MUSIC FOR THEATRE
HENRY IV (2018) - with Tom Hanks as Falstaff - music for the Shakespeare/LA production
Music Video with Song
Music Video - Instrumental
a new immersive production of THE TEMPEST featuring Michael's music was recently in Los Angeles (Spring/2023) -
click here for details - & program - and stay tuned for the upcoming graphic novel/animated version, coming soon -
A WORD OR TWO (2012-14) - score for a one-man show by Christopher Plummer (Stratford Festival; Ahmanson Theatre, LA)
"Accompanied by Michael Roth's wonderfully subtle music, Plummer takes us on a tour of his fascinating existence and the authors who've accompanied it." (Toronto Star)
A WORD OR TWO - Slideshow/Trailer - featuring music to accompany a poem by A.A. Milne
PAMPLONA (2017-8) - with Stacy Keach as Hemingway
Music trailer for the Goodman Theatre production
"Song of Solomon" from A WORD OR TWO (Stratford, Los Angeles, 2012-14).
Prologue for the LA/Geffen and Broadway HD production, with Alfred Molina, Jane Kaczmarek
Two songs from HENRY IV - Parts One & Two (2014) - with Stacy Keach as Falstaff (Shakespeare Theatre, DC)
"Roth's music is beautiful - Falstaff & friends sing a lovely, haunting tune about growing old
(DCMetroArts.com) - Additional clips from HENRY IV HERE
"The most haunting moment-Roth's Welsh song, acknowledging the deep hurt in the world that
victorious battle can only temporarily salve." (Washington Post) - Vanessa Sterling, singer
SIDEWAYS (2013) - La Jolla Playhouse, Des McAnuff, director
"Michael Roth's lovely music augments the glow of the show." (San Diego Story)
TWELFTH NIGHT (2011) – Stratford production with Brian Dennehy
"The beguiling music evokes most notably “Sgt. Pepper," with Roth leading the band." (NYTimes)
HOLD THY PEACE from 12TH NIGHT (Brian Dennehy, Ben Carlson, Stephen Ouimette)
MUSIC FROM THE OFF-BROADWAY PREMIERE OF DINNER WITH FRIENDS (1999)
Also at the Stratford Festival: HENRY V (2012), AS YOU LIKE IT, DANGEROUS LIAISONS (2010), MACBETH (2009), ROMEO AND JULIET (2008):
More TEMPEST and 12TH NIGHT clips on the FILM PAGE; additional clips from TEMPEST, 12TH NIGHT, HENRY IV, HENRY V, and AS YOU LIKE IT on the SHAKESPEARE PAGE
MACBETH - slideshow/trailer, with Colm Feore (Stratford, 2009)
ROMEO AND JULIET - slideshow/trailer, with Nikki James (Stratford, 2008)
ADDITIONAL SELECTED CREDITS
BROADWAY - BROOKLYN BOY (2005, world premiere by Donald Margulies, with Adam Arkin, Daniel Sullivan, director);
A WALK IN THE WOODS (1988, world premiere by Lee Blessing, Des McAnuff, director) - also filmed for PBS; click for Hirschfeld
OFF-BROADWAY - premieres: Margulies' DINNER WITH FRIENDS (1999, Pulitzer Prize winner, Daniel Sullivan, director), SIGHT UNSEEN (1992);
THE PERSIANS (also at the Shakespeare Theatre, DC), TALKING HEADS (2003); SABINA, GOING TO ST. IVES, PEOPLE BE HEARD (2005);
Collaborations with Tom Stoppard - US premieres: INDIAN INK (1999), INVENTION OF LOVE (2000), Carey Perloff, director;
RESIDENT ARTIST AND COMPOSER - La Jolla Playhouse (over 35 productions) and South Coast Repertory (over 55 productions) -
with MacArthur Fellow Peter Sellars, Brecht's VISIONS OF SIMONE MACHARD, premiere production, La Jolla Playhouse (1983);
world premieres: THE BIRDS (1998-2007), music/theatre with Culture Clash, also Berkeley Rep and Getty Villa); Edson's WIT (1995, Pulitzer Prize); Haidle’s MR. MARMALADE (2004);
With MacArthur Fellow Sarah Ruhl - the Los Angeles premiere of MELANCHOLY PLAY (2005); the Southern California premiere of THE OLDEST BOY (2015);
(my score for MELANCHOLY PLAY has been used for many productions throughout the country - click here for further information);
Many collaborations with Anne Bogart, including musical direction/arrangements for her production of THE WOMEN, San Diego, Hartford Stage (1992-4);
Many collaborations with Mac Wellman, including ALLEGORY OF WHITENESS (music/theatre, Lisa Peterson, director, Humana Festival, 2001);
also the Obie award winning premieres of BAD PENNY (1989), TERMINAL HIP (1990), and BITTER BIERCE (2001-5);
Marina's song from PERICLES - Seattle Rep (1994) IS THE OCEAN - from A BODY OF WATER - Guthrie & Old Globe
song performed by Alice Ripley (recorded-2006) world premiere productions, with Sandy Duncan, Ed Herrmann (2006)
Additional collaborations with, among many others, Martin Benson, Warren Carlyle, Erik Ehn, Michael Engler, Richard Greenberg, Michael Greif, Joy Gregory (PUBLIC ASSEMBLY/LA), Douglas Hughes, Tom Hulce, Bill Irwin, Thomas Kail, Mark Lamos, James Lapine, Garry Marshall, Michael Mayer, Ellen McLaughlin, Ethan McSweeny, Tim Blake Nelson, John Rando, Tony Randall, David Warren, Les Waters, Jeff Weiss, Jerry Zaks and work-in-progress projects with Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and with Richard Montoya & Roger Guenveur Smith.
