John Roby is a Canadian film and theatre composer and pianist.Paula Citron, "Big-band era gets big-time production". Toronto Star, April 12, 1991.
A native of Windsor, Nova Scotia, he began writing music for theatre projects in Halifax in the 1970s, and served as the pianist on Noel Harrison's television variety show Take Time with Noel Harrison, before moving to Toronto, Ontario, in 1976.Michael Mirolla, "The guy on the piano doesn't crave spotlight". Montreal Gazette, October 7, 1983. He composed music for several of George F. Walker's plays, including Zastrozzi, The Master of Discipline,Robert Crew, "Zastrozzi returns in splendid form". Toronto Star, May 14, 1987. Filthy Rich,Bryan Johnson, "Filthy Rich a let-down- for George Walker fans". The Globe and Mail, January 22, 1979. Rumors of Our Death,Ray Conlogue, "Actors the best feature of Rumors of Our Death". The Globe and Mail, January 21, 1980. Theatre of the Film Noir,Michael D. Reid, "Invention fills rich, black comedy". Victoria Times-Colonist, January 28, 1982. Science and Madness, and The Art of War.Jack Evans, "'The Art of War' campy, entertaining". Belleville Intelligencer, February 6, 2010.
In 1984 he composed music for Jim Betts's The Mystery of the Oak Island Treasure.
In the latter half of the 1980s he became known for several musicals he cowrote with Raymond Storey, including Country Chorale,Barbara Crook, "Summer theatre a real refreshment". Ottawa Citizen, June 29, 1987. Girls in the Gang,Ray Conlogue, "'Girls' a slick, witty musical". The Globe and Mail, July 2, 1987. and The Dreamland.Vit Wagner, "Canadian musicals hot stuff on straw-hat circuit". Toronto Star, June 30, 1989. In 1990 he collaborated with Tim Wynne-Jones on Mischief City, a musical for kids based on Wynne-Jones's 1986 book.Vit Wagner, "Mischief City years in making". Toronto Star, April 12, 1990.
In 1993 he premiered The Old Man's Band, his first show written entirely on his own rather than with a collaborator.Vit Wagner, "Blyth musical engaging fare". Toronto Star, August 10, 1993.
He has also had credits as a composer of film scores, most notably on Thom Fitzgerald's films The Hanging GardenStephen Holden, "'The Hanging Garden': Inner Child's Pan Endures in Adulthood". The New York Times, May 15, 1998. and Beefcake.Stephen Holden, "'Beefcake:' Tan and Pumped Up, Living Campily Ever After". The New York Times, October 13, 1999.
He married actress Patricia Vanstone in 1981.Gale Zoe Garnett, "Pair happy to be wed after 3 1/2 years together". The Globe and Mail, January 28, 1982.
Awards Award Year Category Work Result Ref(s) Genie Awards 2000 Best Original Score Beefcakewith John Wesley Chisholm, Michael Diabo Gayle MacDonald, "Sunshine floods Genies International co-production sweeps award nominations, with Felicia's Journey, Five Senses, eXistenZ also in running for best picture prize to be announced next month". The Globe and Mail, December 8, 1999. Dora Mavor Moore Awards 1981 Outstanding New Score Theatre of the Film Noir Stephen C. Willis, Patricia Wardrop and Kenneth Winters, "Incidental Music". The Canadian Encyclopedia, October 8, 2007. 1984 Outstanding New Play Mystery of the Oak Island Treasurewith Jim Betts Stephen Godfrey, "Team aims to make this award show different". The Globe and Mail, October 13, 1984. 1988 Outstanding New Revue or Musical Girls in the Gangwith Raymond Storey Robert Crew, "George Walker play sweeps Dora awards". Toronto Star, June 14, 1988. 1995 Outstanding Sound Design, Mid-Size Theatre The Old Man's Band "And the Dora nominees are ...". The Globe and Mail, May 13, 1995. 1998 Outstanding New Musical Jacob Two-Two's First Spy Casewith Mordecai Richler "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 27, 1998. 2001 Outstanding Musical Direction Midnight Sun Michael Posner, "Iron Road tops the lot at Doras". The Globe and Mail, May 19, 2001.
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