
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
APRIL 2025​
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The Eighth Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals, a program John started in 2017, will feature six new short musicals written by students. John is the writing advisor and music supervisor for the shows.
JULY 2025​
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John is musically directing "Pippin" at Broadway On Tour, directed by Danny Blaylock and choreographed by Karie Seasock.
WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED?
OCTOBER 2024​
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John musically directs and assistant directs "Spamalot: School Edition" at Broadway On Tour, directed by Sharie Nitkin and choreographed by Crystal Dancer.
JULY 2024​
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John co-directs "Chicago: Teen Edition" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre with Karie Seasock.
MAY 2024
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John is the writing advisor and story editor for "The Time You Swore You Had," an immersive experience produced by California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, directed by Simon Harrison.
APRIL 2024
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"On Trees and Growing Up" (essay by John) is published in Flora Fiction Literary Magazine, Volume 5 Issue 1.
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley presents The Seventh Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals. John is creative advisor.
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John musically directs "Beauty and the Beast" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, directed by Laurie Holden and choreographed by Karie Seasock.
OCTOBER 2023
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John directs "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, musically directed by Michelle Hernandez and choreographed by Karie Seasock.
SEPTEMBER 2023
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley is ranked "#1 Charter School in California" by Niche.
JULY 2023
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John musically directs "The Spongebob Musical" at McCoy Rigby Arts, directed by Lindsay Brooks and choreographed by Sharie Nitkin.
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John and collaborator Josh Freilich present a night of songs from "Langdon St, Ives: The Steampunk Musical" at 54 Below in New York City (based on the stories of James P. Blaylock).
JUNE 2023
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After six AMAZING years as the Director of Creative Writing at California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, John steps down to spend more time in the classroom. John stays on to teach and assist with special projects at CSArts-SGV.
APRIL 2023
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John musically directs "13" at Broadway on Tour Youth Theatre, directed by Laurie Holden and choreographed by Karie Seasock.
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley presents the Sixth Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals. John is producer and creative advisor.
DECEMBER 2022
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Broadway on Tour Youth Theatre produces an immersive princess party holiday show, featuring songs from "Cinderella's Tea Party" (written by John).
NOVEMBER 2022​
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John performs as William Barfee in a faculty reading of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at McCoy Rigby Arts.
OCTOBER 2022​
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John is the project advisor on "Tick or Treat," an immersive haunted house experience at California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley.
JUNE 2022
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John is the writing advisor and story editor for "Illusions of Oz," an immersive experience produced by California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, directed by Simon Harrison.
APRIL 2022
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John is the performance advisor for Chapman University's Conference on the American Short Story featuring stories by Richard Bausch, James P. Blaylock, Yoon Choi, and Dana Johnson.
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​California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley presents the Fifth Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals. John is producer and creative advisor.
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John musically directs "The Spongebob Musical" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, directed by Laurie Holden and choreographed by Allison Horner.
AUGUST 2021​
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John musically directs "Bye Bye Birdie" at McCoy Rigby Arts, directed by Lindsay Brooks and choreographed by Sharie Nitkin.
MAY 2021​
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley presents the Fourth Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals. John is producer and Creative Advisor.
FEBRUARY 2021​
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One Million Musicals Podcast produces a song from "Langdon St. Ives: The Steampunk Musical" as a part of their "The Artist Cabaret" series.
DECEMBER 2020​
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John is the writing advisor on a musical student adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" produced by McCoy Rigby Arts, directed by Shanon Mills and musically directed by Liane Harper.
​AUGUST 2020​
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John is presented with a National Young Arts Award in the category of "Outstanding Direction" for Broadway On Tour's production of "Sweeney Todd" in the 15th Annual National Young Arts Awards.
JULY 2020​
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John musically directs a virtual presentation of Shrek the Musical, Jr. at LCA Performing Arts, featuring performers from all over the country.
MAY 2020​
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John writes three short plays for the "Great Quarantine Bakeoff" that are shared on the program's archive page.
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley produces the Third Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals. John is producer and creative advisor.
FEBRUARY 2020​
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John is the writing advisor and story editor for "Circle of Slumber," an immersive experience produced by California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, directed by Simon Harrison.
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John and collaborator Josh Freilich present six new songs from "Landgon St. Ives: The Steampunk Musical" at a Musical Theatre Writing Master class featuring Krysta Rodriguez at California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley. Based on the stories of James P. Blaylock.
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley participates in 20|20|20: Legends of Steampunk Festival to celebrate the 20th year of the Creative Writing Conservatory at Orange County High School of the Arts including the works of James P. Blaylock and Tim Powers.
JANUARY 2020​​
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Sugar Pine Literary Magazine at California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley is awarded a "superior ranking" by the National Council of Teachers of English REALM Program (Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines). John is the magazine production manager.
