Marcy Heisler
Encyclopedia
Marcy Heisler is a musical theater writer
and performer. As a performer, she has performed at Carnegie Hall
, Birdland
, and numerous other venues throughout the United States and Canada. Heisler was nominated for the 2009 Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Lyrics for Dear Edwina
.
. She attended Northwestern University
and graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts
Dramatic Writing Program.
at a musical theater workshop in 1992, and they have been working together since 1993.
Working with composer Goldrich, Heisler created the musical Adventures in Love — book by Shari Simpson and Charlie Shanian — which premiered in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2000. Later that year, the two women were chosen to be among the first 12 participants in a program from Musical Theater Works designed to support new musical theater talent while they developed new works for the organization to produce, with participants receiving $20,000 and medical insurance for up to three years during the development process.
Heisler wrote book and lyrics, with Goldrich composing, for a musical adaptation of Junie B. Jones
, the popular character created by author Barbara Park
, produced by TheatreWorks
USA, which premiered at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in July 2004. It
received a 2005 Lucille Lortel Award
nomination for Outstanding Musical. An expanded version of the musical was staged in November 2005 at the Lucille Lortel theater; both the original and expanded productions received favorable reviews in The New York Times
. It was revived from March 2008 to May 2008 at the Lortel Theatre.
The musical Dear Edwina, with book and lyrics by Heisler and music by Goldrich, was produced Off-Broadway
at the Daryl Roth Theatre in November 2008 and returned for a limited engagement on December 11, 2009.
Heisler also works with Disney Theatricals and wrote new versions of 101 Dalmatians, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Jungle Book. She has written material for such Disney projects as Johnny and the Sprites (Disney Television), Pooh’s Learning Adventures (Disney Toon Studios), and The D Show (Disney Interactive).
Songs and recordings
Among the many contemporary standards by Goldrich and Heisler is "Taylor the Latte Boy
", which became a song associated with Kristin Chenoweth
— who sang "Taylor the Latte Boy" on The Rosie O'Donnell Show
and The Late Late Show
as well as the radio program A Prairie Home Companion
— but which has been performed by many other singers including Susan Egan
, Maggie Francisco, Linda Foster, Marty Thomas, John Tartaglia
, and Alan Cumming
. The comedy song tells the story of the singer's flirtation with a barista
at Starbucks
and was inspired by Heisler's and Goldrich's meeting a barista named Taylor in real life while mildly intoxicated.
Heisler has worked occasionally with other composers, as when she teamed with John Kavanaugh to write "Joseph's Lullaby," which was recorded by Michael Crawford
in 1998 for On Eagle's Wings, his album of inspirational music.
Their recording, Marcy & Zina: The Album was released on the Yellowsound Label (YSL 566493) in December 2009.
The duo performs the "Marcy and Zina Show" in venues around the US, for example at the Kennedy Center and Baylor University in 2009. The show is a "showcase for their stage compositions".
Awards and honors
The writing partners were voted "Best Knocking on Broadway's Door Songwriting Team" in the Village Voice Best of NYC edition, won the 2000 Backstage Bistro award for "Songwriters of the Year," and were the 2002 recipients of ASCAP's Richard Rodgers
New Horizons Theatre Award.
Heisler and Goldrich also have received four MAC Awards
, two for Song of the Year and two for Special Material, for their works "The Alto's Lament", "Welcome The Rain," "The Music Of Your Life," and "The Morning After (Leave)." They were nominated in 1998 for their song "Out of Love." The writing team received the 2009 Fred Ebb Award.
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
and performer. As a performer, she has performed at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, Birdland
Birdland (jazz club)
Birdland is a jazz club started in New York City on December 15, 1949. The original Birdland, which was located at 1678 Broadway, just north of West 52nd Street in Manhattan, was closed in 1965 due to increased rents, but it re-opened for one night in 1979...
, and numerous other venues throughout the United States and Canada. Heisler was nominated for the 2009 Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for Outstanding Lyrics for Dear Edwina
Dear Edwina
Dear Edwina is a musical by Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler . A children's one-hour musical, it concerns a young girl who gives her neighborhood friends and family advice through singing in a musical show...
.
Biography
Heisler was born in Deerfield, IllinoisDeerfield, Illinois
Deerfield is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States and is located approximately 25 miles north of Chicago, Illinois. A portion of the village is in Cook County, Illinois, United States...
. She attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
Dramatic Writing Program.
Career
Heisler met composer Zina GoldrichZina Goldrich
Zina Goldrich is a musical theater composer. She is most known for her work with lyricist Marcy Heisler.Goldrich and Heisler are currently working on the musical adaptation of Ever After, which was scheduled to have its world premiere at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco in November 2009, but...
at a musical theater workshop in 1992, and they have been working together since 1993.
Working with composer Goldrich, Heisler created the musical Adventures in Love — book by Shari Simpson and Charlie Shanian — which premiered in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2000. Later that year, the two women were chosen to be among the first 12 participants in a program from Musical Theater Works designed to support new musical theater talent while they developed new works for the organization to produce, with participants receiving $20,000 and medical insurance for up to three years during the development process.
