
FRANK WILDHORN
composer/lyricist/producer
Diabelli Management represents Frank Wildhorn in Europe. Frank Wildhorn's
works span the worlds of popular, theatrical and classical music.
FRANK WILDHORN
Frank Wildhorn's works span the worlds of popular, theatrical
and classical music.
In
1999, Frank became the first American composer in twenty-two years to
have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway: JEKYLL &
HYDE (written with Leslie Bricusse), which received two Tony nominations;
THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (written with Nan Knighton), which received four
Tony nominations; and THE CIVIL WAR (written with Jack Murphy & Gregory
Boyd), which received two Tony nominations. These shows continue to be
seen in productions around the country and throughout the world. Frank
also wrote additional songs for Broadway's VICTOR/VICTORIA (written with
Leslie Bricusse) and was recently represented on Broadway by DRACULA:
THE MUSICAL (written with Don Black & Christopher Hampton). It openend
to rave reviews in Europe (Switzerland) in April 05. Frank was also a
Producer and Co-Creator for Harlem Song, the first open-ended theatrical
fun at the famed Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NY.
Jekyll
& Hyde holds the distinction of being the first new American musical to
have two internationally released concept recordings of the score: Highlights
from Jekyll & Hyde and Jekyll & Hyde: The Complete Work. Songs from the
show such as "Someone Like You," "A New Life," and "This Is The Moment"
have been performed worldwide and have been featured at the Olympics,
the Super Bowl, the World Series, the WNBA Championship, Miss America
Pageants, the 1996 Democratic National Convention, and the Inauguration
of President Clinton (sung by Jennifer Holliday). The Broadway cast recording
was released in July of 1997 and received a Grammy nomination that year.
The Broadway production of Jekyll & Hyde was the longest running show
in the history of the Plymouth Theater. The show has seen three major
tours and hundreds of regional productions in the United States and Canada.
Over 35 international productions have also been seen in such countries
as Germany, Austria, Spain, Hungary, Japan, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Denmark, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Czech Republic. There have
now been ten international recordings of Jekyll & Hyde in seven different
languages.
The
Scarlet Pimpernel played at both the Minskoff Theatre and the Neil Simon
Theatre on Broadway. The show has been seen on two tours of the United
States and Canada, and in such countries as Finland, Mexico, the United
Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark,
and Malta. The show's score has yielded its own Top 40 Adult Contemporary
Hit with the song "You Are My Home," a duet recorded by Peabo Bryson &
Linda Eder. The Broadway cast recording was released in February of 1998,
and a new album entitled Encore! was released in November 1999. A German-language
recording was released in 2003.
Frank has produced two star-studded concept albums of The Civil War: The
Nashville Sessions and The Complete Work (a two-disc album). These feature
such artists as Hootie & The Blowfish, Blues Traveler, Trisha Yearwood,
Travis Tritt, Dr. John, and Betty Buckley, among others. Following its
Broadway production, the show was seen on a two-year national tour that
featured John Schneider, Larry Gatlin, and BeBe Winans.
WAITING
FOR THE MOON (written with Jack Murphy) had its world premiere at the
Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, NJ in 2005; MARY SHELLEY'S
FRANKENSTEIN (written with Gregory Boyd & Jack Murphy) will open in
Houston, TX in spring 2006. Other titles include: CAMILLE CLAUDEL (written
with Nan Knighton), which opened at Goodspeed Opera's Norma Terris Theatre
in 2003 starring Linda Eder. It yielded the song "Gold", heard
at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake
City, UT.
Frank's
main focus for the next few years will be Europe: CYRANO (written with
Leslie Bricusse) will open in London in 2008; RUDOLF - THE LAST KISS (written
with Jack Murphy & Nan Knighton) opened in Budapest, Hungary and will
go to Vienna, Austria in 2007/08. Other titles include: a modern adaptation
of CARMEN (written with Jack Murphy and Norman Allen); a rock-n-roll adaptation
of ALICE IN WONDERLAND; and BONNIE & CLYDE (written with Don Black).
A new production of DRACULA (written with Don Black and Christopher Hampton)
will open in August 07 at the Graz Musical Festival International.
A
concert version of JEKYLL&HYDE began a National US Tour in October
2005, THE MUSIC OF FRANK WILDHORN premiered in September 2005 in New York
City and will have its European premiere in April 07.
Frank, who wrote
all the music and served as Music Director for Opening Ceremonies for
the Goodwill Games in 1998, has recently been commissioned to write the
new official theme song for New York City.
Frank
has written original material for Linda Eder's concerts at the Gershwin
Theatre on Broadway, her two Carnegie Hall solo concerts, and her recent
holiday concert at the Palace Theatre on Broadway. He also Co-Produced
and wrote original material for Eder's albums: Linda Eder, And So Much
More, It's Time, It's No Secret Anymore, Christmas Stays The Same, Gold,
Broadway My Way, and Storybook. Frank has also produced Linda Eder's Christmas
concert special for Bravo TV, as well as Broadway's Best On Bravo, for
which he also served as Creative Director. Artists who have recorded and
performed Frank's music include Whitney Houston (with the international
number one hit "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?"), Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers,
Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Freddie Jackson, Deana
Carter, Tracy Lawrence, John Berry, Trace Adkins, Patti LaBelle, Bryan
White, Amy Grant, Ben Vereen, Regina Belle, The Moody Blues, Jeffrey Osborne,
Stacy Lattisaw, Dennis DeYoung, Molly Hatchet, Brenda Russell, John Raitt,
Anthony Warlow, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Mathis, and Colm Wilkinson,
to name a few.
Frank is an Associate Artist in Musical Theatre with an endowed chair
at the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, where he launched Jekyll & Hyde,
Svengali, and The Civil War. He also wrote music for Arthur Kopit's play
The Road to Nirvana and scored the play Cyrano de Bergerac. His current
venture, with associate Jeremy Roberts, is Global Vision Records, whose
first release will be the concept recording of Dracula: The Musical.