Communication, Media & Theatre Arts

Biography

R. MacKenzie Lewis has composed, arranged and served as music director for dozens of Eastern Michigan University Theatre productions. He is a lecturer in the School of Music and Dance as well. He's the music director and co-executive director for 8th Wonder Productions at the Cherry Hill Theatre in Canton, Michigan. He has also served as music director and performed with the Performance Network in Ann Arbor, Northville’s Tipping Point Theatre, the Williamston Theatre in Lansing and the Plaza Casino in Las Vegas. He directs ENCORE, a musical theatre troupe touring secondary schools and performing at numerous area locations. He has also composed and arranged music for EMU's marching band, jazz ensemble, wind ensemble, and symphony orchestra. Aside from his university responsibilities, Lewis music directs, composes, orchestrates and arranges music for various theatres, bands, orchestras and musicals. Some favorite projects have been:

• orchestrating and music directing the National Tour and Off-Broadway premiere of The Berenstain Bears LIVE! in Family Matters, The Musical
• music directing and orchestrating Gypsy, at the Hangar Theatre in New York, for which he won a Broadway World Award for Best Music Direction
• associate music directing the workshop of Romance in Hard Times with William Finn at the Barrington Stage Co.
• composing music for Mockingbird, Wings of Ikarus and Jason Invisible-all of which were commissioned and premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

He also composed the musicals Video Games: The Rock Opera, Irrational, and Soaring on Black Wings-a world premiere with Ben Vereen. Lewis keeps himself busy writing and music directing for several local theatre companies and performing with his big band, Accidentally Hip, throughout the Metro-Detroit area and for the Las Vegas production of Ain't Misbehavin'.

In between moments of chaos you can catch Ryan practicing harmonica or mowing the lawn at his home with sons Jack and Max.

Education

• BA, Music Education, Eastern Michigan University
• MA, Music Theory and Literature, Eastern Michigan University

Courses

• CTAR 106 /MUSC 106 Introduction to the Performing Arts
• MUSC 107 Music Appreciation
• MUSC 118 Music Literature I
• MUSC 128 Music Literature II
• CTAC 124 Foundations of Speech Communication

Accompaniment/Musical Direction

• CTAR 379 Styles/Musical Theatre Performance
• CTAR 461 Musical Theatre Acting
• CTAR 471 Musical Theatre Workshop
• MUSC 477 Opera Workshop

Additional Information