Heisler wrote book and lyrics, with Goldrich composing, for a musical adaptation of Junie B. Jones
Junie B. Jones
Junie B. Jones is a children's book series written by Barbara Park and illustrated by Denise Brunkus. The story is written in Junie B.'s perspective.-Characters:Junie Beatrice "Junie B." Jones...
, the popular character created by author Barbara Park
Barbara Park
Barbara Lynne Park is an author of children's books.Barbara Park is the daughter of a merchant and a secretary, Doris and Brooke Tidswell. She grew up in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey. From 1965 to 1967, she attended Rider College, later finishing her B.S. in 1969 at the University of Alabama....
, produced by TheatreWorks
TheatreWorks
TheatreWorks may refer to:*TheatreWorks *TheatreWorks *TheatreWorks *Theatreworks *Theatreworks *Theatreworks USA*TheaterWorks...
USA, which premiered at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in July 2004. It
received a 2005 Lucille Lortel Award
Lucille Lortel Awards
The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986...
nomination for Outstanding Musical. An expanded version of the musical was staged in November 2005 at the Lucille Lortel theater; both the original and expanded productions received favorable reviews in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. It was revived from March 2008 to May 2008 at the Lortel Theatre.
The musical Dear Edwina, with book and lyrics by Heisler and music by Goldrich, was produced Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
at the Daryl Roth Theatre in November 2008 and returned for a limited engagement on December 11, 2009.
Heisler also works with Disney Theatricals and wrote new versions of 101 Dalmatians, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Jungle Book. She has written material for such Disney projects as Johnny and the Sprites (Disney Television), Pooh’s Learning Adventures (Disney Toon Studios), and The D Show (Disney Interactive).
Songs and recordings
Among the many contemporary standards by Goldrich and Heisler is "Taylor the Latte Boy
Taylor the Latte Boy
"Taylor the Latte Boy" is a contemporary song by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich. It is based on Heisler's experiences with a barista at Starbucks. It is best known for being performed by Kristin Chenoweth.-Story:...
", which became a song associated with Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
— who sang "Taylor the Latte Boy" on The Rosie O'Donnell Show
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
The Rosie O'Donnell Show is an Emmy Award-winning American daytime television talk show hosted and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It aired for six seasons from 1996 to 2002...
and The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show (CBS TV series)
The Late Late Show is an American late-night television talk and variety show on CBS hosted by Craig Ferguson since 2005. It immediately follows Late Show with David Letterman and is produced by Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated...
as well as the radio program A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
— but which has been performed by many other singers including Susan Egan
Susan Egan
Susan Egan is an American actress and singer known for her work on the Broadway stage.-Early life and career:Egan was born in Seal Beach, California. She attended Orange County High School of the Arts and UCLA. In the meantime she started her career touring with the performance group The Young...
, Maggie Francisco, Linda Foster, Marty Thomas, John Tartaglia
John Tartaglia
John Nicholas Tartaglia is an American singer, actor, dancer, puppeteer.Tartaglia was born in Maple Shade, New Jersey, U.S.. He joined Sesame Street's puppetry team at the age of 16 part-time, performing as a right hand and many minor characters, including Phoebe and being the backup for Kevin...
, and Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming, OBE is a Scottish stage, television and film actor, singer, writer, director, producer and author. His roles have included the Emcee in Cabaret, Boris Grishenko in GoldenEye, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United, Mr. Elton in Emma, and Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy...
. The comedy song tells the story of the singer's flirtation with a barista
Barista
A barista is a person, usually a coffee-house employee, who prepares and serves espresso-based coffee drinks.- Application of the title :...
at Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
and was inspired by Heisler's and Goldrich's meeting a barista named Taylor in real life while mildly intoxicated.
Heisler has worked occasionally with other composers, as when she teamed with John Kavanaugh to write "Joseph's Lullaby," which was recorded by Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
in 1998 for On Eagle's Wings, his album of inspirational music.
Their recording, Marcy & Zina: The Album was released on the Yellowsound Label (YSL 566493) in December 2009.
The duo performs the "Marcy and Zina Show" in venues around the US, for example at the Kennedy Center and Baylor University in 2009. The show is a "showcase for their stage compositions".
Awards and honors
The writing partners were voted "Best Knocking on Broadway's Door Songwriting Team" in the Village Voice Best of NYC edition, won the 2000 Backstage Bistro award for "Songwriters of the Year," and were the 2002 recipients of ASCAP's Richard Rodgers
Richard Rodgers
Richard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
New Horizons Theatre Award.
Heisler and Goldrich also have received four MAC Awards
Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs
The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs was founded in 1983, primarily as an organization for cabaret owners, managers, and booking agents to meet and exchange ideas. The organization started accepting performers in 1985....
, two for Song of the Year and two for Special Material, for their works "The Alto's Lament", "Welcome The Rain," "The Music Of Your Life," and "The Morning After (Leave)." They were nominated in 1998 for their song "Out of Love." The writing team received the 2009 Fred Ebb Award.