CREATIVE TEAM

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ABOUT BRÉON GEORGE RYDELL

Scotland

Born in Roxburghshire, Scotland - Composer/Lyricist.

Music, cinema, and the Borders countryside, offered an escape into other worlds. He began to express himself through words and music. His early poems and melodies were written around Hume Castle, Smailholm Tower, and in the fishing village of Burnmouth.

Bréon spent his college years in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. He was asked to become lead singer in a local band, which in turn, led him to London.

A few months after arriving in the Capital, he sustained serious injuries in a car accident. However he was determined to continue with his musical dream, which by now, had led to the formation of his own indie band/label, which included classical and contemporary musicians. Bréon was lead vocalist, and wrote both words and music. Early recordings were heard by a producer at Abbey Road, who invited him to record in the world famous studios.

Bréon was offered the position of Artistic Director of a music production company, based in London, and on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles. The following years were spent in the artistic, music, and film community of Hollywood . He also spent time in the Far East. A meeting with Sir Cameron Macintosh in New York, and a per-chance encounter with Julie Taymor and Elliot Goldenthal in Italy, inspired him. His long held dream of writing an original work for music theatre began to crystallize.

In March 2006, ‘Dream Tower’ was shortlisted, by an expert panel, for the final of an International competition aimed at finding a new work for Music Theatre. The competition was sponsored by the Cameron Macintosh Foundation, Scottish Executive, and filmed by the BBC. ‘Dream Tower’ is currently being developed for a commercial theatre production.

Artistic and Creative Influences

Music Theatre; Lionel Bart – Oliver; Leonard Bernstein – West Side Story;
George Gershwin – Porgy and Bess; Sir Cameron Macintosh - Les Misérables;
Rogers and Hammerstein – Carousel; South Pacific;
Stephen Sondheim - Sweeny Todd and Sunday In The Park with George;
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber - Phantom Of The Opera; Lee Hall and Sir Elton John - Billy Elliot;
Julie Taymor and Eliot Goldenthal – The Lion King and Frida;.

Theatre: Tennessee Williams – The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire,
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Shakespeare; Sir Ian McKellen – King Lear, Gandalf;

Film noir: Howard Hawkes - The Big Sleep; Robert Hardy - The Wicker Man;
Alfred Hitchcock - Notorious; Roman Polanski – Chinatown;

Mythology: Joseph Campbell
Research method and musicology: Professor Ariel Lant
Twentieth century art and sculpture: Sir Eduardo Paolozzi
Creativity and literary structure: John Cleese