OTHERBODY Studio Recording, Featuring MISS SAIGON's Nicholas Christopher, Out Today

Today, February 1, the studio recording of Ryan Scott Oliver and Nessie Nankivell's OTHERBODY, A BRIEF MUSICAL ALLEGORY is available on all streaming platforms. The politically resonant short musical stars Nicholas Christopher.

OTHERBODY is a brief musical allegory on otherness and survival in the new nation, written by Nessie Nankivell (book) and Ryan Scott Oliver (music and lyrics). It is suggested by the Gothic short story "The Outsider" by H. P. Lovecraft.

From press notes: "In the eerie, allegorical world of OTHERBODY, a nameless TELLER lives apart, never having seen his own face, heard his own voice, or even experienced daylight. He escapes into the world to find the truth, and discovers a raucous party -- and the horrifying reality of his world."

The authors noted: "Ours is a time when people and places are divided; when our families seem more than ever like strangers; and to find a community of allies is a desperate, essential quest. The world of OTHERBODY is our sordid past and our sudden, tragic present -- and maybe hope for our future."

It was recorded on December 12, 2016 by Dean Sharenow (Steel Cut Audio), directed by Jen Bender and music directed by Rodney Bush, with Hiroko Taguchi, Kiku Enomoto, Allison Seidner, Ethan Pakchar, Joseph Wallace, Jeremy Yaddaw and Joshua Samuels in the orchestra.

The piece also stars Trista Dollison, Hillary Fisher, Jada Temple and Sandra Okuboyejo as the Wind; with Natalie Braha, Mariel Blatt, Ethan Carlson, Kenneth Quinney Francoeur, Carson Higgins, Ryan Hotes, and ByRon Martin Turk.

It was commissioned by Carolyn D. Miller and Matthew J. Schneider (Creative Endeavor Office) and produced by Lauren Versel, Robert Bresnan and Kara Unterberg, with special thanks to Matthew Murphy, Bill Nankivell and Kelly Kerr.

Ryan Scott Oliver (music and lyrics) was called "the future of Broadway... a major new voice in musical theatre" (Entertainment Weekly) and is "shaking up musical theater with his dark, twisted and genius work ... [Oliver] could very well be musical theater's answer to an auteur filmmaker or a gothic novelist" (Huffington Post). He is the winner of a Larson Grant, Rodgers Award, New Musicals Awards from Weston Playhouse, Pace University, and the recipient of a Lortel Award Nomination as well as numerous fellowships, residencies and ASCAP awards. He wrote the music and lyrics for Jasper in Deadland (off-Broadway; the 5th Avenue Theatre), 35mm: A Musical Exhibition; Darling; Mrs. Sharp; Otherbody, a brief musical allegory, and more. He is at work on his "Dogs Trilogy" of original musical commissions: We Foxes, Rope and Three Points of Contact. Find writings, videos, tweets, and more of his morbidly optimistic musings @ryanscottoliver on all platforms.

NESSIE NANKIVELL (book) has had works of fiction published in Juked Literary Magazine and the Pace Society of Fellows and is the recipient of the Richard Gill Award for Fiction. Nessie wrote the book for Songs for Slutty Girls. She is a co-organizer for Bros 4 Equality, an organization promoting racial equality based out of Pace University. Nessie lives between Brooklyn and her native Canada. @nessienankivell

OTHERBODY is now available on all platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music. The piece can also be licensed by contacting the composer at his website.