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Ben Bonnema

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Ben Bonnema is a Jonathan Larson Award-winning composer-lyricist. The New Yorker recently raved about his show THE APPLE BOYS, calling it "a bushelful of delights" and that he wrote "clever, catchy songs." It had its world premiere at HERE Arts Center in November 2018 (book by Jonothon Lyons). According to Alan Cumming, ?The Apple Boys have managed to reinvent the barbershop form for the 21st Century. They?re hilarious, clever and, of course, sound beautiful.? Ben wrote book, music & lyrics to Adult Swim's PETER PANIC, a full-length musical within a mobile game that's been played by nearly two million people (developed by James Marion). His slumber party musical, BOYS WHO TRICKED ME, was called "heart-healing musical theatre" by Joshua Barone of the New York Times, and had a three-week showcase production at the Musical Theatre Factory in midtown Manhattan (Feb 2015). Other full-length: ONE WAY with Christopher Staskel, which had a reading at Playwrights Horizons via the Musical Theatre Factory and was developed at Goodspeed Writers Colony & Rhinebeck Writers Retreat (it was also a 2017 Yale Institute Finalist and 2018 NAMT Finalist), and THE LOST GIRL with Arianna Rose (Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival). He contributed additional sound design and composition to Punchdrunk's award winning show SLEEP NO MORE and supplied additional orchestrations for Ana Gasteyer's solo album I'm Hip. As Music Associate to Marc Shaiman, he worked on the Disney film Mary Poppins Returns, starring Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Oscar Nom. for Best Score), as well as the Broadway show Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Ben holds an M.F.A. from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and a B.A. in Music Composition from Whitworth University. He's a proud member of ASCAP, the Dramatist Guild, Local 802, and is a founding member of the Musical Theatre Factory.

Ben Bonnema News


Jelani Remy, Emily Skeggs & More to Star in THE APPLE BOYS Industry Reading


Jelani Remy, Emily Skeggs and more will star in an industry reading of the new musical THE APPLE BOYS. Learn more about the show!

19th Annual Fred Ebb Award To Be Presented To Freya Catrin Smith & Jack Williams


The 19th Annual Fred Ebb Award will be presented to Freya Catrin Smith & Jack Williams.

Photos: Go Inside the 2022 Fred Ebb Award Ceremony


See photos from the eighteenth annual Fred Ebb Award ceremony. Julia Riew was the recipient of the Fred Ebb Award. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, was presented by Beth Leavel on Monday November 28th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

Julia Riew to Receive 18th Annual Fred Ebb Award


The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company will present the eighteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Julia Riew.

Amas Musical Theatre Lab Will Present Staged Readings Of 'MĀYĀ - A New Musical in August


Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) and The Amas Musical Theatre Lab will present staged readings of MĀYĀ, a new musical, with book and music by Eric Sorrels and book and lyrics by Cheeyang Ng.

Paul Rudnick To Recieve P.R.I.D.E. Performing Arts Award from Playthings Theatre


The Playthings Theatre, an LGBTQ+ Theatre Company in New York City, will be performing its gala concert PlayFresh on Tuesday, May 31st at 7:00pm at The Irish Repertory Theatre. PlayFresh is an evening of new LGBTQ+ music performed by the community's finest performers. Playthings will be honoring Paul Rudnick with The P.R.I.D.E. Performing Arts Award for his contribution to theatre and the LGBTQ+ community.

Photos: Isabella Dawis & Tidtaya Sinutoke Receive the 2022 Fred Ebb Award


The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company presented the seventeenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to the team of Isabella Dawis & Tidtaya Sinutoke.

New Date Announced For 17th Annual Fred Ebb Award Presentation


The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented to the team of Isabella Dawis & Tidtaya Sinutoke by Heidi Blickenstaff and Julia Murney on Monday May 2nd from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony at Bond 45. T

17th Annual Fred Ebb Award Ceremony Postponed


 The Fred Ebb Foundation has announced that their Fred Ebb Award ceremony, previously set for January 3rd, 2022 at Birdland Jazz Club, has been postponed. 

17th Annual Fred Ebb Award Recipients Announced


The Fred Ebb Foundation will present the seventeenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to the team of Isabella Dawis & Tidtaya Sinutoke. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented on Monday January 3rd, 2022, at a by-invitation-only ceremony at Birdland Jazz Club

Directors and Music Directors Announced For the 33rd Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS


National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced this year’s directors and music directors for the 33rd Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which will be held on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22, 2021.

Applications for 17th Annual Fred Ebb Award Now Available


The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company announced today that applications for the seventeenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters are now available. Applications will be accepted from June 1 - June 30, 2021. The winner will be selected in November of 2021.

The 4th Annual Florida Festival of New Musicals Announces Its Winning Selections and Event Details for June 2021


Excitement is in the air as The Winter Park Playhouse announces the six winning selections for the 4th annual Florida Fesival of New Musicals now scheduled for June 24 - 27, 2021. The Festival, which showcases new musical theatre works, is one of very few in the nation and certainly the only one of its kind in the Southeast region.

Kate Baldwin, Ethan Slater, Jason Gotay and More Featured on THE WELLSONGS PROJECT, Released Today


Broadway Records today released THE WELLSONGS PROJECT, a collection of 16 new songs performed by an all-star broadway cast including Kate Baldwin, Christine Andreas, Lisa Howard, Ethan Slater, Jason Gotay, Margo Seibert, Allie Trimm, Lisa Brescia, Bradley Gibson, Halle Hunt, Marissa McGowan, Michael Mendez, Will Reynolds, and Vishal Vaidya.

Sisco & Josepher Launch New Radio Show IN BETWEEN THE LINES On Musical Theatre Radio


David Sisco and Laura Josepher, owners of ContemporaryMusicalTheatre.com, are launching a new radio show on MusicalTheatreRadio.com on Saturday, January 16 at 10 AM (EST).

Plays-By-Mail Company Artistic Stamp Announces 38-Person Cast For Season Two


Artistic Stamp, the original plays-by-mail company, is proud that in a year marred by decimation to the theater industry, they have employed and paid 38 actors in addition to the eight playwrights and creative team. The interactive experiences are written by Liz Duffy Adams, Ben Bonnema, November Christine, West and Dash Hyler, Timothy Huang, Jahn Sood, Elyne Quan, and Natalie Ann Valentine.

16th Annual Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project Seeks Submissions


The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University are seeking the nation's most talented young songwriters and writing teams for the 16th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project. The free weeklong songwriting workshop will take place virtually from June 20-26, 2021.

Photo Flash: Go Inside the 16th Annual Fred Ebb Awards Virtual Ceremony


On Monday night, The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company presented the sixteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to the team of Ben Bonnema & Christopher Staskel, and Michael R. Jackson. 

Plays-by-Mail Company Artistic Stamp Returns for Season Two


Plays-by-mail theater company Artistic Stamp have announced that due to the sold-out success of their inaugural season, they are returning with Season Two in 2021. Season Two will include three world premieres by Liz Duffy Adams (Or), Timothy Huang (Costs of Living), and West Hyler (Cirque Du Soleil's Paramour) and Dashiell Hyler plus more.

Wake Up With BWW 11/10: JAGGED LITTLE PILL Cast to Reunite For a Concert, and More!


Today's top stories: the cast of Jagged Little Pill will reunite for a concert live from New York City, and more!

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