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Songs From an Unmade Bed

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Songs from an Unmade Bed is a theatrical song cycle for one performer and three musicians that explores the romantic life of a gay man living in the city. One lyricist and eighteen composers (one per song) combined to create a unique theatrical event that is funny, poignant and ultimately hopeful about love.

Composers:

Debra Barsha – Mark Bennett – Peter Foley – Jenny Giering – Peter Golub – Jake Heggie – Lance Horne – Stephen Hoffman – Gihieh Lee – Steven Lutvak – Steve Marzullo – Brendan Milburn – Chris Miller – Greg Pliska – Duncan Sheik – Kim D. Sherman – Jeffrey Stock – Joseph Thalken

Premiere

New York Theatre Workshop, 2005

Subsequent productions

  1. Nautilus Theatre, Minneapolis, MN 2006
  2. New Works Collective and Know Theatres, Cincinnati, OH, 2007
  3. Celebration Theatre, Los Angeles, 2009
  4. Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Orlando, FL, 2009
  5. Ringwald Theater, Ferndale, MI, 2009
  6. Theatre Three, Inc., Dallas, TX, 2010
  7. Provincetown Counter Productions. Provincetown, MA, 2010
  8. Judith Wright Centre for Performing Arts, Sunnybank Hills, Queensland, 2011
  9. Empire Theatre, Toowomba, Queensland, Australia, 2011
  10. Columbia College, Chicago, IL, 2011
  11. Gaslight Theater,  St. Louis, 2011
  12. Teatro del Hotel NH, Mexico City, 2012
  13. The Little Musical Theatre Company, Washington, D.C. 2013
  14. Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide, South Australia, 2013
  15. Pride Films and Plays, Chicago, IL 2014
  16. New Helvetia Theatre, Sacramento, CA 2014
  17. Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA 2015
  18. Subculture, New York City 2015
  19. Gatherwool Theater, White River Junction, VT, 2016
  20. The Orlando Fringe Festival, Orlando FL, 2016
  21. Compulsion Dance & Theatre, San Diego, CA, 2017
  22. Macabre Theatre Ensemble, Ithaca, NY 2018
  23. Bourbon Baroque, Inc. Louisville, KY 2018
  24. Onyric Teatro Condal, Madrid 2019
  25. Broadway Cares (BD Wong), livestream 2020
  26. BW Productions, livestream 2022
  27. 54 Below, New York City, Sept. 2023
  28. The Hive Collaborative, St. Paul, MN 2025

Quotes

Funny, light, sardonic, [Songs] depicts a familiar kind of New York gay life that’s seldom celebrated in this manner. There’s no big political agenda here, no coming-out statement or demand for equal time: just amusing observation with an understated acuity that gives this entertaining evening a little extra punch.
—The New York Times

Songs From an Unmade Bed might be one of the best hours not spent in bed. Mark Campbell’s lean style, sly point of view and overall sensibility are entirely his own.
—Variety

Comical and moving…An amusing and entirely unsentimental tableau of single life in the city…Campbell’s lyrics are witty, imaginative and at times seemingly very personal.
—Associated Press

Songs From an Unmade Bed is really meant to be experienced. Though not sweeping and epic as some musicals or rugged and stuffy as some recitals, it is touching and delicate and that is something you don’t see everyday.
—EDGE, Los Angeles

You can purchase the piano/vocal score here.

You can purchase the CD here.

Licensing

To inquire about the rights to perform Songs from an Unmade Bed, please fill out a quote request here.

Kahane’s FEBRUARY HOUSE recording is released

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After its extended run at New York City’s Public Theater, the original cast recording of February House has been released on the Storysound label. The show is based on Sherill Tippins’ book, which brings to life the story of what was possibly the most fertile and improbable live-in salon of the twentieth century. Known as “February House,” its residents included, among others, Carson McCullers, W. H. Auden, Paul Bowles, and the famed burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. This ramshackle Brooklyn brownstone was host to an explosion of creativity, an extraordinary experiment in communal living, and a nonstop yearlong party fueled by the appetites of youth. Here these burgeoning talents composed many of their most famous, iconic literary works while experiencing together a crucial historical moment–America on the threshold of World War II.

