Erik Della Penna Explained
| Background: | person |
|
| Birth Date: | 2 June 1965 |
| Genre: | Musical theater, folk, pop, rock |
| Occupation: | Musician, composer, songwriter |
| Instrument: | Guitar, banjo, mandolin, lap steel, voice |
| Years Active: | 1992-present |
| Website: | erikdellapenna.com |
Erik Della Penna (born June 2, 1965) is an American composer and guitarist. He is known for co-composing the musical Dead Outlaw[1] with David Yazbek, and for being the principal guitarist for pop singer Natalie Merchant.[2] [3] In 2024 he won two Drama Desk Awards.[4]
Early life
Della Penna was born in The Bronx and grew up on Long Island, New York. He received a degree in Classical Guitar from the Mannes School of Music.
Career
In 1994, Della Penna began touring with the pop singer Joan Osborne on the Mercury record label. Later, he toured and recorded with Natalie Merchant in support of several studio albums. During this time he also toured with folk singer Joan Baez and joined the international band Hazmat Modine as a guitarist and songwriter.[5] Della Penna also has his own band called Kill Henry Sugar.[6]
In February 2024, his musical Dead Outlaw opened at the Minetta Lane Theatre. It became a New York Times critic's pick[7] and earned eleven Drama Desk Award nominations, winning three.[8]
Awards and Nominations
References
- News: Bahr . Sarah . March 20, 2024 . ‘Dead Outlaw,’ a Mummy Musical, Is So Strange It Can Only Be True . . live . https://archive.today/20240322100347/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/20/theater/dead-outlaw-audible.html . 2024-03-22.
- Web site: Natalie Merchant (2014) .
- Web site: Vellucci . Justin . November 13, 2018 . The “Antique-Garde” Songwriters Of New York City . American Songwriter.
- Web site: Russo . Gilllian . June 10, 2024 . 2024 Drama Desk Award winners announced . New York Theater Guide.
- News: Smullen . Sharon . April 13, 2023 . At Spencertown Academy, Rachelle Garniez and Erik Della Penna to play old and new music of New York City . . live . https://archive.today/20240923091140/https://www.berkshireeagle.com/arts_and_culture/berkshirelandscapes/spencertown-academy-roots-and-shoots-concert-rachelle-garniez-erik-della-penna/article_04f0a51c-d7d7-11ed-841d-27eb9e4fbcd3.html . 2024-09-23.
- News: Joyce . Mike . July 3, 2003 . KILL HENRY SUGAR "Sell This ... . . live . https://archive.today/20240923091147/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2003/07/04/kill-henry-sugar-sell-this/daac1261-a4d4-4c6e-8d30-d0731f408b77/ . 2024-09-23.
- Web site: Collins-Hughes . Laura . March 11, 2024 . ‘Dead Outlaw’ Review: Not Much of a Bandit, but What a Corpse . The New York Times.
- Web site: Cullwell-Block . Logan . June 10, 2024 . Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards With 7 Wins Including Outstanding PlayStereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards With 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play . Playbill.
- Web site: 2024 WINNERS . 2024-09-22 . 2024 Drama Desk Awards . en-US.
- Web site: Rosky . Nicole . 2024 Drama Desk Awards Nominations- The Full List! . 2024-09-22 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.
- Web site: Miller . Deb . 2024-05-14 . Winners of the 2024 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards . 2024-09-22 . DC Theater Arts . en-US.
- Web site: Miller . Deb . 2024-05-13 . Winners of the 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards for Broadway and Off-Broadway . 2024-09-22 . DC Theater Arts . en-US.
- Web site: Eckmann . Sam . 2024-04-23 . 2024 Outer Critics Circle nominations: ‘Stereophonic’ and ‘Suffs’ receive an end-season boost . 2024-09-22 . GoldDerby . en-US.
External links
