Brent Crayon is an American pianist, musical director, orchestrator and copyist.
Early life and education Crayon was born and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana.BWW Interviews: Brent Crayon Discusses the Life and Crazy Schedule of a Music Director Ellen Dostal. Broadway World Los Angeles. April 11, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2017 He graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a Bachelor of Music degree in music performance, in 1995.Brent Crayon ’95 (music performance) is the rehearsal pianist for Kiss Me, Kate School of Music. Loyola University New Orleans. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 He subsequently earned a Master of Fine Arts in piano performance from the California Institute of the Arts, in Valencia, California, in 1997.Brent Crayon resume brentcrayon.com 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017
Musical director Crayon began his musical career as a trained classical pianist. After serving as the musical director for several productions at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, California and elsewhere, he made his Los Angeles theatrical debut at the Mark Taper Forum, with the pre-Broadway revival of Flower Drum Song, in 2001.Flower Drum Song Resurfaces in Mark Taper Season 2001-02 Christine Ehren. Playbill. May 22, 2001. Retrieved June 11, 2017BWW Interviews: Brent Crayon Discusses the Life and Crazy Schedule of a Music Director Ellen Dostal. Broadway World. April 11, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2017 Since then, he subsequently musical directed productions of Les Miserables in Alaska,Something's Coming! WEST SIDE STORY Headed to La Mirada Theatre This Spring BWW News Desk. Broadway World Los Angeles. March 15, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 Dreamgirls in Tokyo,Brent Crayon resume BrentCrayon.com. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,Theater review: 'Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris' at the Colony F. Kathleen Foley. Los Angeles Times. April 14, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2017 Ecstasy, the Musical,,Review: 'Ecstasy, the Musical' at Art/Works Theatre David C. Nichols. Los Angeles Times. June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2017 A Class Act,Musicals in LA Musicals in LA. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 Triumph of Love,Triumph of Love Musical Theatre Guild. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2017 The Spitfire Grill,This Week in L.A. Theatre Julio Martinez. The Stage Magazine. LA Stage Alliance. November 3, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2017 The Fantasticks,Brent Crayon About the Artists. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 West Side StoryLa Mirada delivers a fully realized ‘West Side Story’ Eric Marchese. Orange County Register. April 24, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 and others.Brent Crayon About the Artists. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017
Major collaborations Crayon has worked and collaborated with several prominent composers and artists, including Stephen Schwartz, John Bucchino, Paul Gordon, Jason Robert Brown and directors Richard Maltby, Jr., Chen Shi-Zheng and John Caird among others.Creative Team Bios whengarbotalks.com. 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2017 He was the musical director for the world premieres of It’s Only Life,Review: ‘It’s Only Life’ Bob. Verini. Variety. June 24, 2008 Bubble Boy: The Musical,‘A Bubble Around My Heart’ Ken Jaworowski. New York Times. November 14, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2017 SnapshotsBrent Crayon The Colony Theatre. April 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2017 When Garbo TalksCreative Team Bios whengarbotalks.com. 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2017 and The Devil and Daisy Jane;The Devil and Daisy Jane Comes to Hollywood BWW News Desk. January 24, 2011 Retrieved June 11, 2017The Devil and Daisy Jane a new musical The Devil and Daisy Jane a new musical. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 the associate musical director for the world premiere of Empire, the Musical;'Empire, The Musical' Backstage. October 6, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2017 and the musical director of the west coast premieres of First Date,‘First Date’ covers much familiar terrain Orange County Register. September 25, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2017 Songs for a New World Benson and Manough to Star in Rubicon's Songs for a New World Andrew Gans. Playbill. February 1, 2005Theater review: 'Songs for a New World' at International City Theatre David C. Nichols. Los Angeles Times. October 22, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2017 and Tick, Tick... Boom!Review: ‘tick … tick … BOOM!’ Julio Martinez. Variety. November 21, 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2017 and the Los Angeles premiere of A Catered Affair.A Catered Affair Musical Theatre Guild. 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2017
Crayon also served as the musical director, performing with the Upright Cabaret band, for the west coast debut of composers Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk songs, which featured performers Sarah Hyland, Melissa Benoist, Barrett Foa, Max Ehrich, Dezmond Meeks, Meghann Fahy, Laura Dickinson, Matt Sax, Morgan Karr, Arielle Jacobs, Colleen Ballinger and others.Kerrigan-Lowdermilk: West Coast Debut TicketWeb. 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017
Piano soloist As a featured piano soloist, Crayon has performed with the Ventura Chamber Orchestra, the Long Beach Symphony and the Santa Monica Symphony.Brent Crayon The Colony Theatre. April 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2017
Composer In 1998, he served as the composer for an original children's theatre production of Rapunzel, based on the German fairy tale, which was successfully performed in repertory.On The Boards George Patterson. Productions. AmbushMag.com. 1998. Retrieved June 11, 2017
Teaching Crayon is also an accomplished accompanist and has been a summer program faculty member at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, in Idyllwild, California.Teens & Kids Faculty Bios Idyllwild Arts Summer Program. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017 He has also been on the staff of El Camino College, in Torrance, California, serving as the musical director and conductor.2014-2015 EVENTS El Camino College. Retrieved July 9, 2017
Recordings He served as an orchestrator on the original cast recording of the musical, Bubble Boy, by the writing team of Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio.REVIEW: Bubble Boy - Studio Cast Warren Hoffman. Cast Albums. July 5, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017 He also played the synthesizer for the album Michael Byron: Music Of Nights Without Moon Or Pearl, featuring the music of composer Michael Byron.Album results. DRAM. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017Michael Byron – Music Of Nights Without Moon Or Pearl Discogs. 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017
Awards In 2015, Crayon was nominated for an Ovation Award for Best Musical Direction for his work on The Last Five Years at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, California.Ovation Awards 2015: Wins for Deaf West's 'Spring Awakening,' Circle X's 'Trevor' Jessica Gelt. Los Angeles Times. November 10, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2017Announcing the 2015 Ovation Awards Nominees @ This Stage Magazine. LA Stage Alliance. September 24, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2017 He was previously nominated for an Ovation Award in 2005, in the same category for Songs For a New World, also at the Rubicon Theatre. A 2010 production of this musical at the International City Theatre in Long Beach, also garnered Crayon a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award nomination.Brent Crayon resume 2017. Retrieved June 15, 2017
In 2008, Crayon won a DayTony Award for Best Musical Direction for his work on Snapshots at the Human Race & Victoria Theatre, in Dayton, Ohio.Brent Crayon resume BrentCrayon.com 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2017Excellence - Musical Direction. Professional Awards. 2007-2008 DayTonys and Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame. 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2017 In 2011, he was nominated for an NAACP Theatre Award, in the category of Best Music Director for Jacques Brel is Alive and Well And Living in Paris at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, California.NAACP Theatre Awards and Festival Weekend LA Stage Times Archive. @ This Stage Magazine. August 16, 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2017
External links Official website
References