Fred Barton
Encyclopedia
Fred Barton is an American composer, lyricist, director, actor, singer, arranger, conductor, and pianist who made his New York debut in 1982 as co-creator-arranger-performer-pianist in the original company of the internationally acclaimed revue Forbidden Broadway
, appearing in the New York, L.A. and Boston productions for 2,000 performances, and on the cast album for DRG Records. In 1985 the show won a Drama Desk Award. "Forbidden Broadway" ran for 27 years off-Broadway, and won a special Tony Award in 2006.
and Ruth Barton. His mother's family included generations of musicians, including her first cousin Paul Desmond
, the jazz saxophonist.
Fred Barton has a B.A. in Music from Harvard University
, where he wrote numerous musical comedies and revues with collaborator Andy Borowitz
, including the Hasty Pudding Theatricals
's 130th annual production, "A Thousand Clones." Barton has a Master's degree in Film and Television Music from the University of Southern California
, where he won the annual Harry Warren Award in that field.
As a TV composer, he has served as Associate Composer of Scholastic's hit series The Magic School Bus
(starring Lily Tomlin
), still airing worldwide; Musical Supervisor of the international hit show Olivia
, orchestrator and conductor of the Emmy-Award-winning "Wonder Pets
;" and Associate Composer of the ACE-Award-winning series "Eureeka's Castle
on Nickelodeon
. He also contributed music to' Michael Moore
's series 'The Awful Truth
'.
In 2009 Fred Barton appeared as himself, and musical-directed "Cathouse
: The Musical," produced and broadcast by HBO.
Following the success of "Forbidden Broadway," Barton opened his second contribution to the cabaret field in 1985: "Miss Gulch Returns!
," a one-man musical theatre piece that has been produced in theatres and cabarets across the United States and features the song "Pour Me a Man," which remains a popular cabaret song since its debut.
His third off-Broadway show, for which he served as musical director and arranger, "Whoop-Dee-Doo!
," ran 271 performances in New York, won two Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical Revue, was recorded by RCA Records, and was subsequently produced in London (which included new numbers, one of which was co-written by Barton). A new edition of "Whoop-Dee-Doo" was subsequently produced under the title "When Pigs Fly."
Fred Barton has arranged, orchestrated and appeared on numerous CDs with performers including Karen Akers
, Judy Kaye
, Karen Murphy, and Neva Small
. In 1998 he arranged and conducted the CD "A Wrinkle In Swingtime," with singer Elena Bennett and his 27-piece orchestra. He currently appears with Elena Bennett every Tuesday night at the NYC jazz club Iridium
.
Barton wrote book, music and lyrics for the off-Broadway musical "The Two Svengalis," starring Toni DiBuono, and recently has co-written and arranged the Broadway-bound musical "One For My Baby," featuring the music of Harold Arlen
.
Since 2004 Fred Barton has been Senior Orchestrator for the Indianapolis Pops Orchestra, and his orchestrations for their productions are played almost weekly by symphonies throughout the USA and Canada. The Boston Pops Orchestra
premiered two of Fred's compositions, "Cornball Concerto" and "Nocturne In Mancini," in 2005. Fred made his Carnegie Hall debut in May, 2011 with orchestrations for the New York Pops's annual Gala starring Angela Lansbury and Tyne Daly, and his orchestrations of Irving Berlin
songs will be presented in concert with the New York Pops in October, 2011.
Forbidden Broadway
Forbidden Broadway is an Off-Broadway satirical revue conceived, written and directed by Gerard Alessandrini. The original version of the revue opened on January 15, 1982 at Palsson's Supper Club in New York City and ran for 2,332 performances. Alessandrini has rewritten the show over a dozen...
, appearing in the New York, L.A. and Boston productions for 2,000 performances, and on the cast album for DRG Records. In 1985 the show won a Drama Desk Award. "Forbidden Broadway" ran for 27 years off-Broadway, and won a special Tony Award in 2006.
Life
Fred Barton grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, the son of the world's preeminent radar scientist David K. BartonDavid K. Barton
David Knox Barton is an American radar systems engineer who has made significant contributions to air defense, missile guidance, monopulse radar, low-altitude tracking, air traffic control, and early warning radar. He had authored a well-regarded series of reference books on radar engineering in...
and Ruth Barton. His mother's family included generations of musicians, including her first cousin Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond , born Paul Emil Breitenfeld, was a jazz alto saxophonist and composer born in San Francisco, best known for the work he did in the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for penning that group's greatest hit, "Take Five"...
, the jazz saxophonist.
Fred Barton has a B.A. in Music from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he wrote numerous musical comedies and revues with collaborator Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz is a comedian and New York Times bestselling author who won the first National Press Club award for humor. He is best known for creating the satirical website , which has an audience in the millions...
, including the Hasty Pudding Theatricals
Hasty Pudding Theatricals
The Hasty Pudding Theatricals, known informally simply as The Pudding, is a theatrical student society at Harvard University, known for its burlesque musicals and for its status as the oldest collegiate theatrical organization in the United States...
's 130th annual production, "A Thousand Clones." Barton has a Master's degree in Film and Television Music from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he won the annual Harry Warren Award in that field.
As a TV composer, he has served as Associate Composer of Scholastic's hit series The Magic School Bus
The Magic School Bus (TV series)
The Magic School Bus is an American Saturday morning animated television series based on the book series of the same name by Joanna Cole. It is notable for its use of celebrity talent and combining entertainment with an educational show, according to an article in Animation World Magazine by...
