Amirican Dream

Music: David Jayden Anthony
Lyrics: Ken Offricht

This selection is some demos from an unfinished musical. The opening number does a good job of setting this show up.

Synopsis: A modern-day retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac that follows the arrival of world famous, Persian poet, Amir Abed (Cyrano) on his first visit to the U.S. to promote his book, “Bridges or Walls.” The love triangle is rounded out with his Mexican-American attorney, Ames (Roxanne) and his handsome, yet awkward publisher Jack (Christian). Unlike the original in which Cyrano and Christian die, in AMIRican Dream, it is Ames who perishes.

Harvard-educated Ken Offricht (librettist/lyricist) is equally left- and right-brained. A professional tutor and life coach, Ken’s writing often has an element of self-help subtly (or not so subtly in the case of his Manhattan Off-Off-Broadway show, Suicidal Life Coach) infused in it. Ken completed Marty Panzer’s songwriting course at UCLA as well as ANMT’s (now NMI’s) core curriculum as both a lyricist and librettist. Since grad school, Ken has been conducting interviews focused on the Art of Collaboration in the Performing Arts and expects to publish both a book and an audio book in Q4 2019.

David Jayden Anthony (composer) has premiered musicals at Saddleback College, The Hollywood Fringe Festival and the Long Beach Shakespeare Company. David was the composer of Blackbird, a New Musical for Tony-nominated Jonelle Allen. As a performer, David has recently appeared as Mike in Happy 50ish and Kelsey in Waiting In The Wings the Musical. David has been a music director for over 20 years for programs such as The Orange County School of the Arts. The Young Americans College, Saddleback College and currently at San Clemente High School. David has taught every kind of music and acting class at the college level, performing arts high school and public high school systems.