Emily Rose Simons
Musical Theatre Writer
"Most creative music and clever lyrics I've experienced in live theatre"
Zennie Triue, 730 Review for The Inconvenient Miracle
Emily Rose Simons is a London based musical theatre writer. Composer-Lyricist credits include: “Christmas in London” (Unsung Musical’s Passing Show of 2019, Iris Theatres’ Xmas Factor, Union Jack Radio’s Comedy Christmas Song Chart), The Repatriot (Scratch at JW3, ALP’s Homebrew), The Inconvenient Miracle (BEAM Pitch, Skeleton Rep Salon, The Tank NYC and New York New Works Festival), Confessions of A Rabbi’s Daughter (The Tank NYC, Edinburgh Fringe, Off-West-End and JW3), “Yet” (MuseMatch at Feinstein’s 54 Below), “My Mum” (William Finn’s Ridiculously Talented Lyricists and Composers You’ve Probably Never Heard Of But Should at Barrington Stage). Composer credits include: Fair Kind and True (CRY HAVOC Company and The Sonnet Project), The F*ck Am I Doing? (New York Musical Festival), Wendell And Pan (The Tank NYC), “Far From Heaven” (Finalist in the Styles and Drewe Songwriting Competition) and You’re The Only One That Gets It (Bloodworks Festival, Ensemble Stage Theater, NYC). She is an alum of the Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at NYU, The CRY HAVOC Company apprenticeship program and Book, Music, Lyrics workshops in London. She is currently a participant in the Advance Mercury Musical Developments Workshop.
Wendell and Pan
The Repatriot
Book, Music and Lyrics: Emily Rose Simons
Director: Adam Lenson
Amy’s New York life was slammed shut when her visa was denied. Now she’s back in her family home in High Barnet and can’t get out of bed. Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot roll by as we see the world through Amy’s musical theatre reality: her bedroom, the inescapable sounds of her family and narrow portals back to her old her in New York via the internet. Will she get her life together by Chanukah?
An excerpt of The Repatriot was selected to be performed at JW3's Kvell Your Darlings in May.
'Christmas In London' (a song from the show) was in the final of Iris Theatre's Xmas Factor and made Union Jack Radio's Christmas Comedy Song Countdown.
Emily performed the song 'Happy' at Adam Lenson's Signal Concert at The Hospital Club
'With subtle nods to "When You Wish Upon a Star" and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the appealing melodies of composer Emily Rose Simons' original score dynamically accompanies and accentuates the events.'
Darryl Reilly, TheatreScene.net
A play written by Katelynn Kenny, directed Ria T. DiLullo, with an original score from Emily Rose Simons.
Life's hard when you're 11, your only friend is the ghost of your 12-year-old dead aunt, your sister wishes she could be on the other side of her cellphone, your parents make every room frigid, and your sick grandpa wants you to kill him. Presented by The Skeleton Rep and The Tank, WENDELL & PAN is a magical dramedy about loneliness, the strange nature of grief, and that moment in your childhood that reverberates with every step you take into the adult world.
'Emily Auciello's sound design and compositions by Emily Rose Simons capture the joy and danger of Pan's presence, as well as the high and lows of the piece.'
Virginia Jimenez, Times Square Chronicles
Book and Original Play: Emily Claire Schmitt
Music and Lyrics: Emily Rose Simons
Director: Ria T. DiLullo
Developed by: Skeleton Rep
Review from the New York workshop
Vanessa is simply minding her own business when the strange girl from school who claims to be a mystic declares her the next Virgin Mary. After punching said mystic in the face, an act of self-defense obviously, she lands herself in weekly detention with Sister Florence, the last remaining nun on campus. Both women get more than they bargained for as miracles begin popping up at highly inconvenient times. Is it possible that Vanessa is the sign from Heaven that Florence is waiting for? Faith, fantasy, and farce collide in this irreverent comedy.
March 2018: Presented at BEAM, Stratford East, London, UK
April 2018: Workshop at The TANK NYC
June 2018: Songs presented at Signal Concert, The Hospital Club, London, UK
September 2018: Selected for New York New Works, Acorn Theatre, New York
The F*** Am I Doing?
Book and Lyrics: Ali Keller
Music: Emily Rose Simons
Director: Adam Lenson
HOME is a song cycle in development about finding the people and places that feel like home while becoming an adult (and how maybe it takes a couple of tries to get it right).
These videos are two of the songs from the cycle dealing with finding the right person in the wrong circumstances or realizing you've found the wrong person. They were presented at an event for Primary Stages at Jimmy's No. 43 on August 2nd 2017.
Can't Do That With You is performed by Jenan Jacobson
I'm Sorry is performed by Annalisa Chamberlin
Piano/MD: Emily Rose.
Directed by Jennifer Curfman
Filmed by Ed Levy
Fair, Kind and True
Directed by Kitt Lavoie
Starring Katelin Wilcox
Music composed by Em
This film was created as part of The Sonnet Project, where films are created in response to Shakespeare sonnets. This film was produced by CRY HAVOC Company.
Confessions of a Rabbi's Daughter
Headin
‘The audience was captivated and so was I.’
Scotsgay.
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Headin
'Will tug at your heartstrings"
Broadway World, LAg 2
"Worth seeing"
Love Fringe
You're The Only One That Gets It
Rachel Wiseman has always wanted to make her father, Rabbi Wiseman, proud by becoming a Rabbitzen (a Rabbi’s Wife). As her parents plan their daughter’s forthcoming nuptials, her friendship with Sarah blossoms into love. Rachel’s turbulent emotional struggle to decide between her heart and her father’s dreams is presented through songs that promise to pluck the heartstrings and make you smile.
"Confessions of a Rabbi's Daughter" is the first musical theatre offereing from Miss Emily Rose. Book, music lyrics and performed by Emily Rose Simons and has been to the Edinburgh Fringe, Off-West-End, Off-Off Broadway, toured the UK and the US.
In 2014, Ilai Szpiezak as producer and David Merriman as Musical Director, for the London performances. The US tour was produced by Joella Tepper Sarah.
In July 2017, the musical was revamped and produced as part of The Tank's Pridefest with Lori Steinberg as director and Andrew Drannon, and then, in 2018 Lori Steinberg directed the show at JW3. (Video opposite)
Book and Lyrics: Mariah MacCarthy
Music: Emily Rose Simons
The baby goes home with his new family - but what about the people who made him? Birth parents Alisha and Kevin are trying to move forward with their lives and relationships after the placement of their son in an open adoption, but connection proves tricky after such a huge loss. A heart-aching musical-in-progress about how to love and be loved when no one else gets it.
This show received it's first presentation at Ensemble Stage Theatre (NYC) on the 21st of June as part of their Bloodworks festival:
Book & Lyrics by Mariah MacCarthy
Music by Emily Rose Simons
Directed by Ali Keller
Cast: Sarah Matteucci, Jonathan Randell Silver, Badia Farha, & Mick Bleyer
The band: Emily Rose Simons (piano/MD), Pablo Crespo (guitar), Goh Izawa (drums), Andi Buch (bass), Ali Comerford (violin)
A video of Emily Rose's song from Muse Match, Feinstein 54 Below
"Yet", written for and performed by the wonderful Badia Farha
