Frida...A Self-Portrait
by Vanessa Severo | directed by Joanie Schultz
Kansas City Repertory Theatre, 2019
remounted at Portland Center Stage, 2021; Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, 2022; Pittsburgh Public Theatre, 2023
Playwright and performer Vanessa Severo uses movement, puppetry, poetry, and music to explore her relationship to Frida Kahlo. I used the sounds of guitar played both traditionally and unconventionally––scraping the strings, drumming on the body, plucking below the bridge––to complement Frida and Vanessa's joys and struggles, pain and pleasure. The sound of birds weaves through the piece to connect to the garden at Casa Azul where Frida spent much of her life confined to bed working on her paintings while nature sang outside her room.
scenic design by Jackie Penrod
costume design by Katherine Davis
lighting design by Rachael Cady
sound design and original music by Thomas Dixon
Portland Center Stage production photos by Owen Carey
Becoming Frida
Frida, Age Six
Marriage of Frida & Diego
Traction
Light Falls
by Simon Stephens | directed by Robin Witt
Steep Theatre Company Theatre, 2022
Relatives in different towns across the north of England are faced with the sudden death of Christine, their matriarch, and must consider how they live their own lives and how Christine will continue to be with each of them after her passing.
I composed the music and collaborated on the lyrics to "The Great North Road" with director Robin Witt. The song is our production's version of the "Hymn of the North" that Stephens' script calls for the characters to sing throughout the play. We hear a cappella pieces of the song at various times during the two acts, and our production culminated with the entire cast singing the full song together as Kendra Thulin, who played Christine, accompanied them live on piano.
Orchestral Arrangement
Solo Piano Accompaniment
Early Demo Version with Temporary Vocals
scenic design by Sotirios Livadatis
costume design by Alison Siple
lighting design by Brandon Wardell
sound design by Daniel Etti-Williams
original music by Thomas Dixon
production photos by Randall Starr
Moony
by Ike Holter | directed by Joanie Schultz
Steep Theatre Company, 2020
Moony tells the story of a visitor from a parallel dimension who finds herself trapped in our world and needs help to find her way home.
Steep commissioned this sci-fi piece from Ike Holter and produced it as a radio play. You can listen to it in full on their website.
Interrogation
Drive
Ascension
sound design by Thomas Dixon
sound mixing & editing by Matthew Chapman
original music by Matthew Chapman & Thomas Dixon
Lot's Wife
by Eric Rosen | directed by Joanie Schultz
Kansas City Repertory Theatre, 2016
Old Hollywood scores served as the musical inspiration for Lot's Wife. In this noir thriller, overlapping and competing stories obscure the truth when a playwright disappears on the opening night of his play. Frames of reality change throughout the piece, showing us the fictional play, the rehearsal process, and scenes from the characters' memories, which may or may not be accurate.
The Curtain Rises
The Lovers Meet
The Grisly Demise
The Ghost Appears
scenic design by Grace Hudson & Mark Hambrecht
costume design by Gretchen Halle
lighting design by Michelle Harvey
sound design by Jeffrey Keirsey
original music by Thomas Dixon