Michael Peter Smith, Songwriter

Michael Peter Smith, Songwriter Wherever you go. Whatever you do. He stays in your head... One of the most captivating songwriters in the folk arena, celebrated musician Michael Peter Smith has toured the United States and Canada for nearly five decades. He creates new work on a constant basis, and music’s finest performers record his songs. His song The Dutchman, a signature piece for the late Liam Clancy, and still recorded by dozens of others, is considered a classic. Wherever he is – touring concert venues, In his theatrical debut, Michael “Hearing the songs of Michael clubs, theaters, folk festivals, at house composed and performed the music concerts, or teaching songwriting for the Steppenwolf production of John Smith in this day and age is workshops, in powerful songs, award- Steinbeck’s The Grapes Of Wrath, touring like reading an anthology of winning musical scores, and unforgettable with the cast and director Frank Galati Hemingway’s short stories after recordings – musical mastery is in from The Royal George Theater in Chicago whatever Michael does. to the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, decades of only comic books. It’s from the National Theater in London a realization that songs can hold Michael Smith, the lyricist, composer and to Broadway, where the play won the a whole lot more than they’re performer of renown, is a voracious reader Antoinette Perry Award for Best Play, 1990. and never at a loss for material. As early as Letters from Michael’s sisters contributed to usually expected to hold, they age 16, when he set the words that appeared the 1994 production Michael Margaret Pat can possess a genuine sense of on the grave of & Kate at Victory Gardens, which won four place and time as evocative and “Michael Smith Robert Louis Joseph Jefferson awards, for Best Revue, Stevenson, Best Actor In A Review, Best Original Music magical as the finest literature.” stands out as one Michael was and Best Production. PAUL ZOLLO, SONG TALK MAGAZINE of the few undis- adapting and puted geniuses setting literature, A 17 year collaboration with Jamie children’s stories, O’Reilly resulted in Pasiones: Songs More about Michael: among singer- and poetry to Of The Spanish Civil War at Chicago’s www.jamieoreilly.com -or- songwriters.” music. And the Theater on the Lake and Lunar Cabaret www.michaelsmithmusic.com Poet Sang, and touring, returning to Victory Gardens SING OUT! MAGAZINE created for with the revue Hello Dali, the ballet The Listen to Michael: the Poetry Gift of The Magi, and their newest offering www.cdbaby.com/cd/smithmichael Foundation, is available for booking at Songs of a Catholic Childhood. Anne Hills libraries and cultural venues. Michael’s commissioned Michael to set mystical For Bookings Contact: songs set poems by F. Garcia Lorca Five in child savant Opal Whiteley’s diary entries Jamie O’Reilly the Afternoon, Wallace Stevens Blue Guitar, for The Heartsongs Of Opal Whitely. A Voice for the Soul of the City Chilean poets Gabriela Mistral Swallow and Puppeteer Blair Thomas and Michael Pablo Neruda, Irish poetry Songs of the co-created the musical based on Hans J. O’Reilly Productions Kerry Madwoman chamber opera, poems Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen for Cultural Arts Consulting & by Patricia Monaghan, and Chinese Tang Victory Gardens, Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Artist Management Dynasty poets Painted Horse. Passages from Giant for Chicago Children’s Theater, and Website & Blog: jamieoreilly.com Robert Cole’s The Spiritual Lives of Children a meditation on Moby Dick, with lyrics Email: [email protected] were transformed in We Become Birds. adapted from Melville’s classic prose. Cell/Text 773.203.7661.

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