re: FEMALE composers...

#1

FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/7/06 at 11:33pm

I can't for the life of me think of any FEMALE composers!! I can think of Betty Comden and Lynn Ahrens, who are both lyricists, but where are the lady note-writers?

---

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#2

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/7/06 at 11:38pm

Mary Rodgers- Once Upon a Mattress, Hot Spot, Working

Lisa Lambert- The Drowsy Chaperone

Lucy Simon- The Secret Garden, Zhivago

Jeanine Tesori- Caroline or Change, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Brenda Russell- The Color Purple

Allee Willis- The Color Purple, Hot Feat

Updated On: 11/7/06 at 11:38 PM

#3

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/7/06 at 11:38pm

Wow! That's a question! I don't have a faint idea...

Later: OMG! I feel so dumb!

---

Somebody sit in my chair, and ruin my sleep, and make me aware of being alive!

Updated On: 11/8/06 at 11:38 PM

#4

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/7/06 at 11:42pm

Lucy Simon
Carol Hall
Jeanine Tesori

* oops...Neddy updated and beat me with a few

Updated On: 11/7/06 at 11:42 PM

#5

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/7/06 at 11:47pm

Goodness! I feel like an idiot for forgetting Mary Rodgers and Jeanine Tesori!!

---

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#6

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/7/06 at 11:51pm

One from here in Ontario, Leslie Arden, has written a truly wonderful score for THE HOUSE OF MARTIN GUERRE. Unfortunately her version was first staged around the time the Schoenberg/Boublil MARTI GUERRE was potentially coming to North America, so it hasn't had the exposure it richly deserves.

Leslie was part of Sondheim's master class at Oxford and has won high praise from Sondheim for her efforts.

---

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

#7

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/7/06 at 11:53pm

Also Dorothy Fields

And I am sure I will think of more...

#8

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:01am

Was Dorothy Fields a composer as well as a lyricist?

Updated On: 11/8/06 at 12:01 AM

#9

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:02am

Double Post

Updated On: 11/8/06 at 12:02 AM

#10

re: FEMALE composers...

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:02am

She composed the The Vanderbilt Revue and The International Review

#11

hmmmm

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:03am

T

Updated On: 11/8/06 at 12:03 AM

#12

A rave for Grey Gardens

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:10am

What does that have to do with anything?

#13

A rave for Grey Gardens

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:15am

I see those two shows on ibdb.com, but the “Music by” and “Lyrics by” credits don’t seem to be differentiating between the two.

#14

A rave for Grey Gardens

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:19am

If you go to the Dorothy Fields page it does

#15

A rave for Grey Gardens

Posted: 11/8/06 at 12:37am

I think that may just be where the “Person” page is drawing its information from the “Show” page (ibdb also does that with the revues on E.Y. Harburg’s page, but as far as I know he was solely a lyricist).

#16

A rave for Grey Gardens

Posted: 11/8/06 at 1:09am

It is too bad that we've only named 10 or so of them. They're out there, we just need to find them!

---

Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaannnnnddddd aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaammmmmmmm teeeeeeeelllllliiiiiinnngg yyyyooooooouuuuuuuwwwaaaahh...

#17

A rave for Grey Gardens

Posted: 11/8/06 at 2:12am

The Village Voice gives the
show an unqualified rave review.


Weirder People's Houses
Grey Gardens proves that bad housekeeping can make good theater
by Michael Feingold
November 7th, 2006 3:28 PM


"Grey Gardens, by this light, must be the definitive modernist musical."

http://www.villagevoice.com/theater/0645,feingold,74958,11.html

#18

A rave for Grey Gardens

Posted: 11/8/06 at 3:32am

Going way back, there was Kay Swift, who certainly had the talent to have a major career as a Broadway composer, but didn't, but she did at least have a hit.

Other lyricists not yet mentioned:
Dorothy Donnelly
Rida Johnson Young
Fran Landesman
Susan Birkenhead
Carolyn Leigh
Ellen Fitzhugh