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The Curtain Up Songwriters Workshop: NYC Showcase

January 8, 2025

Join the students of Curtain Call, the premiere MT performance ensemble at the University of Lynchburg, for an evening of new musical theatre written by some of the most exciting young songwriters in New York City. Founded in 2018, the Curtain Up Songwriters Workshop has featured NYC-based composers and lyricists creating original work for undergraduate student performers, and to date has produced over two dozen original songs by award-winning songwriters. Under the direction of Dana Ballard and with music supervision & arrangements by Curtain Up Artistic Director James Ballard, The Curtain Up Songwriters Workshop: NYC Showcase marks the New York debut of the Curtain Call ensemble with a set list of original songs about hope, heartbreak, hilarity, and everything in between.

Featuring the students of Curtain Call:

Sky Craft
Samira Gharavi-Nouri
Kai Gutierrez-Wood
Syd Lawrence
Oluwatimilehin Mayowa
Josiah Randles
McKenna Slocum
Nico Thomas
Michael Tock
Bobby Vinson
Arilyn Webster

Also featuring:

Dana Aber (Baggage At The Door Off-Broadway)
Sean Doherty (Teeth Off-Broadway, Jagged Little Pill national tour)
Janelle Lawrence (Composer: Beastgirl, WET)
Lauren Molina (Rock Of Ages, Sweeney Todd)
Billy Recce (Composer: FIVE: The Parody Musical Off-Broadway)
Alanna Saunders (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; NBC’s Peter Pan Live!)

Featuring the songs of:

James Ballard & Seth Christenfeld (The Oxford Epidemic; A Door)
Christie Baugher (The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul)
Eli Bolin & Mike Pettry (Netflix’s John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch; “Documentary Now!”)
R.J. Christian (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical; Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern Off-Broadway)
Or Matias (MD of Great Comet) & Sarah Hammond (Pete the Cat)
Alexander Sage Oyen (Outlaws; Moment by Moment)
Billy Recce (FIVE: The Parody Musical Off-Broadway; A Musical About Star Wars Off-Broadway)
Heath Saunders (Newton’s Cradle; Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812)
Angela Sclafani (Songs Of Other Selves)
Rona Siddiqui (Salaam Medina: Tales of a Halfghan; MD of A Strange Loop)

Joined by Dana Ballard on piano, James Ballard on piano, Caro Moore on drums, Alex Petti on guitar, and Sherisse Rogers on electric bass.

Please note that all artists and acts are subject to change at any time.

Featuring

Smiling young woman with short, light-brown hair stands in a field. She is wearing a blue floral blouse and a necklace with a round pendant. Her left arm is bent at the elbow, hand on her hip, and she has a subtle tattoo on her right arm. The background is blurred green grass.

Sky Craft

Curtain Call Student
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Smiling Samira Gharavi-Nouri with long, curly dark hair stands against a plain white background. Wearing a dark top, her expression is friendly and approachable. The focus is on Samira's face, showcasing her joyful demeanor.

Samira Gharavi-Nouri

Curtain Call Student
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Kai Gutierrez-Wood, with curly brown hair, a red headband, and dangling earrings, smiles warmly at the camera. They wear a knitted red sweater adorned with a large button. The plain white wall in the background highlights their vibrant look.

Kai Gutierrez-Wood

Curtain Call Student
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Syd Lawrence, with long, wavy brown hair and subtle blonde highlights, smiles warmly at the camera. They're wearing a dark green V-neck top against a solid, warm brown background.

Syd Lawrence

Curtain Call Student
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Oluwatimilehin Mayowa, wearing a crisp white button-up shirt, poses against a solid brown background. With short black hair and a subtle facial expression, Mayowa gazes directly at the camera.

Oluwatimilehin Mayowa

Curtain Call Student
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A serious-looking person with short black hair and a full beard, possibly Josiah Randles, is set against a dark background. They wear a denim jacket over a shirt, with a thin chain necklace visible. The lighting highlights a calm, contemplative expression on their face.

Josiah Randles

Curtain Call Student
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A young woman with long, wavy brown hair stands in natural light, leaning against a light-colored wall. McKenna Slocum wears a burgundy top and small hoop earrings. Her expression is calm, and the softly blurred background highlights her face beautifully.

