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Biography
John Forster wrote the music and lyrics for How To Eat Like A Child, one of the most performed shows in the country. He founded the long-running revue The Proposition as an undergraduate at Harvard, where he also wrote for the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. His satirical revue Both Barrels had a long run in Los Angeles, where it received an LA Times' “Best of the Best” citation for 1998, going on to Goodspeed Opera House and then an off-Broadway stand.
In addition to Eleanor, John's other musicals include Pretzels (music & lyrics) off-Broadway, Into the Light (lyrics) on Broadway, The Dream Team (lyrics, with composer Thomas Tierney) at Goodspeed Opera House, Five Christmases (book, music & lyrics) in regional theaters and contributions to numerous revues, including Upstairs at O'Neal's off-Broadway and Let Freedom Sing at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. For TheatreWorks/USA he wrote five musicals, including book and lyrics for Freaky Friday with music by Mary Rodgers, author of the original novel.
As a record producer he has received three Grammy nominations, writing and producing over a dozen acclaimed albums for children, with such artists as Tom Chapin, the Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen Twins and Rosenshontz. As a recording artist of his own satirical songs, John's 1994 debut album Entering Marion, on Philo/Rounder Records, won an Indie Award (the Independent labels' "Grammies") for Comedy Album. Along with its successors Helium and The Official Bootleg Album, it can be sampled at www.johnforster.com.
As a recording artist John's 1994 debut album Entering Marion got an Indie Award HM (the independent record labels' Grammy) for Best Comedy Album. Many of his witty topical songs have been featured on NPR's “Morning Edition.” His songs have been recorded by Christine Lavin, Judy Collins, Rosanne Cash and the late Dave Van Ronk, among many others. His song "Entering Marion" is included in Dr. Demento's “50 Greatest Novelty Songs Of All Time.” John is also co-author of the children's book "The Backwards Birthday Party" (Atheneum) and the teen parody book "The BSAT Official Study Guide" (Running Press).
As a writer and producer of bright, sassy music for children John has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, most recently for the Tom Chapin album Some Assembly Required. Other children's albums include Family Tree, This Pretty Planet, Billy The Squid and a dozen more. He has produced records for everyone from the Olsen Twins to the original "tot rock" band, Rosenshontz. John's song "Sing Me The Story Of Your Day" was sung by Faith Hill on the 2006 Grammy-winning Thanks & Giving.
His musicals includes the regional theater favorite Eleanor-An American Love Story (licensed through Rodgers & Hammerstein) as well as "Into The Light" on Broadway and the Off Broadway revues "Pretzels" and "A Good Swift Kick." His latest is "Mariel," an Afro-Cuban immigration story commissioned by the Cincinnati Playhouse. His scores for young audiences include the perennial "How To Eat Like A Child," one of the most widely produced children's shows in the country (licensed through Samuel French, Inc.), as well as book and lyrics for Freaky Friday with composer Mary Rodgers.
Productions
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Artist Information
All information is derived from OPERA America's Season Schedule of Performances and titles databases which date back to 1991. OPERA America is constantly updating this data. If you feel that a work or an artist has been omitted or that information is incorrect, please use the linked forms below. Title Information Form Artist Information Form
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