Download ARTS CURRICULUM VITAE [HIGHLIGHTS]

ARTS CURRICULUM VITAE [HIGHLIGHTS]
JOSEPH GRIENENBERGER
(619) 459-6529

[email protected]

www.JoeTheatre.com
INTRODUCTION: CAREER OVERVIEW
A staunch veteran of more than 300 projects, with over twenty years of professional experience in a broad
range of genres and capacities. Respected by associates for the craftsmanship, talent, intelligence, and sense
of humor brought to every project. Noted for detail attentiveness, passion for the art, creativity, energy,
deferential commitment to authors’ true intentions, benevolent mentoring skills for fledgling performers, an
amiably collaborative attitude toward colleagues, and a resolute aversion to mediocrity. Variously regarded
by colleagues as a “true Renaissance man” and a “jack-of-all-trades” whose array of duties has included:
 Actor
 Composer
 Technical Director
 Singer
 Arranger/Transcriber
 Sound Designer
 Director
 Orchestrator
 Set/Props Designer
 Choreographer
 Teacher/Coach/Adjudicator
 Casting Director
 Commercial Talent
 Dialectician
 P.R./Marketing
 Pianist/Keyboardist
 Stage Crewmember
 Writer
 Musical Director/Conductor
 Contractor
 Producer
Approaches theatre music from its dramatic foundation. Successfully guided many directed performers to
truly commit to the work at hand, instead of simply regarding the material as a mere vehicle for showcasing
their talents. Thoroughly subscribes to the tenet that a mediocre-voiced artist who can really act a song is
significantly more interesting than a glorious-voiced performer who merely employs a theatrically bland
“park and bark” technique. Earned accolades from performers, audiences, producers, and critics.
CURRENT
AND PAST ASSOCIATIONS INCLUDE:
 San Diego Opera
 San Diego Repertory Theatre
 The Old Globe Theatre
 National Theatre for Children
 La Jolla Playhouse
 Lyric Opera San Diego
 North Coast Repertory Theatre
 Moonlight Amphitheatre
 Ensemble Theatre of San Diego
[Formerly San Diego Comic Opera]
THEATRE AND OPERA DIRECTORS INCLUDE:
 Bruce Beresford
 Carlisle Floyd
 Mark Lamos
 Sharon Ott
 Lotfi Mansouri
 Sam Woodhouse
 J. Sherwood Montgomery
AFFILIATIONS:
 Jack O’Brien
 Ian Campbell
 John Copley
 Mark Wing-Davey
 Stuart Ross
 Rhoda Levine
 Kathy Brombacher
 Actors’ Equity Association [inactive]
 American Guild of Musical Artists
CONDUCTORS INCLUDE:
 Richard Bonynge
 Edoardo Müller
 Karen Keltner
 Kenneth Montgomery
 Martin Wright
 Leon Natker
 Hollace Koman Jones
 American Federation of Musicians (Local 325)
 Actors Alliance of San Diego
Joseph Grienenberger
Arts Curriculum Vitae
Page 2
I. ARTISTIC PRODUCTION
1. STAGE DIRECTION – 22 Productions
[Production titles are listed in the addendum on page 7.]
 Ensemble Theatre of San Diego [Founding Artistic Director, 1984-88. Producer, Stage/Music Director, Set Designer]
 Compass Theatre
 Discount Comic Opera
 Freelance for miscellaneous producers [including self-produced projects]
2. MUSIC DIRECTION / PRODUCTION – 47 Productions
Musical direction, conducting, vocal direction / coaching, arrangements, orchestration, composition of additional music, score
preparation, repetiteur duties, dialect coaching, rehearsal / performance keyboards [pit and onstage, including sequencers],
and / or score consultation. Productions included standard repertoire, rarely staged works, and three world premieres.
[Production titles are listed in the addendum on page 7.]
