The official Stephen Cole website

bio

STEPHEN COLE (Librettist-Lyricist-Author) is an internationally produced, published and recorded writer. He is the winner of the prestigious "Edward Kleban Award" as Most Promising Librettist of 2000 for his work on THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. This award comes with the largest cash prize that any theatre award has to offer. He was also named one of Variety's 50 Creatives to Watch- 2000. Liz Smith in her syndicated column has called Stephen's lyrics "brilliant and gifted."THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER has been recorded by Fynsworth Alley Records (written with famed "Grass Harp" composer Claibe Richardson). This new show was given a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the CD has received rave reviews from the press including Billboard Magazine, who called it "the best CD of a new musical ever!" The CD also won the prize as best new musical on CD from the German music critics. The musical has had its vocal score published by Warner Brothers. It has had workshop productions at New York's Vineyard Theatre and Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The show also had a commercial workshop under the auspices of John Bowab, and is now under option to him. The world premiere production will start open September 2004 at the Willows Theatre in Concord, CA.

As librettist and lyricist, Mr. Cole has had his musicals produced Off-Broadway, regionally and in London. His musical AFTER THE FAIR was produced in 1999 at the York Theatre Company and garnered an Outer Critic's Circle Nomination for Best Off-Broadway Musical. The Original Cast CD received rave reviews and made many top ten lists at the end of the year. It is currently available through Fynsworth Alley Records at www.fynsworthalley.com. AFTER THE FAIR has been a winner from the beginning, claiming five Dallas Theatre League Awards for its World Premiere (including Best New Musical and Best Musical Production). The critics enthusiastically hailed the London premiere (Kings Head Theatre Club) of AFTER THE FAIR AFTER THE FAIR has been seen regionally in Chicago, Seattle, Houston, Brighton, England and on Long Island.Stephen has also written the book and lyrics for CASPER (Music by Matthew Ward), which successfully toured the big summer theatres (Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Atlanta, Dallas) in 2001 starring Broadway legend, Chita Rivera. A newly revised production of CASPER premiered in Sydney, Australia in the Fall of 2003. Stephen's musical version of Sinclair Lewis' "Dodsworth", now entitled CONTINENTAL DIVIDE (Music by Jeffrey Saver), premiered in Texas starring Hal Linden and Dee Hoty was presented at the NAMT Festival and was recently seen at the Stages 2003 Festival at the Theatre Building in Chicago. GROSSINGER'S (music by Claibe Richardson), which also premiered in Texas and starred Gavin MacLeod and Ruta Lee and has been presented in concert form with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony Orchestra, where it received glowing notices. The newly revised 6 character version of the show is now re-titled SATURDAY NIGHT AT GROSSINGER'S and had its world premiere at the Broadhollow Theatre in Rockville Center, NY in July, 2003.

Besides writing ten years of Drama League Tributes (including shows honoring Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Liz Smith, Kander and Ebb, Cy Coleman, Rosie O'Donnell and others) and Awards Shows, Stephen has penned special material for such stars as Chita Rivera, Christine Baranski, Marlo Thomas, Tyne Daly, Rosie O'Donnell, JoAnne Worley, Michael Rupert, Liz Smith, Michele Lee, Valerie Harper and many others. He is thrilled to have just had his first "pop" song ("The Long Way"; music by Todd Ellison) recorded by Emily (Side Show) Skinner on the Fynsworth Alley label. His newest song "Gettin' Nowhere Fast" was recorded on the same label by Guy Haines.

