ELISE, A New Musical
Book and Lyrics: Liana Wright-Mark
Music and Lyrics: Jamen Nanthakumar
Born out of composer Ryan Scott Oliver's "Writing for Musical Theater" program at Pace University, fellow students Liana and Jamen created ELISE, a folk-western musical about a fourteen year-old girl, Elise, who is brought up in a Brothel in 1910 Stockton, California. After her mother’s mysterious death, the Madame of the Brothel, Vera, takes Elise under her wing, where she finds love, sex, and the lust of revenge.
ELISE has had a number of staged readings, and was produced as part of Pace New Musicals series, as well as at Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, whose awards program earned the show a number of top honors:
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Liana Wright-Mark for Outstanding Book of a new Musical or Play with Music
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Elise for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical or Play with Music
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Katherine Wilkins for Outstanding Direction of a Musical or a Play with Music
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Salena Qureshi for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical or Play with Music