 San Diego Opera [E&O residency, three years]
 The Old Globe Theatre
 The La Jolla Playhouse
 San Diego Repertory Theatre
 Sledgehammer Theatre
 Lyric Opera San Diego
 North Coast Repertory Theatre
 Moonlight Amphitheatre
 The Fritz Theatre
 La Jolla Stage Company
 Coronado Playhouse
 Ensemble Theatre of San Diego
 San Diego Junior Theatre
 Freelance for various colleges/ schools
3. CASTING – 62 Productions
Scrutinized each project’s materials to glean the best selections to use for quickly evaluating auditionees; generated fliers and
breakdowns for several productions.
 San Diego Opera
 Lyric Opera San Diego
 Sledgehammer Theatre
 North Coast Repertory Theatre
 Moonlight Amphitheatre
 Ensemble Theatre of San Diego
 San Diego Junior Theatre
 Self-produced projects
 College/ school projects
4. DIALECTICIAN / TRANSLATOR – 16 Productions
Language work included French, Italian, German, Russian, Spanish, Latin, Hebrew, Swedish, various British, and diverse
American regional. Works requiring translation skills included Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, Man of La Mancha,
Cabaret, West Side Story, and Working. Possess a natural ear for dialects; foreign language skills developed during both
classical voice training and work in grand opera. [Production titles are listed in the addendum on page 7.]
 Lyric Opera San Diego
 Moonlight Amphitheatre
 La Jolla Stage Company
 San Diego Junior Theatre
5. COACH / TEACHER – 20+ Years
Established current studio practice circa 1987. Focus on coaching, but occasionally do formal teaching (within the context of
working on actual material). Student proficiency ranges from beginner through advanced, in both amateur and professional
classifications. All theatre / concert disciplines:
 Voice (opera, art song, theatre music)
 Acting (drama, comedy)
 Dialects (extensive American/British and all major world regions)
 Sprechstimme (particularly for the repertoires of Kurt Weill and Stephen Sondheim)
 Diction
 Improvisation
 Audition Preparation (including repertoire selection)
Note: Have also adjudicated numerous competitions and festivals.
Joseph Grienenberger
Arts Curriculum Vitae
Page 3
II. AUTHORSHIP
1. FORMAT, REPERTOIRE, CONTINUITY SCRIPTS – 10+ Projects
Conceived thematic formats, selected repertoire to support scenarios, and wrote humorous and / or informative patter to propel
story lines. Tailored material to individual artists, target audiences, producer specifications, etc. Project highlights include:
 The Greatest Songs You’ve Never Heard (revue of obscure theatre and cabaret music)
 Broadway Lost on Tour (entertainment for UCSD Healthcare’s 2001 Benefit Gala)
 Sondheim & Friends (duo concert)
 Passages (solo recital)
2. SKETCHES FOR “DISCOUNT COMIC OPERA” – 5 Projects
Nine-year association with music parody group as principal performer for over 15 productions. Devised, wrote, and arranged:
 Of Mouse and Man (opera parody based on Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men)
 La Forza del Miss Muffett (semi-improvised one-act opera)
 So Long, Farewell, Get Out! (closing number for final performance)
 The Grand Raffle 2000 (extended interactive sketch)
 Send in the Clowns (parody of “crossover” artists)
3. MISCELLANEOUS WRITING PROJECTS – 16 Productions
 San Diego Opera Development Department (corporate-specific parody lyrics set to standard operatic arias)
 Lyric Opera San Diego (topical references for productions of The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore)
 Discount Comic Opera (lyric revisions of other material)
 Get a Clue! (stage play) [commissioned for 2005 production]
 The Revisit (screenplay)
 A {P.C.} Christmas Carol (stage play)
III. MUSIC PRODUCTION
1. COMPOSITION – 14 Works
 Three Shakespeare Songs, for baritone and piano
 Our Town, incidental music (act preludes)
 Five Pieces After Bernstein, Rorem, Sondheim, Weill and Vaughan Williams (piano solos in pastiche styles)