Stephen is currently working on a musical version of TIME AFTER TIME (with Jeff Saver), which is under option at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and will have its first workshop production at Point Park College in Pittsburgh in Jan. 2005. ROCK ODYSSEY (Music and Lyrics by Billy Straus) and MERLIN'S APPRENTICE were commissioned by and premiered back to back at the Walden Family Playhouse in Denver in March 2003 and April 2003 respectively and original cast CDs were recorded and released by Walden Media. Stephen has had three books published including "Noel Coward: a bio-bibliography" for Greenwood press. This was critically praised and is the standard reference book on the enormous career of "the master". Stephen is also very proud of his critically acclaimed "That Book About That Girl", the unofficial companion to the famous and innovative Marlo Thomas sitcom from the 1960's (Renaissance Books 1999). As a producer Stephen has released a series of CD's entitled MERMANIA on Harbinger Records. These include never before released selections sung by his favorite star and friend, Ethel Merman. He is a member of the ASCAP, the Dramatist Guild, and is the recipient of a Gilman-Gonzales Falla Commendation for his body of work in the Musical Theatre.

PRODUCTION HISTORY FOR: (All shows Book & Lyrics by Stephen Cole unless otherwise noted.)

AFTER THE FAIR (Music by Matthew Ward)

Full Stage Productions:

Off Broadway at the York Theatre, NYC 1999
Starring Michele Pawk
Directed by Travis Stockley
Nominated for Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off Broadway Musical
London: Kings Head Theatre, Islington 2000
Village Theatre, Seattle, WA 2000-1
Apple Tree Theatre, Chicago, IL 1997
Village Originals, Seattle WA 1998
Lyric Stage, Irving, TX 1997
Winner of 5 Dallas Theatre League Awards including Best New Play or Musical
Cast Album on Fynsworth Alley Records

CASPER-the Musical (Music by Matthew Ward)

Full Stage Production at Pittsburgh CLO (and on tour to Dallas Summer Musicals, Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA, and Kansas City Starlight, Kansas City, MO) summer 2001
Starring Chita Rivera
Directed by David Bell
Full Stage Production in Sydney Australia, Fall 2003

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE (aka DODSWORTH) (Music by Jeffrey Saver)

Readings at York Theatre Company NYC 1994-95
Full Stage Production at Casa Manana Musicals, Fort Worth TX 1995
Starring Hal Linden and Dee Hoty
Directed by Bruce Lumpkin
Produced by Van Kaplan
Presented at the National Alliance of Musical Theatre's New Musical Festival, NYC 1996
Starring John Cullum and Dee Hoty
Workshop under the auspices of Dragonfly Productions 2000, NYC
Starring Walter Charles, Christine Ebersole, Dee Hoty, Patricia Morison
Directed by Scott Ellis
Presented in Stages 2003, August 2003 at the Theatre Building in Chicago, IL

GROSSINGER'S (Music by Claibe Richardson; Co-lyricist Ronny Graham)

Full Stage Production at Casa Manana Musicals, Fort Worth, TX
Starring Gavin MacLeod and Ruta Lee
Directed by Bruce Lumpkin
Concert Version presented by the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony Orchestra

MERLIN'S APPRENTICE (Music by Matthew Ward; Book by Susan Kim)

Full Stage Production at Walden Family Playhouse in Denver April 2003

Cast CD on Walden Media

THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (Music by Claibe Richardson)

Workshop at the Vineyard Theatre
Directed by Lonny Price
Workshop at the Goodman Theatre
Directed by Robert Falls
Currently under commercial option. Workshop April 2003 starring Ron Raines, Beth Fowler, Julie Johnson.
World Premiere Production Opening Sept. 24, 2004 Willows Theatre, Concord, CA Starring Brian Noonan & Julie Johnson. Directed by John Bowab
Concept CD on Fynsworth Alley Records

ROCK ODYSSEY (Music & Lyrics by Billy Straus)

Full Stage Production at Walden Family Playhouse in Denver March 2003

Cast CD on Walden Media

SATURDAY NIGHT AT GROSSINGER'S (Music by Claibe Richardson; Co-lyricist Ronny Graham)

Full Stage Production of 6 character revision of the "Grossingers" at Broadhollow Theatre, Rockville Center, NY July 2003

TIME AFTER TIME (Music by Jeffrey Saver)

Under Option by Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera/First Reading October 2002/ Second Reading May 2004.

Opening at Point Park College, Pittsburgh PA in Jan. 2005