Additional Productions-La Jolla Playhouse: Sideways (2013); The Scottish Play*(2005); Eden Lane* (2003); Billy the Kid (2001); Going to St. Ives˚(2000); School for Wives, The Importance of Being Earnest (1998); Valley Song (1997); The Good Person of Setzuan, The Triumph of Love, Harvey (1994); Luck Pluck & Virtue*, The Hairy Ape, Arms and the Man (1993); Much Ado About Nothing, Le Petomane*, The
Glass Menagerie (1992); Fortinbras*˚, The Three Sisters (1991); Twelfth Night (1990); Down the Road* (1989); The Man With No Story*, Two Rooms*, Once in a Lifetime (1988); Walk in the Woods*˚,
Hedda Gabler, The Matchmaker (1987); Three Cuckolds* (1986); The Sea Gull, Ghost on Fire* (1985); As You Like It, Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong (1984); Romeo & Juliet, Visions of Simone Machard (1983)
Additional Productions-South Coast Repertory: The Roommate (2017), Abundance, The Whipping Man (also at Pasadena Playhouse) (2015); Rest* (2014); The Whale (2013); Prince of Atlantis* (2012);
Pride & Prejudice (2011); Misalliance (2010); What They Have*, The Importance of Being Earnest (2008); Nothing Sacred (2006); Brooklyn Boy*˚ (2005); Terra Nova, The Last Night of Ballyhoo (2003);
The Circle, Nostalgia* (2001); All My Sons (2000); Summer Moon*, The Philanderer (1999); Dinner With Friends*˚, Ah Wilderness, Arcadia (1998); Pygmalion, Death of a Salesman, Triumph of Love (1997);
An Ideal Husband, Arms & the Man, Taming of the Shrew (1996); The Cherry Orchard, Ghost in the Machine (1995); Night & Her Stars*, Green Icebergs*, A Streetcar Named Desire (1994); Shadowlands,
Great Day in the Morning* (1993); Woman in Mind, Boundary Waters*˚, Philadelphia Story, Noah Johnson* (1992); The Caretaker, The Extra Man*, El Dorado*, Russian Teacher*, You Can't Take it With
You, Pirates*, Sight Unseen*˚, Heartbreak House (1991); Man and Superman, Holy Days (1990); Breaking the Code, Abundance*˚ (1989); The Crucible (1988)
Additional Productions-American Conservatory Theatre: Arcadia (1994-2013); The Beard of Avon (2001); A Streetcar Named Desire (1997); The Rose Tattoo (1996)
Additional Productions-Stratford Festival, Canada - Henry V, A Word or Two (2012), Twelfth Night (2011), Dangerous Liaisons, The Tempest, As You Like It (2010), Macbeth (2009)
Additional Productions-Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Suddenly Last Summer (2003); Heartbreak House (1995); Sight Unseen (1994)
Additional Productions-Old Globe Theatre: Restoration Comedy (2007); Body of Water*(2006); Midsummer Night's Dream (2001); Dracula (1997); The Gate of Heaven* (1996)
Additional Productions-Guthrie Theatre: A Body of Water* (2005); Romeo & Juliet (2004); Six Degrees of Separation (2003); Thief River (2002)
Additional Productions-Manhattan Theatre Club: Night & Her Stars* (1996); Abundance*˚ (1990); Songs My Mother Never Sang* (1982)
Additional Productions-Seattle Repertory: You Can’t Take it With You (2008); Doubt (2006); Wit (2000); Pygmalion (1998); Pericles, Harvey, Six Degrees, Eye of God* (1993)
Additional Productions-San Diego Rep: Into the Beautiful North (2017), The Oldest Boy (2015); In the Time of Butterflies (2014); Doubt (2009); Death of a Salesman (1999); A Streetcar Named Desire
(1996); Death & the Maiden (1993); Mirandolina, The Women (1992); Christmas Carol (1991); Albanian Softshoe* (1988)
Additional Productions-A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle: The Women (2007); Enchanted April (2003); Summer Moon* (1998); Arcadia (1996)
Additional Productions-Washington DC: Ah Wilderness (O'Neill Festival, Arena, 2012); Shakespeare Theatre: Henry IV (2014); Ion (2009-click for video); The Persians (2005)
Additional Collaborations with Anne Bogart: La Dispute, Cleveland* (1987); 1951* (1986)
Additional Collaborations with Mac Wellman: The Lesser Magoo*, tigertigertiger*, Albanian Softshoe* (1988); Cleveland* (1987); Energumen* (1985); Starluster* (1978)
(*) - denotes world premiere; further information and excerpts from reviews available on request -
(˚) - music/sound composed for these plays, including PEOPLE BE HEARD, available for productions via Dramatists Play Service.
CLOSE THE BORDER-anti-immigrant song from THE BIRDS with Culture Clash
