Lewis Loves Clark
Lewis Loves Clark is a funny, fast-paced epic about the famous Corps of Discovery expedition. Combining bluegrass, folk and pop, this tragicomedy follows Meriwether Lewis (a depressed closeted alcoholic), William Clark (just breathtakingly oblivious), Sacagawea (permanently exasperated), and York (would rather be birdwatching) as they grapple with the not-so-great unknown.
The Writers
Mike Ross (Book & Lyrics) is an award-winning New York-based lyricist/librettist, dramaturg and author for young readers. His musical work includes original tragicomedy Lewis Loves Clark (Book & Lyrics; 2023 Richard Rodgers Award; 2020-21 Dramatists Guild Fellowship), Kerrigan-Lowdermilk’s The Bad Years (Additional Lyrics; dir. Stephen Brackett); and family musicals The Land of Forgotten Toys and The Mystery of Custodia (Book and Additional Lyrics; Broadway Licensing). Plays include Sorry (Harvard Playwrights Festival) and Space: Four Stories in Boston. He has five books out for young readers through Scholastic; they have sold almost a million copies to date. BMI Advanced Workshop. Hello! www.mikerosswrites.com.
Dylan MarcAurele (Music) is a New York-based musical theatre writer and composer. His newest musical, Pop Off, Michelangelo!, was developed at the JMF Writers Grove at Goodspeed and will have its world premiere at the upcoming 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Other recent musicals include MEG4N, The Real Housewives Of NYC, and Lewis Loves Clark (2023 Richard Rodgers Award; book and lyrics by Mike Ross). Last year, he wrote the song “Say Bravo!” for NBCUniversal’s inaugural Bravo Awards, sung by Andy Cohen and the cast of Vanderpump Rules. He also runs the 28K-follower musical Instagram account @rhonymusical. Harvard University, ’16. dylanmarcaurele.com.
Development History
Lewis Loves Clark was first developed through the 2020-21 Dramatists Guild Fellowship. Thanks to further funding from DGF, Lewis Loves Clark was developed and revised throughout 2021 and 2022 in collaboration with dramaturg DeLanna Studi, culminating in a reading held in June 2022. Most recently, Lewis Loves Clark received the 2023 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater, providing funds for a staged reading at a non-profit theatre—funds which the writers have yet to utilize.
Connect
tinyurl.com/lewislovesclark