John Roby is a Canadian film and theatre composer and pianist.[1]
A native of Windsor, Nova Scotia, he began writing music for theatre projects in Halifax in the 1970s, and served as the pianist on Noel Harrison's television variety show Take Time with Noel Harrison, before moving to Toronto, Ontario, in 1976.[2] He composed music for several of George F. Walker's plays, including Zastrozzi, The Master of Discipline,[3] Filthy Rich,[4] Rumors of Our Death,[5] Theatre of the Film Noir,[6] Science and Madness,[2] and The Art of War.[7]
In 1984 he composed music for Jim Betts's The Mystery of the Oak Island Treasure.[2]
In the latter half of the 1980s he became known for several musicals he cowrote with Raymond Storey, including Country Chorale,[8] Girls in the Gang,[9] and The Dreamland.[10] In 1990 he collaborated with Tim Wynne-Jones on Mischief City, a musical for kids based on Wynne-Jones's 1986 book.[11]
In 1993 he premiered The Old Man's Band, his first show written entirely on his own rather than with a collaborator.[12]
He has also had credits as a composer of film scores, most notably on Thom Fitzgerald's films The Hanging Garden[13] and Beefcake.[14]
He married actress Patricia Vanstone in 1981.[15]
Awards
edit| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genie Awards | 2000 | Best Original Score | Beefcake with John Wesley Chisholm, Michael Diabo |
Nominated | [16] |
| Dora Mavor Moore Awards | 1981 | Outstanding New Score | Theatre of the Film Noir | Won | [17] |
| 1984 | Outstanding New Play | Mystery of the Oak Island Treasure with Jim Betts |
Nominated | [18] | |
| 1988 | Outstanding New Revue or Musical | Girls in the Gang with Raymond Storey |
Won | [19] | |
| 1995 | Outstanding Sound Design, Mid-Size Theatre | The Old Man's Band | Nominated | [20] | |
| 1998 | Outstanding New Musical | Jacob Two-Two's First Spy Case with Mordecai Richler |
Nominated | [21] | |
| 2001 | Outstanding Musical Direction | Midnight Sun | Nominated | [22] |
References
edit- ^ Paula Citron, "Big-band era gets big-time production". Toronto Star, April 12, 1991.
- ^ a b c Michael Mirolla, "The guy on the piano doesn't crave spotlight". Montreal Gazette, October 7, 1983.
- ^ Robert Crew, "Zastrozzi returns in splendid form". Toronto Star, May 14, 1987.
- ^ Bryan Johnson, "Filthy Rich a let-down- for George Walker fans". The Globe and Mail, January 22, 1979.
- ^ Ray Conlogue, "Actors the best feature of Rumors of Our Death". The Globe and Mail, January 21, 1980.
- ^ Michael D. Reid, "Invention fills rich, black comedy". Victoria Times-Colonist, January 28, 1982.
- ^ Jack Evans, "'The Art of War' campy, entertaining". Belleville Intelligencer, February 6, 2010.
- ^ Barbara Crook, "Summer theatre a real refreshment". Ottawa Citizen, June 29, 1987.
- ^ Ray Conlogue, "'Girls' a slick, witty musical". The Globe and Mail, July 2, 1987.
- ^ Vit Wagner, "Canadian musicals hot stuff on straw-hat circuit". Toronto Star, June 30, 1989.
- ^ Vit Wagner, "Mischief City years in making". Toronto Star, April 12, 1990.
- ^ Vit Wagner, "Blyth musical engaging fare". Toronto Star, August 10, 1993.
- ^ Stephen Holden, "'The Hanging Garden': Inner Child's Pan Endures in Adulthood". The New York Times, May 15, 1998.
- ^ Stephen Holden, "'Beefcake:' Tan and Pumped Up, Living Campily Ever After". The New York Times, October 13, 1999.
- ^ Gale Zoe Garnett, "Pair happy to be wed after 3 1/2 years together". The Globe and Mail, January 28, 1982.
- ^ Gayle MacDonald, "Sunshine floods Genies International co-production sweeps award nominations, with Felicia's Journey, Five Senses, eXistenZ also in running for best picture prize to be announced next month". The Globe and Mail, December 8, 1999.
- ^ Stephen C. Willis, Patricia Wardrop and Kenneth Winters, "Incidental Music". The Canadian Encyclopedia, October 8, 2007.
- ^ Stephen Godfrey, "Team aims to make this award show different". The Globe and Mail, October 13, 1984.
- ^ Robert Crew, "George Walker play sweeps Dora awards". Toronto Star, June 14, 1988.
- ^ "And the Dora nominees are ...". The Globe and Mail, May 13, 1995.
- ^ "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 27, 1998.
- ^ Michael Posner, "Iron Road tops the lot at Doras". The Globe and Mail, May 19, 2001.