With music and lyrics by Gabriel Kahane and book by Seth Bockley, the show ran to packed houses and rave reviews.

“IT’S THE MUSIC THAT MAKES THE MAGIC… the music artfully captures the spirit of the years in which FEBRUARY HOUSE is set.”
– Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“IMAGINATIVE AND BEGUILING. Directed with sweeping, thoughtful flair by Davis McCallum, the production is visually and aurally rich.”
– Jennifer Farrar, Associated Press

“Gabriel Kahane’s songs range wide and deep. The score adroitly balances lush romanticism and sharp wit. FEBRUARY HOUSE has introduced a vital new voice to the musical theater.”
– Jeremy Gerard, Bloomberg

“Seth Bockley’s dialogue is funny and quick, but also has something on its mind. Kahane’s music and exceptional lyrics carry the production into the sublime.”
– Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly

“Where Carson McCullers is concerned, Kahane achieves a kind of art-song nirvana, gorgeously rendered by Kristen Sieh, whose upper register recalls Joni Mitchell’s.”
– Elizabeth Vincentelli, New York Post

Kahane on February House

FEBRUARY HOUSE was recently featured in The New York Times! click here to read the article.

NewMusicBox reviews the recording.

Heggie’s MOBY-DICK premieres at San Francisco Opera

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“A masterpiece of clarity and intensity, with a score that is at once thematically compact and richly inventive.”
Stephen Costello (left) is Greenhorn, Jay Hunter Morris is Ahab and Jonathan Lemalu is Queequeg in expressive "Moby-Dick." Photo: Cory Weaver, SF Opera / SF

“A GREAT AMERICAN OPERA” Opera Now Magazine

“A TRIUMPH”The Dallas Morning News

“AN UNDENIABLE SUCCESS” The New York Times

“THE HIT OF THE SEASON” The Washington Post

“A MASSIVE ARTISTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT” WFAA-TV

Moby-Dick is an opera in two acts by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, based on the novel by Herman Melville. Commissioned by The Dallas Opera with San Francisco Opera, San Diego Opera, Calgary Opera and the State Opera of South Australia, Moby-Dick opened to extraordinary international acclaim on April 30, 2010 at the Margot & Bill  Winspear Opera House in Dallas.

Moby DickJay Hunter Morris (Captain Ahab), Stephen Costello (Greenhorn) and Jonathan Lemalu (Queequeg). Photo: Cory Weaver, SF Opera / SF

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION TEAM

Conductor Patrick Summers
Director & Dramaturg Leonard Foglia
Set Design Robert Brill
Lighting Donald Holder
Costumes Jane Greenwood
Projections & Film Elaine McCarthy
Musical Preparation Laurie Rogers, Michael Heaston, Janice Fehlauer
Chorus Conductor Alexander Ro

ORIGINAL CAST

Ahab Ben Heppner
Greenhorn Stephen Costello
Starbuck Morgan Smith
Queequeg Jonathan Lemalu
Pip Talise Trevigne
Stubb Robert Orth
Flask Matthew O’Neill
Gardiner Jonathan Beyer

The Dallas Opera Orchestra and Men of the Chorus

ORCHESTRATION

3 flutes (one doubles piccolo)
3 oboes (one doubles English Horn)
3 clarinets (one doubles bass clarinet)
3 bassoons (one doubles contrabassoon)

4 horns in F
3 trumpets in C
2 trombones
bass trombone

timpani
2 percussion
harp

strings

PRODUCTION COMPANIES

A list of companies who have performed or scheduled future performances of the opera follows:

  1. The Dallas Opera (April 2010)
  2. State Opera of South Australia (Aug./Sept. 2011)
  3. Calgary Opera (Jan. 2012)
  4. San Diego Opera (Feb. 2012)
  5. San Francisco Opera (Oct. 2012)
  6. Washington National Opera (Feb.-March 2014)
  7. Los Angeles Opera (Oct.-Nov. 2015)
  8. The Dallas Opera (Nov. 2016)
  9. Utah Opera (Jan. 2018)
  10. Pittsburgh Opera (March 2018)

LICENSING

For theatrical performances, there are two components to licensing Dead Man Walking. Grand Rights (theatrical rights) are licensed by:

Funsten and Franzen

dfranzen@lawff.com

Bill Holab Music handles rentals and sales of the musical materials. You can request a quote here.

