Ross Rawlings Explained

Ross Rawlings
Education:Towson University (B.A.)
Awards:Kevin Kline Award (2010)
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Years Active:1982–present

Ross Scott Rawlings (born) is an American pianist, composer, conductor, and music director.[1] [2]

Early life and education

Rawlings was born to Daryl Lee (née Prysock) and Dennis Scott Rawlings.[3] [4] His mother was a contract analyst for the Government of Maryland and his father was a collection agent.[5] Ross Rawlings and his brother, Kevin D. Rawlings lived in Baltimore County, but later moved to Harford County, Maryland before middle school. He began taking piano lessons at the age of 3 and started a singing group in middle school that continued through high school. When Rawlings was 16, he was injured in a car crash while en route to the first orchestra rehearsal for a production of Seesaw at Liberty Showcase Theatre in [Randallstown, Maryland], [Maryland]. He was in a hospital for over a month due to broken ribs, wrists, kneecaps, sternum and fractured elbows. Despite the crash, Rawlings was able to conduct and play piano for the production. In 1993, Rawlings earned a Bachelor's of Science in Music Education and Piano from Towson University.[6]

Career

Rawlings became the resident musical director of Toby's Dinner Theatre circa 1989. For four years in the mid-1990s, Rawlings also taught at Atholton High School. In the early 2000s, Rawlings was the conductor for the national/international tour of Fosse directed by Ann Reinking/Debra McWaters.[7] In 2006, he was the musical director for broadway revival of Sweet Charity.[8] [9] At Olney Theatre Center in 2012, Rawlings conducted and orchestrated a production of A Chorus Line and was the musical director for Little Shop of Horrors.[10] [11] Rawlings was the musical director of Rep Stage's 2014 production of The Fantasticks.[12] Rawlings was the Director of Choral Activities and Piano at Glenelg High School 2012-2018. In 2017, composer Stacey V. Gibbs wrote a piece of music entitled Go Down, Moses for the Glenelg choir and dedicated it to the students and Rawlings.[13] Rawlings was the musical director of the inaugural premier of the musical, Magic Under Glass, by the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts under the direction of Toby Orenstein.

Personal life

In the mid-1990s, Rawlings purchased a house in Columbia, Maryland where he lived for 16 years. As of 2018, he resides in Westminster, Maryland.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result Work Venue Notes Ref(s)
2010Kevin Kline AwardOutstanding Dramatic SeriesHairsprayThe MunyTied with Diane White-Clayton[14]
2015Helen Hayes AwardMemphisToby's Dinner Theatre[15]
Spamalot
2018Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rawlings, Ross Scott . worldcat.org . OCLC World Cat Identities . October 1, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181001182414/https://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-no98038308/ . October 1, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  2. Web site: Schelle . Crystal . 24 July 2016 . Smithsburg writer has novels turned into musicial [sic] ]. Herald Mail Media .
  3. Web site: Dennis Scott Rawlings. 2017-05-17. Cumberland Times. 2018-03-05.
  4. News: Don't call his music a bowl of cherries. Rousuck. J. Wynn. 2003-05-05. The Baltimore Sun. 2018-03-05. en.
  5. Web site: Daryl Lee Rawlings. 2017-02-17. Cumberland Times.
  6. News: Howard County Arts Council Announces Performers for CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS Gala. 2017-04-21. Broadway World. 2018-03-05. en.
  7. News: 'Fosse' kicks up a storm. Leverone. Barbara. 2004-04-16. Sarasota Herald. 2018-03-05. en.
  8. News: Sweet Charity. Morgan. Terry. 2006-10-12. Variety. 2018-03-06. en-US.
  9. News: Theater: 'Sweet Charity' ends with Ringwald. 2006-11-22. Orange County Register. 2018-03-06. en-US.
  10. News: 'A Chorus Line' at the Olney Theatre Center is a largely enjoyable re-creation. Pressley. Nelson. 2013-08-05. Washington Post. 2018-03-05. en-US. 0190-8286. https://web.archive.org/web/20160217094510/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-chorus-line-at-the-olney-theatre-center-is-a-largely-enjoyable-re-creation-of-the-long-running-broadway-show/2013/08/05/1f36253c-fde9-11e2-8294-0ee5075b840d_story.html. February 17, 2016. live. mdy-all.
  11. News: Olney Theatre Center's 'Little Shop of Horrors' takes itself too seriously. Pressley. Nelson. 2012-08-12. Washington Post. 2018-03-05. en-US. 0190-8286. https://web.archive.org/web/20170618195136/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/olney-theatre-centers-little-shop-of-horrors-takes-itself-too-seriously/2012/08/12/e355c21c-e236-11e1-89f7-76e23a982d06_story.html. June 18, 2017. live. mdy-all.
  12. News: 'The Fantasticks' -- time-tested and still sweet. Giuliano. Mike. 2014-05-12. Columbia Flier. 2018-03-05. en-US.
  13. News: Glenelg choir singing a new tune written just for them. Trobridge. Tracy. 2017-04-06. Howard County Times. 2018-03-06. en-US.
  14. News: Kevin Kline Awards feature six ties. Newmark. Judith. 2010-03-23. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2018-03-05. en.
  15. News: 2015 Helen Hayes Awards nominations. 2015-01-26. Washington Post. 2018-03-05. en-US. 0190-8286. https://web.archive.org/web/20170714042611/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/2015-helen-hayes-awards-nominations/2015/01/26/c61a7610-a576-11e4-a7c2-03d37af98440_story.html. July 14, 2017. live. mdy-all.
  16. News: Nominations for the 2018 Helen Hayes Awards. 2018-02-05. Washington Post. 2018-03-06. en-US. 0190-8286. https://web.archive.org/web/20180218083812/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/nominations-for-the-2018-helen-hayes-awards/2018/02/05/235e8ea4-0aac-11e8-95a5-c396801049ef_story.html. February 18, 2018. live. mdy-all.