McKenna Slocum

Curtain Call Student
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A man in a gray suit, white shirt, and red plaid tie stands confidently against a stylized gray floral patterned backdrop. His short, curly hair is neatly styled, and he gazes directly at the camera with a slight smile.

Nico Thomas

Curtain Call Student
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Young Michael Tock, in a black tuxedo with a white shirt and tie, leans against a wooden wall. His medium-length brown hair frames his gentle smile. A boutonniere with pink and white flowers adorns his jacket, while sunlight dances across the vertical wooden slats behind him.

Michael Tock

Curtain Call Student
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Bobby Vinson, with curly hair and a mustache, smiles warmly while wearing a white shirt, red bow tie, and shiny red vest. The dark background hints at colorful objects partially visible, suggesting a theatrical setting.

Bobby Vinson

Curtain Call Student
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Arilyn Webster, with long, wavy brown hair, smiles slightly at the camera. They are wearing a black top and have a septum piercing. The background is a plain, soft blue-gray color. The dim lighting casts a warm, cozy feeling over the scene.

Arilyn Webster

Curtain Call Student
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A person with curly red hair and green eyes is smiling slightly against a pink background. They are wearing a white top with floral prints in red and green. The lighting is soft, highlighting their facial features and vibrant hair.

Dana Aber

Performer
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Sean Doherty

Performer
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A smiling person with long braided hair poses against an orange background. They wear a paisley-patterned shirt, a silver choker necklace, and have a tattoo on their shoulder. Their makeup includes purple eyeshadow. One hand is placed on their head, and the other is visible with rings.

Janelle Lawrence

Performer
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Lauren Molina

Performer
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A person with curly dark hair smiles at the camera. They are wearing a sleeveless, colorful, patterned sweater and a pearl necklace. They rest their chin on their clasped hands. The background is a solid light green color.

Billy Recce

Performer/Writer
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Alanna Saunders, with long, curly dark hair and light eyes, poses against a solid beige background. She wears a blue sleeveless top and has a nose ring in her left nostril. Alanna looks at the camera with a neutral expression, her hair elegantly framing her face.

Alanna Saunders

Performer
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James Ballard, a smiling man with light brown hair and a short beard, is sitting outdoors near a chain-link fence. He is wearing a black jacket over a red shirt. The sunlight highlights his cheerful expression, and the blurred background suggests a sunny day.

James Ballard

Music Supervisor/Writer
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Seth Christenfeld, a person with a beard and medium-length hair, is wearing a red button-up shirt over a blue t-shirt. They are crossing their arms and looking upwards with a slight smile, set against a softly lit neutral background.

Seth Christenfeld

Writer
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Eli Bolin

Writer
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Portrait of RJ Christian with long dreadlocks and a neatly trimmed beard, looking into the camera with a slight smile. He is wearing a navy blue jacket over a black shirt. The muted gray background adds to the professional and focused atmosphere.

RJ Christian

Writer
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Alexander Sage Oyen

Writer
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Heath Saunders

Writer
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Angela Sclafani

Writer
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Rona Siddiqui

Writer
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A smiling woman with short, light brown hair and bangs poses against a blue backdrop. She wears green rectangular earrings and a blue blouse. Her name is Dana Ballard, her expression is friendly, and she has visible wrinkles around her eyes, indicating a warm, approachable demeanor.

Dana Ballard

Director/Piano
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A person with short pink hair holds a pair of drumsticks against their cheek. They wear a white shirt under a black and orange patterned jacket. The background is a solid maroon color, creating a warm and vibrant atmosphere. The person gazes directly at the camera with a calm expression.

Caro Moore

Drums
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Alex Petti

Guitar
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A person wearing glasses and a nose ring smiles while playing a bass guitar, reminiscent of Sherisse Rogers. They have long hair and are dressed in dark clothing. The image is warmly lit, highlighting the strings and body of the guitar against a dark background, emphasizing the musician's expression and instrument.

Sherisse Rogers

Electric Bass
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Christie Baugher Writer

Mike Pettry Writer

Or Matias Writer

Past Performances

  • Wed, Jan 8 :9:30 pm
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