Edward Kenny
Books by Edward Kenny include Bluebird Songs – Volumes I, II and III, which contain lyrics and poems, the following librettos/verse plays: Lonesome Man on Hermit’s Hill, The Outlaw, and Beanstalker, and a non-fiction book, entitled “The Workforce Development Professional.” Ed has written some 1,600 song lyrics and the book and lyrics for ten musicals. He first entered the Broadway scene in 1982, when Valhalla, a musical he co-wrote with his longtime collaborator, composer/arranger, Val Angrosini, received a first-class option. Material from the show was aired on television in conjunction with the Hempkompst expedition, a recreated Viking dragon ship which sailed from New York Harbor to Oslo, Norway. “Valhalla” was previewed by Broadway Tomorrow Musical Theatre, and was selected as a finalist in the New York Drama League Grants Competition. The New York Foundation for the Arts awarded a grant to present “Valhalla” as a performance art show.
“The World Goes On,” a song from Valhalla, was aired on WGBB 1240, where Val and Ed were interviewed. At that time, two songs that they had written to commemorate the tragic events of September 11, 2001 were played, along with other original material.
Two additional musicals by this writing team, Goodnight St. Petersburg and Straight to the Ace, were also previewed by Broadway tomorrow. Material from the shows was also aired on the New York City cable television talk/variety show What’s Going On, where Val and Ed appeared as guests.
Straight to the Ace was nominated for the Dramatists Guild musical theatre program. It was also nominated by the American Academy of Arts and Letters for the Harold Prince Musical Theatre program. Purple Cow Playhouse, Ltd. presented the show under a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. Ace was also presented in New York City.
The Angrosini/Kenny collaboration began in 1979. The two have penned hundreds of songs which have been performed by Val’s original bands at The Right Track Inn, Paulson’s, Catch a Rising Star, The Brokerage, and other metropolitan area clubs, and recently, throughout central Florida. Their theme song for the group Amethyst was aired on television commercials. Val and Ed both received the Oliver Award from Broadway Tomorrow Musical Theatre.
Mission IV, an album by the internationally acclaimed Markus Escher and The Bowmen, includes a song with lyrics by Ed, entitled “Broken Man.”
Ed and composer, Al Grilli, were finalist in the Babylon Citizens’ Council on the Arts (BACCA) annual songwriting competition. Their original songs were aired on WUSB radio, and one of Ed’s songs was played on the television series PM Magazine. His lyrics have been published in the Bard’s Annual, the Suffolk County Poetry Review, Rhyme and Punishment, Long Island Haunts and Harmonic Verse.
He studied poetry and lyric writing while attaining his Bachelor’s Degree at Adelphi University.
edwardjjkenny@gmail.com
https://songbay.co/portfolio/61699/
