TIM ROSSER and CHARLIE SOHNE are winners of the 2018 Ed Kleban Award for best libretto, the 2015 Jonathan Larson Grant, ASCAP’s 2015 Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award and the 2016 San Diego Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Original Score. Their show, The Boy Who Danced on Air (NAMT 2013) had its world premiere at The Diversionary Theatre, its Off-Broadway premiere at the Abingdon Theatre and its cast album released by Broadway Records (featuring 'His Song' - a bonus track recorded by India.Arie). Their independent TV pilot, Truth Slash Fiction, won best comedy at SeriesFest and ITVFest, and is under option with Lionsgate — and their new song cycle, With The Right Music, made its premiere with the Oakland Symphony Orchestra in 2018. They're currently writing the musical adaptation of Libba Bray's novel Beauty Queens, as well as developing a new musical commissioned by New York City Children's Theatre, titled Talk To Me. Tim and Charlie were 2014-15 Dramatists Guild Fellows, members of The Civilians’ R&D Group and writers at the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, ASCAP’s Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project and the Yale Institute for Music Theatre. Their songs have been seen at 54 Below, Birdland, Contemporary Classics at Seattle Rep, Cutting Edge Composers at Joe’s Pub, ALNM at Rockwell in Los Angeles, Above The Arts in London, Broadway au Carre in Paris, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. They are the songwriting team behind India.Arie's single, High Above.

FEATURED SONGS:

(Sheet Music Available for Purchase at: https://newmusicaltheatre.com/collections/rosser-sohne)

“It’s Really Not That Different” - This is a brand new song, uploaded just in time for this blog post. It’s about trying to move on, after the death of a partner.

“With The Right Music” - WITH THE RIGHT MUSIC is a song cycle about a boy’s journey to self-awareness and eventually self-acceptance. This is the opening number.

“Nothing More” - Also from WITH THE RIGHT MUSIC. As rumors spread that he might be gay, Evan’s ostracized and teased at school. The rumors about Evan call his best friendship with perpetual popular kid, Jason, into question — and Jason distances himself from Evan because of it. Evan decides to write Jason a letter explaining himself and proving once and for all that there’s nothing weird about their friendship.

“Dance Floor” - From TALK TO ME. 11 year-old Connor's life sometimes seems to revolve around his older brother, Graham. Graham is on the spectrum and is often the focus of everything from their mother's attention to gossip at school. When the two brothers are together, Connor therefore fades into the background -- and because of that, Connor has never really had a chance to forge an identity of his own. Now, on the eve of his first school dance, Connor considers what it will mean to be at school by himself, without his brother for the first time.

“Last Night When I Returned" - A spirit comes back to visit her former husband.

“Simply Because” - Amber lost her brother years ago. Now, when she needs his guidance more than ever, she reflects on all he meant to her.

THE BOY WHO DANCED ON AIR

The following songs are from our show, THE BOY WHO DANCED ON AIR, which is a love story that takes place between two dancing boys in Afghanistan. Paiman and Feda have spent their lives as dancers in the world of bacha bazi, where wealthy men take in young boys from poorer families, train them to dance at parties, and often physically take advantage of them. The two boys' chance meeting changes the course of their lives and sets them off on a journey to find their identity.

“His Song” - A standalone story song written for India.Arie, reflecting on the story of the show.

“Little Dance” - 15 year-old Paiman has just been told by his master that he’s too old to continue dancing, and will be married off. Faced with leaving the only life he’s ever known, Paiman turns to his dance for solace.

“A Boy of My Own” - Paiman meets Feda, a dancing boy from a neighboring village. As their friendship begins to turn into something more, something that neither of them can quite put words to, they provoke the ire of their masters — and one night, after sticking up for his friend, Paiman is brutally punished. After the altercation, Feda finds Paiman and the two sing about how, when they grow up, they’ll treat their dancing boys differently.

“In The City” - Paiman and Feda plan to run away to Chagcharan, the nearest city. On the eve of their planned escape, the two boys dream of what their lives will be like.

The Off-Broadway Cast Album for THE BOY WHO DANCED ON AIR is available from: Broadway Records, iTunes, and Spotify!