Paul Sportelli

Paul Sportelli is the co-writer of eight musicals to date: he and Jay Turvey co-composed the music for Little Mercy’s First Murder (with lyricist/book writer Morwyn Brebner). The musical has had 3 productions (Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, 2003; Touchstone Theatre, Vancouver, 2005; Ground Zero Theatre, Calgary 2006). The Toronto production won numerous Dora awards, including outstanding new musical. Paul co-wrote Tristan (with Jay Turvey), and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2007. Paul co-wrote music and lyrics with Jay Turvey for Step Right Up! (with co-lyricist/book writer Eric Woolfe), and it was produced at Theatre Orangeville in 2008.  Paul co-wrote Nobody Told Me, a cycle of songs (with Jay Turvey), and it was performed at the Berkeley Street Theatre in Toronto in 2009. Paul co-wrote Maria Severa (with Jay Turvey), and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2011. Maria Severa had its European premiere in Krakow, Poland at the Panstwowa Wyzsza Szkola Theater in 2011. Paul co-wrote Oracle (with Jay Turvey), and it was performed at Summerworks in Toronto in 2011. Paul co-wrote 33 1/3 (with Jay Turvey), and it was first performed at Sheridan College’s Canadian Music Theatre Project in 2015. 33 1/3 was first produced at the Dobama Theatre in Cleveland in 2019. 33 1/3 was the winner of the Playwrights Guild of Canada Stage West Pechet Family Best New Musical Award in 2015. Paul co-wrote Erik with a K (with Jay Turvey) and it was first performed at Sheridan College’s Canadian Music Theatre Project in 2018. Commercial recordings of Tristan and Maria Severa, as well as two pop recordings as the jaypaul project are available on iTunes. Paul co-conceived and co-adapted (with Jay Turvey) The Next Whisky Bar, featuring the music of Kurt Weill, and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2015. Paul co-conceived and co-adapted (with Jay Turvey) Gatsby’s Jazz, Sonny’s Blues, featuring works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and James Baldwin, and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2021. Paul co-wrote  and co-curated (with Jay Turvey) 1922, and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2022. Paul co-adapted (with Jay Turvey) The Secret Garden, a play with songs based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2024. In addition to his work as a writer, Paul is also a music director/conductor. Paul received his BM and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music,  and his MM and DMA from the Manhattan School of Music.