From NYMF '04 Audience-Award-Winning Writer Timothy Huang comes a new one-act musical featuring an award winning performance by Shonn Wiley!
A nameless novelist arrives in New York intent on getting his first book published. As he recounts his daily misadventures in a series of letters to his girl back home, we see through his eyes the colorful eccentric, vibrant and wildly bizarre characters that make up his new life, and the tragic events that make up his old one.
In a musical that is at once funny, and poignant, exhilarating and tragic, The View From Here received its World Premiere at the 2nd Annual New York Musical Theatre Festival in September of 2005, garnering its performer, Shonn Wiley, an Outstanding Male Actor in a Musical citation from TalkinBroadway.com's Matthew Murray.
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"...songs like the wistfully romantic 'A Little Part of Every Day', the energetic and driving 'Five Days' and 'Unstoppable' and the exhaustedly resigned 'How Do People Do This Every Day' superbly define his ever-evolving character...a familiar depiction of New York and a singular realization of this man's experiences there... often so effortlessly moving and openhanded that you feel as if you're being granted a forbidden peek into this man's psyche..."
Matthew Murray, TalkinBroadway.com
"...this one-man musical plays like a fresh variation on 'Wonderful Town' propelled by stunning music and a tremendously appealing solo performance by Shonn Wiley. Timothy Huang's score boasts masterful plot- and character-driven songs and comedic set pieces... Some have a contemporary throb, but others have a haunting melodic quality that seems torn from the annals of the Great American Songbook, populated by such folks as George Gershwin and Harold Arlen..."
Ron Cohen, Backstage
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"...this show with music and lyrics by Timothy Huang takes the well-worn tale of a naïf new to New York and puts a charmingly fresh and often very amusing spin on it... The show's hero is played by Shonn Wiley, who uses his tenor voice to great effect... overall this sounds to be such a strong piece of writing – a grand variety of musical styles put together with panache and some terrific wit..."
Andy Probst, AmericanTheatreWeb.com
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"My view on The View From Here is that it is impressive. I am not only impressed, but also touched, amused and - because of a dramatic turn in plot and tone that comes out of left field near the end - startled. The admirable music and lyrics are by Timothy Huang, all written to be sung by one performer....With an plaintive ache in his tenor voice, [Shonn Wiley] can portray loneliness; pouncing on the jazzier rhythms, he embodies sunny good spirits. Using his acting skills and comic timing, he's particularly good at expressing the writer's boiling frustrations encountering annoying people and the hurdles of big city life. What really comes through is the humanity of the character. It's an honest performance as well as an entertaining and riveting one. "
Rob Lester, Sound Advice
BIOS
Shonn Wiley (Performer)
Shonn Wiley made his Broadway debut in the original cast of the Tony Award winning revival, 42nd St. He understudied the coveted role of Billy Lawlor, and shortly after opening, performed the role, catching the attention of producers and theatergoers alike. After completing his run on Broadway, Shonn was asked to star as Billy Lawlor in the groundbreaking Moscow production of 42nd St. Receiving rave reviews for his performance, Shonn became the first Broadway leading man to perform an American musical in Russia.
In fall of 2004, Shonn originated the role of Dr. Jack Seward on Broadway in Frank Wildhorn’s highly anticipated musical Dracula at the Belasco Theater. Shonn also played Younger Brother in the critically acclaimed production of Ragtime at the Papermill Playhouse. He can also been seen on CBS’s Guiding Light in a recurring role as Young Josh Lewis. In Fall of 2006, Shonn wrapped principal photography on the independant film, Tiny Dancer, featuring One Life to Live's Melissa Gallo.
Shonn graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BFA in Acting from the School of Drama. He is the recipient of The Thomas Auclair Memorial Scholarship and The Adelyne Roth Levine Memorial Award in Acting.
David Epstein (Piano)
In 2000, David graduated NYU with a degree in Jazz Performance, earning the Jazz Student Of The Year Award. His first major gig – a weekly duo hit at the world-famous Birdland jazz club, lasting four and a half years – led the way for other performances there, including opening for a Lee Morgan tribute and sharing the New Year's Eve stage with Little Jimmy Scott.
Through contacts made at SUNY Purchase, where he received a Masters with highest honors in May 2004, David has gone on to perform with Ray Vega and Jon Faddis, with Ray at his weekly gig at Kavehaz and with Jon, most recently, at the IAJE conference in NY.
David was the pianist at the National Arts Club's presentation of its Medal of Honor to Dave Brubeck in 2003. He has also performed abroad in Switzerland , Israel , Italy , and Greece .
Tim Byrnes (Trumpet/Sam) has been a trumpeter and composer in New York City since 1998. He has played and written for various bands, including Candiria, Budd Dwyer, Romance and Friendly Bears. He currently resides in Washington Heights. www.FriendlyBears.net
Timothy Huang (composer/lyricist) has performed in theatre, film and TV in and around the New York area since getting his BFA in acting from NYU/Tisch and CAP21 in 1997.
Screen credits include appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, SNL, Free Country (Jason Kim), The Accident (with Amy Acker and Sarah Clarke) and HBO's award winning Mafia drama, The Soprano's.
Prior to The View From Here, Timothy wrote book and lyrics for the one act musical And Then There Were Two with composer Carl Fernstrum, and music for the one acts Breathing Mars with playwright Liz Duffy Adams and Kissing Nick with playwright Catherine Ward. His full length musical, And the Earth Moved, inspired by the tragic earthquake which struck Taipei in 1999 was a finalist for the National Music Theatre Network's New Voices Prize in 2004 and won the audience award for the 2004 New York Musical Theatre Festival, which hosted its premiere production. It has since toured extensively in the U.S. and Asia.
Currently on the front burner are a new full length musical entitled Death and Lucky (Fall 2007) and a one act entitled March and the Rain, as commissioned by Mu Performing Arts (www.muperformingarts.org) and a grant from the Jerome Foundation (www.jeromefdn.org)
Tim!
I'm so sorry I couldn't make it tonight... but I wanna say Break a leg for your show from across the sea!! I asked couple of my friends to see the show. so I wish they can make it instead of me :)
Hey go check out my new record just click the link below! It’s up on ITUNES I want to make a difference in the music business! I love music and want to create it forever! You can listen and buy and say hi whatever! Allright hope to talk to you soon!
-JM
“Suspicious Love”
if you dig guys like Jamie Cullum, Ben Folds, and John Mayer you will definitely love this disc!
Hey!
Thanks so much for the add and supporting my music!
How's NY treating you? I'll be performing in NYC on January 12th in Greenwich Village at The Baggot Inn if you want to come out. Always a great time :)
Keep in touch!
Stay funky,
Laura :)
OMG! I've never expected to see the show again on the web. in addition, it's my favorite song. I love this show very much. it's so gorgeous. thanks Tim! I hope I can make it for your party.
