Tony Asaro
Composer/librettist, Tony Asaro, received his MFA from the NYU Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program in 2007. His undergraduate degree is from Santa Clara University in 1998, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, and in Music. At Santa Clara, Tony studied composition with Lynn Shurtleff. Tony worked as a professional choral musician in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. He conducted the Albany Community Chorus, the Ragazzi Boys Chorus Primary Group, and sang first tenor/alto with the San Francisco Choral Artists under the direction of Magen Solomon. Tony taught voice as part of the music faculty at Santa Clara University in the 2004-2005 school year. From 2002-2004, Tony was the Director of the Choral Program at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, CA. As a music director, Tony has worked on many shows with Children's Musical Theatre San Jose, and Milpitas Rainbow Theatre as well as other theatre companies around the Bay Area. Professionally, Tony served as Assistant Music Director for TheatreWorks' production of Pacific Overtures, and as Vocal Director for Santa Clara University’s production of Kiss Me Kate in 2004. Tony's first musical, Family, a collaboration with Dr. Barbara Means Fraser for which he wrote music and co-wrote lyrics, has enjoyed two productions–-one at SCU in 1999 and one at the Ryan Repertory Theatre in New York City in 2000. Tony's most recent work, Broken, written with composer Kevin Cummines, is currently in development. It will surely win many awards.