 Berta Backstage at Bôheme, one-act opera for soprano, actor, and piano
 Great Expectations, musical (based on the Charles Dickens novel)
 Notre Dame de Paris, opera (based on the Victor Hugo novel) [currently in development]
 Piano Sonata, No. 1
 String Quartets, Nos. 1-7
2. ORCHESTRATION – 10 Projects
Swiftly adapted existing materials to meet production needs. Tailored to theatre acoustics (e.g. mic’d vs. unmic’d) and
stringently avoided overpowering the singers / text in vocal sections. Utilized pastiche components to match the score’s
ambiance and the composer’s style. Highlights include:
 A Little Night Music (Lyric Opera San Diego)  Reduction of original from 25 parts to 13
 Fiddler on the Roof (Lyric Opera San Diego)  Composed and orchestrated extensions of dance/ underscoring music
 Pippi Longstocking (San Diego Junior Theatre)  Composed and orchestrated dance extensions
Joseph Grienenberger
Arts Curriculum Vitae
Page 4
3. ARRANGEMENTS – Numerous Projects
Highlights include:
CONCERT
 Old American Songs by Aaron Copland, arranged for voice and 2 pianos
 Hermit Songs by Samuel Barber, arranged for voice, piano, strings, and winds
 Passages (solo concert), various songs arranged for voice, piano, and cello
THEATRE
 South Pacific (Moonlight Amphitheatre)  Overture/ underscoring edits
 Some Enchanted Evening (Lyric Opera San Diego)  Revised 2-piano accompaniment
 Hansel and Gretel (San Diego Opera Education and Outreach)  Score revision, composition of incidental music
 Various vocal arrangements for Discount Comic Opera and individual artists
RECORDING TRANSCRIPTIONS
Chord charting, vocal harmonies, and / or key transpositions for many theatres and individual artists. Most projects
involved transcribing band / orchestra charts and then reducing them to artistic-yet-viable accompaniments designed
specifically for piano. Occasionally involved tailoring to individual pianists’ particular strengths or weaknesses.
5. SCORE EDITING / PREPARATION – 3 Productions [all world premieres]
 Sledgehammer Theatre
Alice In Modernland  Final preparation of full piano-vocal score.
 The Old Globe Theatre
The Boswell Sisters  Score/chart proofreading, assistant to music director Brad Ellis and orchestrator Peter Matz.
 San Diego Gilbert & Sullivan Company [now Lyric Opera San Diego]
The Savoy Theatre Cat  Coordinated orchestral charts from various sources, rewrote illegible manuscripts, devised
medleys, and collaborated on overture creation.
IV. TECHNICAL PRODUCTION
1. PRODUCER / CONTRACTOR / P.R. – Numerous Projects
Presentation of several concerts, revues, and other theatrical productions. Responsibilities included fee/rental/contract negotiations,
creating marketing materials (including display advertisements), designing playbills, and obtaining performance rights and/or
unpublished manuscripts from writers such as Stephen Sondheim, Adam Guettel, and the Estate of Leonard Bernstein. (Other
duties such as writing, casting, and repertoire selection are detailed elsewhere in this curriculum vitae.) Project highlights include:
 The Greatest Songs You’ve Never Heard (revue of obscure theatre and cabaret music)
 Broadway Lost on Tour (entertainment for UCSD Healthcare’s 2001 Benefit Gala)
 Sondheim & Friends (duo concert)
 Passages (solo recital)
2. TECHNICAL DIRECTION – 2 Productions
 National Theatre for Children [two U.S. tours]  Devised set placement/alterations for a vast array of theatre decks and
functioned as de facto Electrician. Also served as Company Manager.
3. SOUND DESIGN – 20 Productions
 Hansel and Gretel (San Diego Opera Education and Outreach)  Determined sound requirements at each facility.
Devised mic placements and set sound levels. Trained students to be running crew. Three-year project (18 schools).
 A Tuna Christmas (Compass Theatre)  Coordinated music and sfx recordings, edited/mixed sound.
