Dan Mertzlufft Explained

Dan Mertzlufft is an American musical theatre composer and arranger best known as a creator of Ratatouille the Musical on TikTok.

Career

Mertzlufft wrote the first full TikTok musical, "For You, Paige," in 2019, starring Andy Cohen,[1] which was commissioned by Tiktok and simultaneously broadcast on TikTok and at a "secret" Broadway theater.[2] [3] [4] Mertzlufft talked with NBC news about the difficulties in 'preserving the evergreen aspects of making a musical while also being conscious of how quickly trends move'.[4]

Variety explains the plot of For You, Paige; "In “For You, Paige” (a pun on TikTok’s For You page), teen music nerd Landon (played by Roman Banks) collaborates with his best friend, Paige (played by Sri Ramesh) on a TikTok song inspired by her favorite book series. Landon’s TikTok goes viral, thrusting him into the spotlight – and leaving Paige behind. When a producer offers Landon the opportunity to adapt the book series into a musical, Landon discovers that the glory of doing it all himself isn’t worth the stress and enlists the help of Paige (and the TikTok community) to turn the show into a success."[5]

Kelly McCarthy of Good Morning America called Mertzlufft a "creative genius".[6] NPR[7] said he "breaks the internet with his Tik Tok Broadway sendups." His debut single was called "In My Head."[8] Mertzlufft's TikTok video Grocery Story has received over 4.6 million views, and has prompted other users to create hundreds of duets of it.[9] BuzzFeed wrote of the latter, "not to oversell this story, but it is epic."[10] [11]

In early 2020, James Corden called Mertzlufft "brilliant."[12] and asked him to write a song for the The Late Late Show. Corden then invited Mertzlufft on The Late, Late Show where Corden surprised him, having Josh Gad, Kristin Chenoweth, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald and Josh Groban perform 'Thanksgiving the Musical' that Mertzlufft had written.[13]

He was one of the creators of Ratatouille the Musical, which debuted in January 2021 online during the COVID-19 pandemic,[14] starring Titus Burgess, Wayne Brady and Adam Lambert.[15] Mertzlufft served as music supervisor, as well as an arranger and songwriter.[16] [17] The musical raised 2 million dollars[18] for The Actors Fund,[19] making it the most successful fundraiser in Actors Fund history.

Mertzlufft identifies as gay and, in 2021 wrote The Meaning of Pride in celebration of Pride Month with a music video featuring Nina West.[20]

He is featured in the Museum of Broadway.[21] He has had works performed at 54 Below in New York City.[22] His Construction Site on Christmas Night, commissioned by the Bay Area Children's Theatre,[23] [24] was performed in Sunnyvale, California, during the Christmas holiday season of 2019.[25] [26] Julie Benko performed a song by Mertzlufft in 2023.[27] Mertzlufft, alongside writers Tom Kitt and Andrew Lippa, judged the Write Out Loud contest for emerging musical theater writers in 2023.[28] Mertzlufft wrote the show Grumpy Monkey, which was performed at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2024.[29]

Mertzlufft is a member of the BMI advanced workshop.[16] It was there that he met lyricist Kate Leonard, frequent collaborator and a co-writer on For You, Paige and Ratatouille the Musical.[30] [31]

Education

Mertzlufft graduated summa cum laude from SUNY in 2015 with a double major in music education and composition.

