Steven W Rodgers
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger
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STEPMOTHER: Keep your voice high-pitched
and giggle like a girl,
even if you think he's not that funny!
DAUGHTERS: Old men bore me! The young are immature!
STEPMOTHER: Then grit your teeth,
And think about their money!
Social status is important!
And wealth means more than personality
Always aim for men of higher quality!
lyrics by Wendy Christopher
"In the 18th Century (long time, no see)
Women weren't supposed to know much
(out of touch)
They had to act naive, uneducated
(out to lunch!)
Such abominations make us nauseated!
lyrics by Steven W Rodgers
"When you fall in love
and lose your heart
music very rarely plays a part
there's no tune playin' nowhere
There no show, or else you'd go there
Happiness is only in your fantasies
The lonely have no chorus
There's no encore waiting for us
In life, there's only silent melodies.
lyrics by Carolyn Tracy
l. to r., Johnny Castle (bass) and Paul (Bell (guitar) from the rock/blues group, The Nightawks, join Steven W Rodgers (piano) at Cue Recording Studios, Washington, D.C., to lay down the rhythm track for the rock ballad "If Love's Flown Away" (music and lyrics by Steven W Rodgers) from the tragic-comedy musical, "No Trifling with Love," based on the play by French playwright and poet, Alfred de Musset.
Steven W Rodgers conducts a string trio (including cellist Erin Snedecor) to record overdubs for the song "Midnight Ride" (music & lyrics by Steven W Rodgers) from the musical Revolutionary Gentleman.
Who I am
What I can do for you
I am a composer, lyricist, musical arranger, playwright, satirist, conductor, pianist, and editor based in Washington, D.C.
I received my MFA from the University of Virginia and have since gone on to write over 300 songs, a dozen plays, and five full-length musicals., which have been seen (and heard) across the country, including several off-off-Broadway productions. I have also written lyrics, arrangements, songs and instrumentals for theatres, theatrical troupes, universities, dance companies and individual clients, in genres ranging from rock and pop to jazz, blues, folk, Baroque and modern Broadway; I have worked with Broadway star Ashley Park (“Mean Girls,” “Momma Mia”), actor/singer Pete Shiflett (Spielberg’s “Lincoln”/Netflix’s “House of Cards”), Julia Nightingale (The 2020 film “Ode to Passion”/Broadway’s “The Ferryman”), and Paul Bell and Johnny Castle of the blues/rock group, The Nighthawks. My influences include Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Elton John, Queen, Pink Floyd and Mozart.
I can write lyrics to pre-existing melodies, compose melodies to fit your lyrics, and create lead sheets (sufficient for most rock/jazz musicians that include chords, melody, harmony, dynamics, key/time signatures, tempo and descriptors). I can also score for individual orchestral instruments, including violin, viola, cello, contrabass, flute, alto flute, clarinet, oboe, french horn, and trumpet.