Jay" Rivera-Herrans. Jay grew up in Puerto Rico and is a 2020 graduate of the University of Notre Dame. His music perfectly fuses pop, hip-hop, and musical theater with a hint of Lin-Manuel Miranda swagger. Jay has written the full-length musical My Heart Says Go (previously titled Stupid Humans) with librettist Matt Hawkins, which has the distinction of being the first original musical to be performed at Notre Dame. He is currently working on EPIC, a musical adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey.

"Jay Rivera-Herrans is a crazy-talented, inspiring writer and a smart, positive human being who we believe is going to make a big impact on the world of musical theater. We are thrilled to support Jay as he is introduced to the professional industry and begins to widen his horizons, having been nurtured at Notre Dame," said Matt Schicker, founder and president of Show Shepherd.

More information about Jay Rivera-Herrans and his work can be found at https://jorgeherrans.wixsite.com/jr-h

To get things started, Show Shepherd's in-house videographer/editor, David Michael Ruiz (@dmruizcreative) created a lyric video for Jay's energetic, uplifting song "Won't Give Up" from My Heart Says Go, which will be posted on social media and viewed by theater professionals throughout the country and the world via Show Shepherd's YouTube channel and newsletter.

watch!