RAY LESLEE - COMPLETE WORKS
2018 THE LEARNED LADIES, an opera bouffe in two acts, libretto by Brian Dykstra. - Readings at The New School and Manhattan Theatre Club in New York and Muhlenberg College in Allentown PA.
2016 THREE VIRTUES for string orchestra - Winner of the International Composers Competition "Sacrarium 2016" - Performed by The Lemberg Sinfonietta - Lviv, Ukraine - 3rd movement
2015-16 A STEADY RAIN — a play by Keith Huff -- The Guthrie Theatre, The Alliance Theatre -- dir. Jeff Perry (Steppenwolf Th) -- original jazz "noir" score for trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion and keyboards. Highlights
2012 SPRING DANCES, suite for violin and cello - highlights: Sarabande - Passacaglia - Composed at Yaddo and commissioned by The Riverside Chamber Players, members of The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
2011 MAYA SONGS (Five Poems by Maya Angelou) -- Commissioned by The Riverside Chamber Players, members of The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. A suite of 5 poems for strings, piano and female gospel singer.
2010 A CHAMBER CHRISTMAS CAROL -- Commissioned by The Morgan Library & Museum -- d.Casey Biggs -- Scored for 5 actors and 5 musicians. Starring Dominic Chianese, "Uncle Junior" of The Sopranos.
2010 NOCTURNE FOR PIANO & VIOLIN -- The Dumbo Arts Festival -- Recorded by members of the American Symphony Orchestra and the American Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Recorded by Innova Records.
2010 PALESTINE -- New York Theatre Workshop -- d.Sturgis Warner (Off-Broadway), by Najla Said, daughter of Edward Said -- original score for woodwinds, percussion, and keyboards — Highlights
2009 SHAKESPEARE SONGS, for tenor, flute and strings -- The Antara Chamber Orchestra at St. Peter's Church in NY -- conducted by Ariel Rudiakov; tenor soloist: Nathan Lee Graham; flute: Harold Jones
2008 ANDANTE FOR STRINGS -- Commissioned and premiered by the Antara Ensemble at St. Peter's Church in NY --- conducted by Harold Jones
2008 A WORK OF ART -- The Chicago Minaturist Ensemble at the Ossia Fine Arts Gallery in Chicago -- for Soprano and Strings
2007 AVENUE X -- West 45th Steet Theatre/Dreamlight Theatre Company -- d.Chip Klose -- Off-Broadway revival -- eight voices, a cappella. Published by Samuel French Inc. Cast album CD by RCA Victor/BMG Classics.
2006 A GOOD MAN --- The Vienna Chamber Opera (The Wiener Kammeroper) --- d.Esther Muschol -- (World Premiere) -- for blues band and ten voices
2005 STANDUP SHAKESPEARE -- The Culture Project -- d.Casey Biggs, music dir.Ray Leslee -- Revised for Off-Broadway, featuring Alfred Molina, F. Murray Abraham, and Alice Ripley. Published by Dramatists Play Service. Recorded by The Folger Shakespeare Library & Albany Records.
2005 THE THREE MUSKETEERS --- The Acting Company --- d.Casey Biggs -- National Tour and Off-Broadway -- with members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra; violin, woodwinds, guitar, keyboards, cello
2005-07 LOVE SHAKESPEARE ---- The Acting Company ----- d.Casey Biggs -- National Tour and Off-Broadway
2004 CYRANNO DE BERGERAC --The Barrington Stage -- d.Julie Boyd -- for trumpet, flugelhorn, violin, viola, mandolin, guitar, keyboards
2000-03 ROMEO & JULIET FOR ORCHESTRA & ACTORS -- (A symphony in four movements) -- Commissioned by The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Jack Everly; and The New Haven Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jung Ho Pak
2002 MY HEART'S IN THE HIGHLANDS -- The Actor's Studio --- d.Tom Palumbo -- improvised a new score at the piano for each performance.
2000/2001 A CHRISTMAS CAROL -- The San Diego Repertory Theatre -- d.Joan Schirle -- circus setting, with members of The San Diego Symphony Orchestra -- The Garland Award for Best Score in West Coast Theatre
1999 THE AUTHOR’S VOICE -- The Drama Dept. -- d.Evan Yiounulis (Off-Broadway) -- featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman
1999 IMAGINING BRAD ----- The Drama Dept. ---- d.Evan Yiounulis (Off-Broadway)
1998 THE LAST ENEMY -- The United Nations, the Shimon Peres Center For Peace, The University of Leeds, New York University -- d.Achim Nowak — Off-Broadway and tour of the Middle East and Europe.
