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

Career

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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,[6] 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 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.[12][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.[18]

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

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Mertzlufft graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Potsdam in 2015 with a double major in music education and composition.[32]

Awards

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  • SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association Rising Star Award, 2021[32]
  • ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Lyric Awards for musical theatre.[33]
  • Webby Awards, Honoree for Social Experimental & Innovation 2023 for the Musical "For You, Paige.[34]"

References

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  1. ^ Burton, Byron (2022-06-09). "TikTok Creator Daniel Mertzlufft on For You, Paige". Awards Focus. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  2. ^ TikTok (2022-05-18). For You, Paige: A TikTok Musical | TikTok. Retrieved 2024-06-09 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ "Raising the Curtain on For You, Paige: a TikTok musical written by TikTok, for TikTok". Newsroom | TikTok. 2019-08-16. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  4. ^ a b Sung, Morgan (2022-04-14). "Ratatouille the Musical' creator back with TikTok-themed For You, Paige". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  5. ^ Spangler, Todd (2022-04-06). "TikTok Is Funding Its First Musical, From Creative Lead Behind 'Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical'". Variety. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  6. ^ a b McCarthy, Kelly. "Even Broadway stars love this viral grocery store musical on TikTok". Good Morning America. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  7. ^ Chase, Anthony (2020-12-11). "Theater Talk: Lancaster's Daniel Mertzlufft 'breaks the internet' with Tik Tok Broadway sendups". WBFO. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  8. ^ Moore, Deanna. "Watch a Preview of Daniel Mertzlufft & Jacob Ryan Smith's Debut Single". iHeartRadio Broadway. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  9. ^ Moore, Sian. "Young composer sings a TikTok ballad for the ages, inspires entire musical in a grocery store". Classic FM. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  10. ^ Chen, Tanya (2020-10-07). "A 27-Year-Old Composer Has Inspired One Of The Most Epic And Delightful Duet Chains On TikTok". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  11. ^ Lalwani, Andy (2020-10-08). "TikTok's "Grocery Store" Parody Musical is Going Viral". Dailymotion. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  12. ^ a b Thanksgiving: The TikTok Musical -- Full Segment. The Late Late Show with James Corden. 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2024-06-11 – via YouTube.
  13. ^ "Composer Daniel J. Mertzlufft Talks TikTok Fame And James Corden Surprise". iHeartRadio Broadway. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  14. ^ 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". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  15. ^ Portwood, Jerry (2020-12-30). "Listen to 'Remember My Name' from Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  16. ^ a b "Daniel Mertzlufft". Music Theatre International. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  17. ^ Nguyen, Jennimai (2020-12-30). "How Daniel Mertzlufft helped jumpstart the Ratatouille musical that raised $1 million". Mashable. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  18. ^ a b "The Actors Fund Announces that Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical Has Raised $2 Million". Entertainment Community Fund. 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  19. ^ 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". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  20. ^ Patterson, Denny (2021-06-30). "Composer Daniel Mertzlufft On Latest Musical Projects". OUT FRONT. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  21. ^ "The Museum of Broadway". The Museum Of Broadway. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  22. ^ "Feinstein's/54 Below 10th Anniversary Celebration: The Next 10 Years of Talent, feat. Marlow & Moss & more!". 54 Below. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  23. ^ "Daniel Mertzlufft". Music Theatre International. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  24. ^ Cristi, A. A. "TikTok Star & Musical Composer Daniel J. Mertzlufft Signs With CAA, Kraft-Engel Management". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  25. ^ Cristi, A. A. "Construction Site on Christmas Night Plays Sunnyvale for the Holidays". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  26. ^ "Construction Site on Christmas Night Plays Sunnyvale for the Holiday Season". The Silicon Valley Voice. 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  27. ^ Harms, Talaura. "Watch Julie Benko and the Broadway Sinfonietta 'Start With a Bang'". Playbill.
  28. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan. "Tom Kitt, Joriah Kwamé, Daniel Mertzlufft, More to Judge 2023 Write Out Loud Contest". Playbill.
  29. ^ Adamek, Pauline. "Pasadena Playhouse extends "Grumpy Monkey, The Musical" – ArtsBeatLA". Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  30. ^ "Mertzlufft & Leonard". Mertzlufft & Leonard. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  31. ^ Castillo, Michelle (2022-04-22). "From Theater to TikTok, For You, Paige Was Made for the Vertical Stage". Cheddar. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  32. ^ a b Wilke, Alexandra Jacobs. "SUNY Potsdam Alumni Name Daniel Mertzlufft '15 a 'Rising Star' | SUNY Potsdam". SUNY Potsdam. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  33. ^ "The ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Lyric Awards". ASCAP Foundation.
  34. ^ "NEW Webby Gallery + Index". NEW Webby Gallery + Index. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
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