Scores can be purchased here.

Heggie’s DEAD MAN WALKING

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“Dead Man Walking makes the most concentrated impact of any piece of American music theater since West Side Story more than 40 years ago.”
THE GUARDIAN (London)

Since its premiere in 2000, Dead Man Walking, the first opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Terrence McNally, has become one of the opera world’s most performed new works. Commissioned by San Francisco Opera (then headed by Lotfi Mansouri), it is based on the prize-winning book by Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ  and tells the modern-day story of a nun who becomes the spiritual advisor to a condemned man on Louisiana’s death row. The opera was first performed on October 7, 2000 at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House. Maestro Patrick Summers led the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus and a cast that included mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Sister Helen, baritone John Packard as Joseph DeRocher, and mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade as his mother, Mrs. DeRocher. The production was directed by Joe Mantello and featured sets by Michael Yeargan, lighting by Jennifer Tipton, and costumes by Sam Flemming. The original run of seven performances was increased to nine due to popular demand, and most performances were sold out.

In 2001 a new production of Dead Man Walking was commissioned by seven American opera companies: Opera Pacific, Cincinnati Opera, New York City Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Opera and Baltimore Opera. Directed by Leonard Foglia and designed by Michael McGarty, the production features costumes by Jess Goldstein and lighting by Brian Nason.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES

A list of companies who have performed or scheduled future performances of the opera follows:

  1. San Francisco Opera (2000) — World Premiere
  2. Opera Pacific (2002) — New Production
  3. Cincinnati Opera (2002)
  4. New York City Opera (2002)
  5. Austin Lyric Opera (2003)
  6. Michigan Opera Theater (2003)
  7. State Opera of South Australia (2003) — First International Production
  8. Pittsburgh Opera (2004) — Live Broadcast on National Public Radio
  9. Calgary Opera (2006) — New Production. Canadian Premiere.
  10. Baltimore Opera (2006)
  11. Dresden Semperoper (2006) — New Production. European Premiere.
  12. Malmö Opera (2006-2007) — New Production. Scandinavian Premiere.
  13. Sydney, Australia (2007) — New Production
  14. Dresden Semperoper  (2007) — Revival.
  15. Vienna Klangbogen Festival (2007)
  16. Hagen, Germany (2007-2008)
  17. Dublin, Ireland (2007) — New Production
  18. University of Colorado at Boulder (2007) — New Production. First complete university production.
  19. University of Nebraska in Lincoln. (2008) —  New Production. Directed by William Shomos and conducted by Tyler White.
  20. Malmö Opera (2009) (revival)
  21. Fort Worth Opera (2009)
  22. Dresden SemperOper (2009) (revival)
  23. Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen (2009)
  24. Cape Town Opera, South Africa (2009)
  25. Houston Grand Opera (2011) – 10th Anniversary Production
  26. Union Avenue Opera, St. Louis (2011)
  27. Tulsa Opera (2012)
  28. Dresden SemperOper (2012) – revival
  29. Fayetteville Opera (2013)
  30. Opéra de Montréal (2013)
  31. Boston Opera Collaborative (2013)
  32. Eugene Opera (2013)
  33. The Modern American Music Project (2013)
  34. Staatstheater Schwerin, Germany (2014)
  35. Madison Opera (2014)
  36. Central City Opera (2014)
  37. DePaul University (2014)
  38. Des Moines Metro Opera (2014)
  39. Madison Opera (2014)
  40. University of Michigan (2014)
  41. Opera Parallele (2015)
  42. Northwestern University (2015)
  43. Opera NUOVA (2015)
  44. Dayton Opera (2015)
  45. Indiana University Opera Theater (2015)
  46. New Orleans Opera (2016)
  47. Shreveport Opera (2016)
  48. Townsend Opera (2016)
  49. Fresno Opera (2016)
  50. Lyric Opera of Kansas City (2017)
  51. Vancouver Opera (2017)
  52. Washington National Opera (2017)
  53. Pensacola Opera (2017)
  54. Miami Music Festival (2017)
  55. Opera on the Avalon (2017)
  56. Boston Conservatory (2017)
  57. Kentucky Opera (2017)
  58. BBC Symphony/Barbican Center (2018)
  59. Minnesota Opera (2018)
  60. James Madison University (2018)
  61. Teatro Real Madrid (2018)
  62. Utah Opera (2018)
  63. Theater Erfurt (2019)
  64. Atlanta Opera (2019)
  65. Oldenburgisches Staatstheater (2019)
  66. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (2019)
  67. Welsh National Opera (2019)
  68. Israel Opera (2019)
  69. Opera Idaho (2020)
  70. Hungarian State Opera (2020)
  71. The Metropolitan Opera (2023)
  72. Lanestheater Detmold (2024)
  73. Miami Music Festival (2024)
  74. Schleswig-Holsteinisches Landestheater (2025)
  75. Opera AACC (2025)