(starring Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin is an American actress, comedienne, writer, and producer. Tomlin has been a major force in American comedy since the late 1960's when she began a career as a stand up comedian and became a featured performer on television's Laugh-in...
), still airing worldwide; Musical Supervisor of the international hit show Olivia
Olivia (TV series)
Olivia is a British-American children's animated television series produced by media company Chorion and based on Ian Falconer's books. It is seen on Nick Jr. in the US, Milkshake!, Nick Jr. in the UK and Ireland, and Disney Junior in Latin America and Brazil, Treehouse TV in Canada...
, orchestrator and conductor of the Emmy-Award-winning "Wonder Pets
Wonder Pets
Wonder Pets is an American animated children's television series. It debuted on March 3, 2006, on the Nick Jr. block of the Nickelodeon cable television network and Noggin on the same day...
;" and Associate Composer of the ACE-Award-winning series "Eureeka's Castle
Eureeka's Castle
Eureeka's Castle is an American children's television series that aired on Nickelodeon from September 4, 1989 to June 30, 1995.-Synopsis:The show follows various puppet characters , including Eureeka, a sorceress in training. She and her friends live in a wind-up castle music box owned by a...
on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
. He also contributed music to' Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
's series 'The Awful Truth
The Awful Truth
The Awful Truth is a 1937 screwball comedy film starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. The plot concerns the machinations of a soon-to-be-divorced couple, played by Dunne and Grant, who go to great lengths to try to ruin each other's romantic escapades...
'.
In 2009 Fred Barton appeared as himself, and musical-directed "Cathouse
Cathouse: The Series
Cathouse: The Series is an HBO television series that documents the professional lives of the workers at the Moonlite BunnyRanch, a legal brothel in Nevada....
: The Musical," produced and broadcast by HBO.
Following the success of "Forbidden Broadway," Barton opened his second contribution to the cabaret field in 1985: "Miss Gulch Returns!
Miss Gulch Returns!
Miss Gulch Returns! is a one-man musical comedy written and originally performed by Fred Barton. It is loosely based on the character of Almira Gulch from the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz as portrayed by Margaret Hamilton...
," a one-man musical theatre piece that has been produced in theatres and cabarets across the United States and features the song "Pour Me a Man," which remains a popular cabaret song since its debut.
His third off-Broadway show, for which he served as musical director and arranger, "Whoop-Dee-Doo!
Whoop-Dee-Doo!
Whoop-Dee-Doo! is a deliberately ramshackle musical revue subtitled "a postage stamp extravaganza". It was conceived, created and developed by Charles Catanese, Howard Crabtree, Dick Gallagher, Phillip George, Peter Morris and Mark Waldrop. Songs and sketches by Dick Gallagher, Peter Morris and...
," ran 271 performances in New York, won two Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical Revue, was recorded by RCA Records, and was subsequently produced in London (which included new numbers, one of which was co-written by Barton). A new edition of "Whoop-Dee-Doo" was subsequently produced under the title "When Pigs Fly."
Fred Barton has arranged, orchestrated and appeared on numerous CDs with performers including Karen Akers
Karen Akers
Karen Akers is an American actress and singer, who has appeared on Broadway, cabaret and film.-Background:She was born Karen Orth-Pallavicini in New York City on October 13, 1945. Her ancestry was a mixture of European stock: her immigrant father, Heinrick C...
, Judy Kaye
Judy Kaye
Judy Kaye is an American singer and actress. She has appeared in stage musicals, plays, and operas. Kaye has been in long runs on Broadway in the musicals The Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime and Mamma Mia!-Biography:...
, Karen Murphy, and Neva Small
Neva Small
Neva Small is an American actress, singer, and puppeteer.-Career:Born in New York City, Small was acclaimed for her three-octave voice from an early age. She made her Broadway debut in the 1964 musical Something More!...
. In 1998 he arranged and conducted the CD "A Wrinkle In Swingtime," with singer Elena Bennett and his 27-piece orchestra. He currently appears with Elena Bennett every Tuesday night at the NYC jazz club Iridium
Iridium Jazz Club
The Iridium Jazz Club is a jazz club located on Broadway in New York City. The club hosts weekly performances by John Colianni, and also featured weekly performances by Les Paul for nearly fifteen years.- History :...
.
Barton wrote book, music and lyrics for the off-Broadway musical "The Two Svengalis," starring Toni DiBuono, and recently has co-written and arranged the Broadway-bound musical "One For My Baby," featuring the music of Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
.
Since 2004 Fred Barton has been Senior Orchestrator for the Indianapolis Pops Orchestra, and his orchestrations for their productions are played almost weekly by symphonies throughout the USA and Canada. The Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
premiered two of Fred's compositions, "Cornball Concerto" and "Nocturne In Mancini," in 2005. Fred made his Carnegie Hall debut in May, 2011 with orchestrations for the New York Pops's annual Gala starring Angela Lansbury and Tyne Daly, and his orchestrations of Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
songs will be presented in concert with the New York Pops in October, 2011.
Reviews
"His piano accompaniment is uncommonly rich—not only when he works with Bennett on arrangements they've performed before, which are terrific, but even when accompanying someone new on a song he's playing for the first time. Barton went beyond accompanying skillfully: he supplied coloration that was both pleasing in its own right and supportive of the vocal. On occasion, Barton will perform a number on his own; he knows how to interpret a lyric and how to put a song across."
"Fred Barton, whose animated, wide-eyed face has been peering over the piano at audiences in Palsson's for the last two years while he provides piano accompaniment to Forbidden Broadway, is now staying after the show on Thursday nights to do his own solo nightclub act, Miss Gulch Returns!'"'