 Marry Me a Little (North Coast Repertory Theatre)  Created pre-show music using obscure recordings.
 Get a Clue! (Black Rabbit Theatre)  Coordinated pre-show music and sfx recordings, edited/mixed sound.
Joseph Grienenberger
Arts Curriculum Vitae
Page 5
4. PROPS – 4 Productions
 A Tuna Christmas [creation, acquisition]
 The Greatest Songs You’ve Never Heard [creation, acquisition]
 Broadway Lost on Tour [creation, acquisition]
 Discount Comic Opera’s The Grand Raffle 2000 [acquisition]
5. STAGE CREW – 4 Productions
 Hansel and Gretel (San Diego Opera Education and Outreach school residency)  Load in/ load out
 Pinocchio (National Theatre for Children)  Load in/load out, running crew (two tours)
 The Sorcerer (Lyric Opera San Diego)  Load in/load out, running crew
 Discount Comic Opera  Load in/load out, running crew (10+ productions)
V. PERFORMANCE
Portrayals noted for their energy, intelligence, theatrical savvy, and dialect authenticity. Special skills include character
voices, Sprechstimme, diction agility for patter songs, improvisation (comedic and dramatic), and writing parody lyrics
(topical references). [Sidebar: One of the few artists in the world to have done all 13 of the Gilbert & Sullivan works.]
1. THEATRE – 90+ Productions
Rôles in dramas, comedies, opera, cabaret, industrials, and revues. Environs encompassed mainstage productions, national
tours, arenas /convention centers, clubs, and Education & Outreach presentations. [Titles for mainstage theatre projects are
listed in the addendum on page 8.] Contracts included AEA “Guest Artist” and AGMA. Organizations include:
 San Diego Opera
 Lyric Opera San Diego [“Associate Artist”; 50+ projects]
 Lamb’s Players Theatre
 National Theatre for Children
 Moonlight Amphitheatre
 Starlight Musical Theatre
2. SAN DIEGO OPERA CHORUS – 100 Projects
AGMA contract with one of the Top Ten opera companies in North America. Productions included standard repertoire, rarely
staged works, and three world premieres. [Production titles are listed in the addendum on page 8.] Substantial work with
internationally renowned directors / conductors. “Core” chorister since 1989.
3. TELEVISION – 4 Productions
Commercial and promotional endeavors (including media interviews) for then-current projects.
4. CONCERTS – Countless Projects
Vocal soloist for innumerable classical music concerts since 1980. Repertoire included many major works, including Requiems
by Verdi, Faure, and Duruflé; The Creation by Haydn; and at least a dozen productions of Handel’s Messiah. Extensive work
as soloist /section leader for several San Diego County churches / synagogues.
Joseph Grienenberger
Arts Curriculum Vitae
Page 6
5. PIANIST – Countless Projects
Noted for comprehensive repertoire knowledge, truly supporting vocalists, and making the accompaniment an equal but
unobtrusive partner in the music by employing appropriate amounts of expansiveness and subtlety. A veteran of innumerable
concerts, theatre projects, and freelance performances [very conservative estimate: 60+]. A few highlights include:
 Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey Circus – Substitute keyboardist in several cities during 2000-01 tour
 The Best of Comic Opera – Lyric Opera San Diego (1994 Fifteenth Anniversary Gala)
 A Victorian Concert – Lyric Opera San Diego
 The Savoy Theatre Cat – Lyric Opera San Diego
 20+ Concerts with individual artists
 San Diego City Schools – Freelance accompanist for six years
 Auditions – Theatres such as San Diego Opera, Sledgehammer Theatre, Lyric Opera San Diego, The Fritz Theatre
VI. EDUCATION & MEMBERSHIPS
1. TRAINING
Extensive self-studies in theatre history, set / costume design, playwriting, composition, and orchestration. Studies with private
teachers / coaches include the following:
 Voice – Martin Wright (San Diego Opera); Robert Austin (University of San Diego); David Glissman
 Piano – Barbara Marlis (former professor at New England Conservatory and Oberlin College)
 Acting – Andrew Traister (The Old Globe Theatre)
 Shakespeare Master Classes – Jonathan McMurtry (The Old Globe Theatre)
 Arranging /Orchestration – Peter Matz; Brad Ellis; Samuel Adler (currently professor at The Juilliard School)
 Chorus Master Pedagogy – Martin Wright (San Diego Opera); Timothy Todd Simmons (San Diego Opera)
2. AFFILIATIONS
 Actors Equity Association [inactive]
 American Guild of Musical Artists
 American Federation of Musicians (Local 325)
 Actors Alliance of San Diego
References, Press Reviews, and Recommendation Letters Available Upon Request
Note: Two sections in this curriculum vitae (I. “Artistic Production” and V. “Performance”) largely omit the
titles of the projects on which I worked; this was done to save space, given the substantial breadth of my
body of work. Presented for your perusal on the following two pages is an Addendum that lists these titles;
specific duties (for direction projects) and rôle names (for stage work) are available upon request.