OCTOBER 2019
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"Make Your Mark" (Lyrics by John, Music by Jonathan Fadner, Book by Marella Martin Koch) is included in "Hall Pass," produced by Blindspot Collective as a part of the Without Walls Festival at La Jolla Playhouse.
SEPTEMBER 2019​
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John directs "Sweeney Todd: School Edition" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, musically directed by Sarah Grandpré.
JUNE 2019​
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John musically directs "Frozen Junior" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, directed by Danny Blaylock and choreographed by Karie Seasock.
APRIL 2019​
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley produces the Second Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals. John is producer and creative advisor.
JANUARY 2019​
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John musically directs "Be More Chill" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre (directed by Laurie Holden and choreographed by Robert Laos.)
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John musically directs "Oliver" at McCoy Rigby Arts (directed by Heather Redfern and choreographed by Miguel Cardenas).
SEPTEMBER 2018​
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John is the writing advisor and story editor for "Route 66: Every Last Stop," an immersive experience produced by California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, directed by Christina Harris.
AUGUST 2018​
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"Cinderella's Birthday: An Immersive Princess Party" (Words and Music by John) is produced by Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre.
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John musically directs "Peter Pan" at McCoy Rigby Arts with Cathy Rigby as creative consultant, directed by Shanon Mills and choreographed by Sharie Nitkin.
MAY 2018​
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley Creative Writing Conservatory launches "Sugar Pine Literary Magazine." John serves as the magazine production manager with Estella Ramirez as faculty advisor.
APRIL 2018​
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California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley produces the First Annual Festival of Mini-Musicals, a program created by John in which writing student create short musical theatre pieces that are workshopped by performance students and directed by professional directors.
MARCH 2018
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"Wonderland" (Music and Lyrics by John) is produced by McCoy Rigby Arts, directed by Lindsay Brooks.
FEBRUARY 2018
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"12 Dancing Princesses" (Words and Music by John) is produced by Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, directed by Laurie Holden.
DECEMBER 2017
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"Snow White Christmas" (Words and Music by John) is produced by Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre.
NOVEMBER 2017
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John performs in a cabaret of Irving Berlin songs at the Merc, produced by Jordan Beck.
OCTOBER 2017
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John musically directs a cabaret of Stephen Schwartz songs with McCoy Rigby Arts.
AUGUST 2017
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John helps to open California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, sister campus to Orange County School of the Arts, as the Director of Creative Writing.
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"Northanger Abbey" (Words by John, Music by Jonathan Fadner) is produced by Common Man Musicals in New York City, directed by Stephen Eng.
JUNE 2017
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John musically directs a reading of "Pirates of Penzance" at McCoy Rigby Arts, directed by Lindsay Brooks.
FEBRUARY 2017
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Selections from "Northanger Abbey" (Music by Jonathan Fadner, lyrics by John) included in "You Can Always Come Home" at Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance in New York City.
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John directs "Fancy Nancy" at Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, choreographed by Allison Horner and musically directed by Elena MacDonald.
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John musically directs a Cabaret of Jason Robert Brown songs at McCoy Rigby Arts.
DECEMBER 2016
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John directs "Elf Jr." at Broadway on Tour Youth Theatre (musically directed by Elena MacDonald and choreographed by Allison Horner).
AUGUST 2016
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John directs "The Little Mermaid Jr." at McCoy Rigby Arts, choreographed by Tammy Paulino.
JULY 2016​
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John musically directs a reading of "The Drowsy Chaperone" at McCoy Rigby Arts, directed by Lindsay Brooks.
JUNE 2016
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John performs as a faculty guest performer in "Anything Goes" at McCoy Rigby Arts as the Captain.
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"Make Your Mark" (Lyrics by John, Music by Jonathan Fadner, Book by Marella Martin Koch) is produced by Common Man Musicals in New York City, directed by Ben Liebert.
MAY 2016
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"Fool on a Hill" (short play by John) is included in the 18th Annual Hormel Festival of New Plays and Musicals at Phoenix Theatre Company.
DECEMBER 2015
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"Sleeping Beauty Christmas" is produced by Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, directed by Miguel Cardenas.
AUGUST 2015
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John is William Finn's assistant for "You're Standing in My Way: A New Song Cycle" (Lyrics by Finn and music by Deborah Abramson) at Barrington Stage Company.
JULY 2015
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John presents a cabaret of his songs at Barrington Stage Company alongside Kate Chadwick, including songs written with Ross Baum and Josh Freilich.
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John works as William Finn's personal assistant at Barrington Stage Company for the summer.
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"The Day Boy and the Night Girl" (words by John, music by Mehmet S. Yildirim) is included in Musical Shorts at Barrington Stage Company, directed by Becky Abramovitz.
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"The Frog Prince" (Words and Music by John) is produced by Broadway On Tour Youth Theatre, directed by Laurie Holden.
JUNE 2015
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John works as William Finn's assistant for "A New Brain" at Encores! Off Center, directed by James Lapine.
MAY 2015
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John graduates from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU Tisch.​
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