MURDER FOR TWO's Brett Ryback Receives ASCAP's 2016 Cole Porter Award Today

Musical theatre composer/lyricist Brett Ryback will be the 2016 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Cole Porter Award.

He will be celebrated at the 2016 ASCAP Foundation Honors, held today, December 14. This invitation-only event takes place at the Appel Room and Ertegun Atrium in Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street, New York City.

Established in 2009 with a gift from the Cole Porter Musical and Literary Trusts, The ASCAP Foundation Cole Porter Award is presented annually to an emerging composer/lyricist whose work shows promise, and who has participated in the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Workshop. Ryback's musical Joe Schmoe Saves the World was featured in the ASCAP/Dreamworks Musical Theatre Workshop in Los Angeles this past February. Past recipients of the Cole Porter Award include Peter Mills, Sam Willmott, and Daniel Maté.

Ryback is an actor, composer/lyricist, and playwright. He originated the role of Marcus in Murder for Two Off-Broadway. His plays and musicals include: Liberty Inn: The Musical (Ovation nominations Best Book, Best Music/Lyrics); Darling (Weston Playhouse New Musical Award, Featured on NBC's "The Apprentice"); The Tavern Keeper's Daughter (Best Musical, Pasadena Weekly); and Joe Schmoe Saves the World (NAMT Festival of New Musicals). He is a multi-year participant at the Johnny Mercer Writer's Colony at Goodspeed, and is currently developing two new musicals, Passing Through and Nate the Great.

Learn more and stay in touch with Ryback at www.brettryback.com, and on Twitter @btryback.

The ASCAP Foundation Honors ceremony on December 14 will also feature performances recognizing the accomplishments of emerging artists in various musical genres. The awards include: The Harold Adamson Lyric Award; The Leon Brettler Award; The Desmond Child Anthem Award; The Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards; The "Reach Out and Touch" Award in honor of Nick Ashford; and The Morton Gould Young Composer Awards.

Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education, talent development and humanitarian programs. Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, awards, recognition and community outreach programs. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributions from ASCAP members and from music lovers throughout the United States. Learn more and stay in touch at www.ascapfoundation.org, on Twitter @ascapfoundation, and on Facebook.