1997 THE NOTEBOOK OF TRIGORIN --- A Contemporary Theatre --- d.Michael Breault -- (Tennesee Williams' adaptation of "The Seagull", with members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra)
1996 AS YOU LIKE IT --- The Great Lakes Festival --- d.Michael Breault
1995-96 STANDUP SHAKESPEARE (revival) -- The Folger Shakespeare Library and The Alabama Shakespeare Festival -- d.Darwin Knight (Helen Hayes Award)
1995 NIGHT OF THE IGUANA --- Alabama Shakespeare Festival --- d.Ed Smith
1995 AVENUE X -- The Dallas Theatre Center -- d.Michael Breault, music dir.Ray Leslee -- Regional theatre premiere -- Dallas Theatre Critics Awards for Best Musical
1994 AVENUE X ----- Playwrights Horizons ----- d.Mark Brokaw (Off-Broadway)
1994 A CHRISTMAS CAROL ----- Tennessee Repertory Theatre ----- d.Mac Pirkle
1992 THE NEW LIVING NEWSPAPER -- Ensemble Studio Theatre -- d.Jeff Schechter (Off-Broadway)
1991 FANTASY IMPROMPTU -- La Ville de Geneve, (Switzerland) -- d.Ray Leslee
1989 LITTLE EGYPT -- Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago & Westside Theatre, Off-Broadway -- d.Jeff Perry
1988 THE BEAUX STRATAGEM -- Studio Arena Theatre -- d.David Frank -- for woodwinds and strings, with members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
1988 TWELFTH NIGHT --- Theatre for a New Audience ---- d.Mary B. Robinson (Off-Broadway) -- for woodwinds, guitar, tuba, keyboards
1987 STANDUP SHAKESPEARE --- The Shubert Organization --- d.Mike Nichols (Off-Broadway) -- for soprano, tenor, woodwinds, violin, piano and double bass
1987 EDUCATING RITA -- Steppenwolf Theatre & The Westside Arts Theatre -- d.Jeff Perry (Off-Broadway) -- featuring Austin Pendleton and Laurie Metcalf
1986 THE COMMON PURSUIT -- John McQuiggan & The Promenade Theatre -- d.Simon Gray -- Off-Broadway, Pulitzer Prize for Simon Gray, featuring Nathan Lane
1984 SHAKESPEARE PARTY -- Artists-In-Residence — The Israel Festival & Leeds University (U.K.) with the Bond Street Theatre Coalition, d.Joanna Sherman (international tour)
1983 LOCAL STOPS -- The Eleo Pomare Dance Company at The Joyce Theatre -- a full length ballet with live jazz quartet. Conducted by Ray Leslee with members of Weather Report, The David Bowie Band, and Spyro Gyra
1982 THE GOOD WOMAN OF SEZUAN --- SUNY at Purchase --- d.Howard Stein, Lawrence Kornfeld
1981 THE SCARECROW --- The Union Square Theatre --- d.Evadne Gianini and Brad Williams (Off-Broadway)
1978 MACBETT -- The New Mime Circus -- d.Judith Roberts -- with Eugene Ionesco consulting
1978 THE THREEPENNY OPERA -- The Pfeiffer Theatre -- d.Saul Elkin, music dir.Ray Leslee -- (original arrangements and conducted Kurt Weill's score)
1977 THE MEASURES TAKEN -- SUNY at Buffalo -- d.Saul Elkin -- arranged and conducted Hans Eisler's score
1976 APPROACHING SIMONE -- SUNY at Buffalo -- d.Saul Elkin (arranged and conducted Megan Terry's score
1974 TITANIC LOVE -- SUNY at Buffalo -- d.James Waring — composed and performed at the piano
1973-77 COMMEDIA DELL ARTE OF BUFFALO --- d.Joye Peskin and Steven Porter -- (Six original shows for children, at Lewiston Artpark and touring Western New York )
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SHAKESPEARE IN DELAWARE PARK -- BUFFALO, NY — Saul Elkin: Artistic Director
Ray Leslee - Composer In Residence/Music Director (1976-1990)
1990 OTHELLO (African & Renaissance fusion)
1989 KING LEAR and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (jazz musical)
1988 THE WINTER’S TALE and JULIUS CAESAR -- d. Kazmierz Braun, A.D. of the National Theatre of Poland
1987 HENRY V and ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL (jazz musical)
1986 LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST (original rock musical) and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
1985 ROMEO & JULIET (original Renaissance score) and THE TEMPEST
1984 NAKED HAMLET (original rock musical) and MEASURE FOR MEASURE
1983 KING LEAR (d. Yossi Yzraely, artistic director of the Habimah Theatre, the National Theatre of Israel)
1983 AMERICLES (original Americana musical based on Pericles, lyrics by the beat poet Robert Creeley)
1982 THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (original Italian-rock musical) and HENRY IV, PART 1
1981 MACBETH (original Latin American score) and TWELFTH NIGHT (original pop/classical musical)
1980 A HOLLYWOOD MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (original jazz-rock musical) and RICHARD II
1979 THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (original jazz musical)
1978 THE TEMPEST (original sci-fi musical) and THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
1977 NAKED HAMLET (original rock musical and Masters Thesis) and AS YOU LIKE IT
1976 THE WINTER’S TALE (original Renaissance score)