Recordings

There are two recordings of Dead Man Walking:

Houston Grand Opera

San Francisco Opera

Instrumentation

There are two versions of the orchestration to Dead Man Walking.

Original (full) Orchestration

3 Flutes (3rd doubling Alto Flute and Piccolo)
2 Oboes
English Horn
2 Clarinets in Bb
Bass Clarinet
3 Bassoons (3rd doubling Contrabassoon)

4 Horns in F
3 Trumpets in C
2 Trombones
Bass Trombone

Harp
Piano
Timpani
Percussion (2 players)

Strings

Reduced Orchestration

2 Flutes (2nd doubling on Alto Flute and Piccolo)
2 Oboes (2nd doubling English Horn)
2 Clarinets in Bb(2nd doubling Bass Clarinet)
2 Bassoons (2nd doubling on Contrabassoon)

2 Horns in F
2 Trumpets in C
Trombone
Bass Trombone

Synthesizer (harp and piano sounds only)
Timpani
2 Percussion

Strings

Licensing

For theatrical performances, there are two components to licensing Dead Man Walking. Grand Rights (theatrical rights) are licensed by:

Funsten and Franzen

Jennifer Hughes

Bill Holab Music handles rentals and sales of the musical materials. You can request a quote here.

Scores can be purchased here.

Slatkin gives the premiere of ARLINGTON SONS in Pittsburgh

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Leonard Slatkin conducted the world premiere of Eyerly’s Arlington Sons with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh on three subscription performances (October 5, 6 and 7, 2012). Commissioned by Broadway and Metropolitan Opera star David Pittsinger, Arlington Sons is a unique 12-minute piece for baritone, boy soprano and orchestra. By turns moving and humorous, the work depicts a father and son visiting Arlington Cemetery in Virginia, to watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Arlington Sons was conceived specifically for the real-life father-son duo of David and Richard Pittsinger, and is believed to be the first vocal piece written for a father and son. Adding resonance to the themes of fatherhood, “sonhood” and patriotism, David’s own father was a guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The Pittsburgh performances of Arlington Sons follow the work’s premiere in piano arrangement at a February gala for the Glimmerglass Festival in New York City, where Mssrs. Pittsinger were accompanied by Fred Lassen at the keyboard.

WFSB feature about the creation of Arlington Sons

Danielpour to write new concerti

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Richard Danielpour has been commissioned to write three new concerti, each for very different virtuoso soloists.

Anthony McGill, the young star clarinetist who is currently principle with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra will premiere Danielpour’s new Clarinet Concerto. The work will be a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, written as a series of musical essays and remembrances of the period. Jointly commissioned by the Philadelphia group Orchestra 2001 and the New Jersey Symphony, the world premiere will take place in early 2014.

The 2013-14 season will also feature a new concerto for percussionist Lisa Pegher. This piece promises to be a new direction in Danielpour’s writing, for a consortium of orchestras that will be revealed soon!

Summer of 2013 will bring Danielpour’s new violoncello concerto for the Eastern Music Festival, Gerard Schwarz, conductor. The soloist will be the conductor’s son, Julian.

Kenji Bunch Concerti Commissions

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Next season will bring two new Concerto Commissions for Kenji Bunch. The Orchestra Engagement Lab will be premiering an electric violin concerto written for legendary electric violinist Tracy Silverman. The OEL is assembling an impressive consortium of orchestras that will each give a performance of the work Additional information can be found here.

