The Oliver Experiment

Book and Lyrics by Jeremy Desmon
Music by Jeff Thomson
Reading: Saturday, August 15 at 7:00 pm
University of Memphis Theatre Building Mainstage

What if your entire life were a Broadway musical... and you had no clue?

Unbeknownst to Ollie, he is the beloved star of The Oliver Experiment — "Now in its 19th year!" — a fanciful piece of theatre magic concocted by his over-protective father to give his son a life of music and innocence and Happily-Ever-Afters. With its colorful cast and ever-evolving storylines, the magnificent secret is maintained at all costs...until the night Ollie notices a beautiful, young understudy in the chorus. Writers Thomson and Desmon (Pump Up The Volume) explore the lengths we go to protect the ones we love in this funny, tuneful, and theatrical coming-of-age story.

Jeremy Desmon (Bookwriter/Lyricist) is an award-winning writer whose stories have played around the world. The Girl in the Frame, seen in over a dozen productions, earned him the prestigious Edward Kleban Prize as America's most promising Musical Theatre Bookwriter. Jeremy is best known for the rock musical Pump Up the Volume, Good News, 7½ Wondrous Act(s) of True Love, Surviving the Avalanche, and his high-school musical, Cyrano de BurgerShack. In addition, Jeremy writes "family theatrical"/touring arena shows for some of the world's most recognizable characters in Disney Live's Mickey's Music Festival!, Universal's Curious George Live!, and Sesame Workshop's Elmo Rocks! He is proud to have written multiple editions of The Greatest Show on Earth for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. For more information: www.jeremydesmon.com.

Jeff Thomson (Composer) is a recipient of the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award, as well as the Dramatist Guild Musical Theatre Writing Fellowship. His original musical Trails was performed at the Los Angeles and New York Musical Theatre Festivals, winning him the NYMF award for Best Music as well as the Stage Entertainment Development Award. Recently, Trails made its international debut in Tokyo, Japan. Other projects include the club musical adaptation of the cult film Jawbreaker, and the arena rock musical adaptation of the 1990 film, Pump Up the Volume. He was commissioned by Broadway Across America to compose the score to the upcoming children's musical Madlibs Live! and was selected to write the music for an upcoming animated movie musical for Amazon Studios. He is currently developing two musical motion pictures. For more information: www.jeffthomsonmusic.com.