Spotlight on the Composer

Arthur Abrams. Photo by Jonathan Slaff.

Arthur Abrams (composer) is a veteran Lower East Side composer, music director, arranger and pianist. His recent theatrical scores include "The Iron Heel" based on a novel by Jack London, with book and lyrics by Elizbeth Ruf-Maldonado; "Ludlow and Broome," with book and lyrics by Ruthy Rosen; and "The Further Adventures of Uncle Wiggily: the Windblown visitors," with book and Lyrics by Laurel Hessing, all presented by TNC. His other scores for TNC shows include"Abstinence" and "Lincoln Plaza" with book and lyrics by Tom Attea; "The Golden Bear" and "Sketching Utopia," both with book and lyrics by Laurel Hessing, directed by Crystal Field; "Master and Margarita" from a novel written by Bulgakov, adapted by Jean Claude van Itallie and directed by David Willinger; "The Open Gate," based on the novel, "The Manor" by Isaac Bashevis Singer, adapted and directed by David Willinger; and "The Glory that Was" and "Library Love" with book and lyrics by Walter Corwin.

Mr. Abrams has also composed scores for several musical revues, among them "Dropping In On The Earth," "A Little Old, A Little New," "It's An Emergency, Don't Hurry"and "Axis of Evil Vaudeville Revue." Abrams was composer, pianist,and music director for "The Golden Age of Second Avenue," a documentary film about the golden age of the Yiddish Theater produced by Arthur Cantor. The piece is often shown on PBS. (In the film, he accompanied Molly Picon.) He was music director and pianist for the recent Lambs Club presentation of "Yankel in America," starring Theo Bikel. His awards include a DAAD music fellowship to Mannheim, Germany, a scholarship to the Orff Institute at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and a "Meet the Composer" grant for the score of"The Golden Bear."