Stephen Keeling
Encyclopedia
Stephen Keeling is a British composer and musician who works predominantly in musical theatre
.
, gaining an honours degree in music. In 1990 he was chosen by Sir Cameron Mackintosh to be one of 12 writers to study with Stephen Sondheim
during the latter's year-long tenure at Oxford University as the Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre.
and Steven Dexter
), which was subsequently workshopped at the Royal National Theatre
Studio before receiving its first full production at the Salisbury Playhouse
. The production then transferred to the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End in 1997, produced by Kenny Wax Productions.
He was the co-composer, along with Laurence O'Keefe
, for La Cava
(book by Dana Broccoli, lyrics by John Claflin), which transferred from the Churchill Theatre
, Bromley to the Victoria Palace Theatre
, London in 2000 and then later transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre
in the West End of London.
He composed the music for a musical adaptation of Heidi
(book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna
), which combines the story of Johanna Spyri
’s first Heidi novel with the life of the author. Heidi opened in Switzerland in 2005.
In 2007 a sequel, Heidi and Johanna (intertwining the second Heidi novel with the final years of Johanna Spyri’s life and ending with her death), was nominated for a Prix Walo award.
Stephen Keeling has also composed the music for My Father’s Son, a musical set in nineteenth century Sheffield and based loosely on Shakespeare's Hamlet
(book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, directed by Steven Dexter
at the Crucible Theatre
, Sheffield and the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler’s Wells). For children he has composed The Other Side, a musical about the Children's Crusade
(book and lyrics by Peter Spafford) and written the music for a musical adaptation of The Amazing Mr. Blunden (book and lyrics by Edward Hardy).
In 1997, he appeared, together with Shaun McKenna, on BBC Radio 2's In Company With Sondheim in an edition devoted to Maddie.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
.
Biographical details
Born in 1966 in Staffordshire, England, he trained at Goldsmith's College, University of LondonUniversity of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, gaining an honours degree in music. In 1990 he was chosen by Sir Cameron Mackintosh to be one of 12 writers to study with Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
during the latter's year-long tenure at Oxford University as the Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre.
Notable works
During his time with Stephen Sondheim at Oxford, he composed the music for Maddie (book and lyrics by Shaun McKennaShaun McKenna
Shaun McKenna is an English dramatist, lyricist and screenwriter.-Biography:Shaun studied at Maidstone Grammar School and the University of Bristol...
and Steven Dexter
Steven Dexter
Steven Dexter is a theatre director and writer. Born in South Africa, he moved to London in 1984 and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.- West End productions :...
), which was subsequently workshopped at the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
Studio before receiving its first full production at the Salisbury Playhouse
Salisbury Playhouse
Salisbury Playhouse is a theatre in the county of Wiltshire, it was built in 1976 and has two theatre spaces – the Main House and Salberg Studio ....
. The production then transferred to the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End in 1997, produced by Kenny Wax Productions.
He was the co-composer, along with Laurence O'Keefe
Laurence O'Keefe (composer)
Laurence O'Keefe , also known as Larry, is a composer and lyricist for Broadway musicals, film and television.O'Keefe is a graduate of Harvard College, where he studied anthropology and wrote humor for the Harvard Lampoon and sang with the Harvard Krokodiloes...
, for La Cava
La Cava
La Cava is a musical with a book by Dana Broccoli, lyrics by John Claflin and Laurence O'Keefe, additional lyrics by Shaun McKenna and music by O'Keefe and Stephen Keeling....
(book by Dana Broccoli, lyrics by John Claflin), which transferred from the Churchill Theatre
Churchill Theatre
The Churchill Theatre in Bromley, south east London was built by the London Borough of Bromley to designs by its borough architect's department.It is carefully integrated into the central library complex overlooking Church House Gardens and Library Gardens...
, Bromley to the Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station.-Origins:The theatre began life as a small concert room above the stables of the Royal Standard Hotel, a small hotel and tavern built in 1832 at what was then 522 Stockbridge...
, London in 2000 and then later transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre
Piccadilly Theatre
The Piccadilly Theatre is a West End theatre located at 16 Denman Street, behind Piccadilly Circus and adjacent to the Regent Palace Hotel, in the City of Westminster, England.-Early years:Built by Bertie Crewe and Edward A...
in the West End of London.
He composed the music for a musical adaptation of Heidi
Heidi
Heidi is a Swiss work of fiction, published in two parts as Heidi's years of learning and travel and Heidi makes use of what she has learned.It is a novel about the events in the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care, in the Swiss Alps...
(book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna
Shaun McKenna
Shaun McKenna is an English dramatist, lyricist and screenwriter.-Biography:Shaun studied at Maidstone Grammar School and the University of Bristol...
), which combines the story of Johanna Spyri
Johanna Spyri
Johanna Spyri was an author of children's stories, and is best known for her book Heidi. Born Johanna Louise Heusser in the rural area of Hirzel, Switzerland, as a child she spent several summers in the area around Chur in Graubünden, the setting she later would use in her novels.-Biography:In...
’s first Heidi novel with the life of the author. Heidi opened in Switzerland in 2005.
In 2007 a sequel, Heidi and Johanna (intertwining the second Heidi novel with the final years of Johanna Spyri’s life and ending with her death), was nominated for a Prix Walo award.
Stephen Keeling has also composed the music for My Father’s Son, a musical set in nineteenth century Sheffield and based loosely on Shakespeare's Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
(book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, directed by Steven Dexter
Steven Dexter
Steven Dexter is a theatre director and writer. Born in South Africa, he moved to London in 1984 and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.- West End productions :...
at the Crucible Theatre
Crucible Theatre
The Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
, Sheffield and the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler’s Wells). For children he has composed The Other Side, a musical about the Children's Crusade
Children's Crusade
The Children's Crusade is the name given to a variety of fictional and factual events which happened in 1212 that combine some or all of these elements: visions by a French or German boy; an intention to peacefully convert Muslims in the Holy Land to Christianity; bands of children marching to...
(book and lyrics by Peter Spafford) and written the music for a musical adaptation of The Amazing Mr. Blunden (book and lyrics by Edward Hardy).
Other
Keeling was a founding member of the Mercury Workshop, which merged with the New Musicals Alliance to become MMD, a UK-based organisation developing new musical theatre.In 1997, he appeared, together with Shaun McKenna, on BBC Radio 2's In Company With Sondheim in an edition devoted to Maddie.