The Corvallis Youth Symphony has commissioned Bunch to create an orchestra version of his Cookbook, originally written for clarinet and piano, for the outstanding young clarinetist, Jose Franch-Ballester. Based on their shared passion for cooking, eating, and very spicy ingredients, the orchestra version should be (pardon us) quite hot. Scheduled for premiere in May of 2013, the concert will also feature Bunch’s Piano Concerto with virtuoso pianist Monica Ohuchi as soloist, who also happens to be married to Kenji.

Jacksonville Symphony premieres Colina’s VARIATIONS ON SOBRE LAS OLAS

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“Everybody will know this tune,” says Michael Colina. “I created variations on this theme, making it a journey from fancy and cute to profound and triumphant.” Arguably one of the most famous Latin-American melodies ever written, it rose to prominence at circuses and fairgrounds, in part because it was one of the tunes available for fairground organs. Written in 1888 by Mexican composer Juventino Rosas, it was featured in the 1951 movie “The Great Caruso” and given different lyrics (and a  new title “The Lovliest Night of the Year”). Tenor Mario Lanza’s recording of the song rose to No. 3 on the Billboard charts in 1951.

Jacksonville music director Fabio Mechetti discussed the commission with Colina, asking him to create an organ concerto featuring the 6,215-pipe Bryan concert organ included in the Jacoby Symphony Hall. The premiere was given by Jacksonville on October 11, 2012, with Felix Hell as soloist.

Boyer’s The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers premieres in Boston

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Peter Boyer’s new work The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of Kennedy Brothers was premiered in Boston’s historic Symphony Hall by the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and Conductor Keith Lockhart, who commissioned the work as the centerpiece of the 125th anniversary season of the Boston Pops.

A stunning cast of Hollywood actors narrated the premiere of Boyer’s work: Robert De Niro read the words of John F. Kennedy; Ed Harris read the words of Robert F. Kennedy; Morgan Freeman read the words of Edward M. Kennedy; and Cherry Jones read the words written by Lynn Ahrens for the new work. The performance included a video created especially for the work by producer Susan Dangel and editor Dick Bartlett, drawn from archival materials provided by the John F. Kennedy Library.

Many members of the Kennedy family were in attendance, including former Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith (sister of the three Kennedy brothers); Vicki Kennedy, wife of the late Senator Ted Kennedy; Ted Kennedy, Jr. and family; Ethel Kennedy, wife of the late Robert Kennedy; and Joseph Kennedy III, grandson of Robert Kennedy. The Kennedy family members were warmly enthusiastic about Boyer’s new work.

The event drew a level of national and international media attention that was extremely rare for the premiere of a work of classical music. Earlier in the day, Boyer and Ahrens participated in a press conference alongside De Niro, Freeman, Harris, Jones, and Lockhart, attended by dozens of journalists. All of Boston’s major television, radio, and newspaper outlets covered the event. An Associated Press story about the Kennedy tribute ran in over 100 media outlets, including the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, ABC News, NPR.org, Huffington Post, Musical America, the BBC and the CBC. Boyer was included in CNN.com’s Intriguing People column. For news stories links, click here.

For additional photos, see the story and photo gallery on BMI.com. 

Miguel Harth-Bedoya appoints Boyer as Fort Worth Symphony Composer-in-Residence for 2010-11

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Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya has appointed Peter Boyer as Composer-in-Residence with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra for the 2010-11 season. The FWSO will give ten performances of three of Boyer’s works over the course of the season. The season will open with Celebration Overture (September 10, 11, 12, 2010). Later in the season, five performances of Ellis Island: The Dream of America will be given: two educational performances (March 3, 2011) and three subscription performances (March 4, 5, 6, 2011). The end of the season will include two performances of Boyer’s Titanic (May 7 & 8, 2011).

Boyer will spend three weeks in residence with the FWSO in conjunction with these performances of his works, doing audience talks, visits to local schools including TCU, and other activities. Boyer joins a line of distinguished American composers invited by Miguel Harth-Bedoya to serve season-long residencies with the FWSO: Kevin Puts (2006-07), Gabriela Lena Frank (2007-08), Behzad Ranjbaran (2008-09), and Jennifer Higdon (2009-10).