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Burton . Byron . 2022-06-09 . TikTok Creator Daniel Mertzlufft on For You, Paige . 2024-05-27 . Awards Focus.
  2. For You, Paige: A TikTok Musical TikTok . 2022-05-18 . TikTok . 2024-06-09 . YouTube.
  3. Web site: 2019-08-16 . Raising the Curtain on For You, Paige: a TikTok musical written by TikTok, for TikTok . 2024-05-27 . Newsroom TikTok.
  4. Web site: 2022-04-14 . Sung . Morgan . Ratatouille the Musical' creator back with TikTok-themed For You, Paige . 2024-06-07 . NBC News.
  5. Web site: Spangler . Todd . 2022-04-06 . TikTok Is Funding Its First Musical, From Creative Lead Behind 'Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical' . 2024-05-27 . Variety.
  6. Web site: McCarthy . Kelly . Even Broadway stars love this viral grocery store musical on TikTok . 2024-05-27 . Good Morning America.
  7. Web site: 2020-12-11 . Chase . Anthony . Theater Talk: Lancaster's Daniel Mertzlufft 'breaks the internet' with Tik Tok Broadway sendups . 2024-05-27 . WBFO.
  8. Web site: Moore . Deanna . Watch a Preview of Daniel Mertzlufft & Jacob Ryan Smith's Debut Single . 2024-06-07 . iHeartRadio Broadway.
  9. Web site: Moore . Sian . Young composer sings a TikTok ballad for the ages, inspires entire musical in a grocery store . 2024-05-27 . Classic FM.
  10. Web site: Chen . Tanya . 2020-10-07 . A 27-Year-Old Composer Has Inspired One Of The Most Epic And Delightful Duet Chains On TikTok . 2024-05-27 . BuzzFeed News.
  11. Web site: 2020-10-08 . Lalwani . Andy . TikTok's "Grocery Store" Parody Musical is Going Viral . 2024-06-07 . Dailymotion.
  12. Thanksgiving: The TikTok Musical -- Full Segment . 2020-11-24 . . 2024-06-11 . YouTube.
  13. Web site: Composer Daniel J. Mertzlufft Talks TikTok Fame And James Corden Surprise . 2024-05-27 . iHeartRadio Broadway.
  14. Web site: Evans . Greg . 2021-01-01 . 'Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical': How Broadway Cooked Up The Perfect Appetizer For A New Year That Can't Start Soon Enough . 2024-05-27 . Deadline Hollywood.
  15. Portwood . Jerry . 2020-12-30 . Listen to 'Remember My Name' from Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical . 2024-06-09 . Rolling Stone.
  16. Web site: Daniel Mertzlufft . 2024-05-27 . Music Theatre International.
  17. Web site: Nguyen . Jennimai . 2020-12-30 . How Daniel Mertzlufft helped jumpstart the Ratatouille musical that raised $1 million . 2024-05-27 . Mashable.
  18. Web site: 2021-01-12 . The Actors Fund Announces that Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical Has Raised $2 Million . 2024-06-09 . Entertainment Community Fund.
  19. Web site: Carey . Matthew . 2021-06-15 . "Absolutely Wild": Stars And Creators On How They Transformed Disney Animated Film Into 'Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical' – Deadline Virtual House . 2024-05-27 . Deadline Hollywood.
  20. Web site: Patterson . Denny . 2021-06-30 . Composer Daniel Mertzlufft On Latest Musical Projects . 2024-06-07 . OUT FRONT.
  21. Web site: The Museum of Broadway . 2024-05-27 . The Museum Of Broadway.
  22. Web site: Feinstein's/54 Below 10th Anniversary Celebration: The Next 10 Years of Talent, feat. Marlow & Moss & more! . 2024-05-27 . 54 Below.
  23. Web site: Daniel Mertzlufft . 2024-06-09 . Music Theatre International.
  24. Web site: Cristi . A. A. . TikTok Star & Musical Composer Daniel J. Mertzlufft Signs With CAA, Kraft-Engel Management . 2024-06-09 . BroadwayWorld.
  25. Web site: Cristi . A. A. . Construction Site on Christmas Night Plays Sunnyvale for the Holidays . 2024-06-09 . BroadwayWorld.
  26. Web site: 2019-11-02 . Construction Site on Christmas Night Plays Sunnyvale for the Holiday Season . 2024-06-09 . The Silicon Valley Voice.
  27. Web site: Harms . Talaura . Watch Julie Benko and the Broadway Sinfonietta 'Start With a Bang' . Playbill.
  28. Web site: Culwell-Block . Logan . Tom Kitt, Joriah Kwamé, Daniel Mertzlufft, More to Judge 2023 Write Out Loud Contest . Playbill.
  29. Web site: Adamek . Pauline . Pasadena Playhouse extends "Grumpy Monkey, The Musical" – ArtsBeatLA . 2024-05-27.
  30. Web site: Mertzlufft & Leonard . 2024-05-27 . Mertzlufft & Leonard.
  31. Web site: Castillo . Michelle . 2022-04-22 . From Theater to TikTok, For You, Paige Was Made for the Vertical Stage . 2024-06-09 . Cheddar.
  32. Web site: Wilke. Alexandra Jacobs . SUNY Potsdam Alumni Name Daniel Mertzlufft '15 a 'Rising Star' SUNY Potsdam . 2024-05-27 . SUNY Potsdam.
  33. Web site: The ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Lyric Awards . ASCAP Foundation.
  34. Web site: NEW Webby Gallery + Index . 2024-05-27 . NEW Webby Gallery + Index.

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