Joseph Grienenberger
Arts Curriculum Vitae
Page 7
ADDENDUM – LIST OF WORKS
STAGE DIRECTION
 Amahl and the Night Visitors
 The Baker’s Wife
 Broadway Lost on Tour
 Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
 Company
 The Fantasticks
 The Grand Raffle 2000
 Get a Clue!
MUSIC DIRECTION / PRODUCTION
 Alice in Modernland (World Premiere)
 Anything Goes
 The Best of “Pirates” and “Pinafore” [2 productions]
 Big River
 Blood Wedding
 The Boswell Sisters (World Premiere)
 Burning Dreams (World Premiere)
 Bye Bye Birdie
 Cabaret *
 Candide
 The Coronado Follies
 The Fantasticks
 Fiddler on the Roof [3 productions]
 A Funny Thing Happened...Forum
 The Greatest Songs You’ve Never Heard
 Invocation & Instructions to the Audience
 Less Miserables [parody]
 The Mystery of Edwin Drood
 Of Mouse and Man
 Our Town
 Pacific Overtures
 The Robber Bridegroom
 Gigi
 Godspell
 Grease
 Guys and Dolls *
 Hansel and Gretel [S.D. Opera E & O] *
 Hit the Deck!
 How the Grinch Stole Christmas
 A Little Night Music [2 productions] *
 Love Letters
 Mame
 Man of La Mancha [2 productions]
 Marry Me a Little
 The Music Man
 NAMT 2001 Conference [MTI presentation]
 She Loves Me
 So Long, Farewell, Get Out!
 The Threepenny Opera
 Tintypes
 A Tuna Christmas
 Working
 Pacific Overtures
 Pippi Longstocking
 Pippin
 The Robber Bridegroom
 1776 *
 Some Enchanted Evening
 South Pacific
 Sweeney Todd [2 productions]
 West Side Story
 The Wizard of Oz [2 productions]
 Wonderful Town *
 Working
* New orchestrations provided
DIALECTICIAN / TRANSLATOR
 Big River  Various American (Midwestern, Southern)
 Cabaret  British, German, French, Yiddish [including translations]
 Fiddler on the Roof  Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian [including translations]
 Guys and Dolls  Various New Yorker (Brooklyn, Bronx)
 Man of La Mancha  Spanish, Latin [including translations]
 The Music Man  Irish, American Midwestern
 Oliver!  Various British (Regency, authentic Cockney)
 Pippi Longstocking  Swedish [including translations]
 Robber Bridegroom  Appalachian, Southern
 1776  Scottish, various American (New Englander, Bostonian, Southern)
 South Pacific  French, Polynesian, diverse American (e.g. authentic Arkansan) [including translations]
 Sweeney Todd  Italian, various British (Regency, East End, authentic Cockney) [including translations]
 West Side Story  Spanish, diverse New Yorker [including translations]
 Wonderful Town  Irish, Greek, various American (New Yorker, Midwestern)
 Working  Spanish, diverse American [including translations]
Joseph Grienenberger
Arts Curriculum Vitae
Page 8
THEATRE
PRINCIPAL
AND
SUPPORTING RÔLES [THEATRES
Amahl and the Night Visitors [2 productions]
The Barber of Seville
The Beggar’s Opera
Best of “Pirates” & “Pinafore” * [3 prod.]
The Best of Comic Opera *
La Bôheme
The Boyfriend
Cabaret
Charlotte’s Web
A Christmas Carol
Cox & Box
The Desert Song
Dialogues des Carmelites
Don Quichotte
The Fantasticks
Fiddler on the Roof
Die Fledermaus
Florodora
A Funny Thing Happened . . . Forum
The Gondoliers [2 productions, 2 rôles]
The Grand Duke
AND
CHARACTERS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST]
H.M.S. Pinafore [2 productions, 2 rôles]
Into the Woods
Iolanthe
Laura
A Little Night Music
Madama Butterfly
Mame
The Merry Widow [3 productions, 2 rôles]
The Mikado [5 productions, 2 rôles]
My Fair Lady [2 productions, 4 rôles]
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Oklahoma!
Oliver!
Orpheus in the Underworld
The Passion of Jonathan Wade * [2
productions]
Patience
La Perichole
Peter Grimes
Pinocchio [National Tour] [2 productions]
Pippin
The Pirates of Penzance [5 productions]
Princess Ida [3 productions, 2 rôles]
Ruddigore
The Savoy Theatre Cat *
The Seven Deadly Scenes *
She Loves Me
Songs for a Queen *
The Sorcerer
The Sound of Music
Street Scene
Sweeney Todd
La Traviata
Trial by Jury [3 productions, 3 rôles]
Utopia, Limited
The Vagabond King
A Victorian Concert *
The Would-Be Gentleman
The Yeomen of the Guard
The Zoo
SAN DIEGO OPERA CHORUS
Aïda [4 productions]
Ariodante
Un Ballo in Maschera [2 productions]
The Barber of Seville [4 productions]
La Bôheme [3 productions]
Boris Godunov [2 productions]
Carmen [4 productions]
Cavalleria rusticana
Cinderella
Cold Sassy Tree *
The Conquistador *
Cosi fan tutte [2 productions]
Daughter of the Regiment [2 prod.]
Dialogues of the Carmelites
Don Carlo
Don Giovanni [2 productions]
Don Pasquale [3 productions]
Don Quixote [2 productions]
The Elixir of Love [3 productions]
Falstaff
Faust [3 productions]
* World Premiere
Fidelio [2 productions]
Die Fledermaus [2 productions]
The Flying Dutchman
Idomeneo
The Italian Girl in Algiers
Julius Caesar in Egypt
Kátya Kabanová
Lohengrin [2 productions]
Lucia di Lammermoor [3 productions]
Macbeth
Madama Butterfly
The Magic Flute [3 productions]
Maria Stuarda (Mary, Queen of Scots)
The Marriage of Figaro [2 productions]
The Merry Widow
Moby-Dick *
Murder in the Cathedral * *
Nabucco
Norma
Of Mice and Men *
Otello
* * U.S.A. Premiere
Pagliacci [2 productions]
The Passion of Jonathan Wade * [2 productions]
The Pearl Fishers [3 productions]
Peter Grimes [2 productions]
Rigoletto [4 productions]
Romeo and Juliet [2 productions]
Der Rosenkavalier [2 productions]
Rusalka
Samson and Delilah [2 productions]
Simon Boccanegra
The Tales of Hoffmann
Tannhäuser
Tosca [3 productions]
La Traviata [4 productions]
Il Trovatore [2 productions]
Turandot [3 productions]
Vanessa
Verdi Requiem [3 productions]
Wozzeck