A. J. Freeman is a writer, teacher, and performer originally from Los Angeles and now based in New York. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Actors' Equity, and the Theatre Now New York Writers Lab. A. J. has worked for over 12 years in educational theater, directing dozens of full scale productions (favorites include The Secret Garden, Into the Woods, The Pirates of Penzance, White Christmas, and The Boy Friend), and running her own literacy-based musical theater nonprofit for underserved students. Through this program, The Troupe, thousands of children in schools across Los Angeles received free reading books and theater workshops. Her favorite quote comes from a 2nd grader after an assembly: “I only have seven books at home…now I’ll have eight!”
A. J. is a cabaret performer, championing brilliant but forgotten music of the 1920s and 30s. She has created shows that celebrate Jerome Kern, Rodgers & Hart, Dorothy Fields, Cole Porter & Noël Coward, and many other legends. Speaking of legends, A. J. has studied with Karen Morrow, Donna McKechnie, Helen Gallagher, and Betty Garrett! She also stubbornly continues to post a ukulele song every Monday on her youtube channel (afreeman727) despite several noise complaints from her neighbors. As a lyricist/librettist/playwright A. J.’s shows include: Tomorrow, A Cordial Invitation, Hay Fever, Derailed!, Fables, In Other Words, The Crane Wife, Scotch, A Note of Explanation, Secrets, and The Carousel of Inevitability and Certain Foreboding.
This is huge! A. J. is the recipient of TWO grants from the
Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center!!
The Carousel of Inevitability and Certain Foreboding
(written with Gil Varod and Jonathon Lynch) was chosen as the inaugural fellowship winner for development at Lincoln Center!
And Tomorrow (written with Kris Bjarke)
was also chosen for a grant to help with development!!
Musical Monday!
Sheen Center
A. J. joins a fantastic cast in this public reading of the new play by Abby Tilly- come check it out!
Sheen Center
A screen near you!
Written by and starring Sam Balzac + A. J.! Produced by The Barn and featuring an incredible crew- we can't wait to share this delightfully ...
A screen near you!
Gural Theatre [A. R. T./New York Theatres] 502 w. 53rd St. NY, NY
By: Jon Hugo Ungar (book/music) + A. J. Freeman (book/lyrics)
Come join us on a wild ride: Set on a runaway train in the 1960s, this new musi...
Gural Theatre [A. R. T./New York Theatres] 502 w. 53rd St. NY, NY
Ferguson Center for the Arts, Virginia
By: Shoshana Yavneh Shattenkirk (music) & A. J. Freeman (book/lyrics)
Based on the extraordinarily tiny book by Vita Sackville-West about a ...
Ferguson Center for the Arts, Virginia
Bruno Walter Auditorium [Lincoln Center]
Written by: Kristoffer Bjarke (music); A. J. Freeman (book & lyrics)
Directed by: Nico Krell Music Directed by: Ben Covello
Starring: L...
Bruno Walter Auditorium [Lincoln Center]
Bruno Walter Auditorium [Lincoln Center]
Adapted from Noël Coward's play by A. J. Freeman
Lyrics by: A. J. Freeman, Music by: Joshua Cerdenia and Sam Balzac
Directed by: Robert W. Sch...
Bruno Walter Auditorium [Lincoln Center]
Bruno Walter Auditorium [Lincoln Center]
Join us for a free presentation of scenes from our new musical! Book by Gil Varod, Music by Jonathon Lynch, and Lyrics by...A. J. Freeman!
Bruno Walter Auditorium [Lincoln Center]
A. J.'s song 'Away From It All' (written with composer Sonya Hayden) was performed ON BROADWAY at the Circle in the Square Theatre in a collaboration with Maestra!
TOMORROW
(by Kristoffer Bjarke & A. J. Freeman)
Starring: Laura Cetti, Hannah Fairchild, Barrie Kreinik; Directed by: Nico Krell
It Ain't Over 'til the Bat Lady Sings!
(by Sonya Hayden & A. J. Freeman)
Starring: Meredith Brandt, Sabrina Koss, Patricia M. Lawrence, Johna Miller, Yael Rizowy; Music Direction by: Jonathon Lynch
A. J. was the recipient of the inaugural Across a Crowded Room Fellowship for her musical The Carousel of Inevitability and Certain Foreboding with Gil Varod and Jonathon Lynch! She also won a SECOND grant for her musical Tomorrow with Kristoffer Bjarke! Public performances of each will be held Spring 2023!
A. J. joined a spectacular cast for a 29 hour reading of the new musical BLACK SWAN BLUES at Pearl Studios- directed by Stephanie Klemons & Rickey Tripp!
Standing room only for our event at Lincoln Center! Written by A. J. & Shoshana Yavneh Shattenkirk- hoping to bring this magical story to more families soon!
A. J.'s new musical was featured as part of the Across A Crowded Room program at Lincoln Center! Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vow6fft5cpg
Fables was a great success! We had a nice crowd and the kids were dancing around and having a grand time =) And every child received a free reading book!!
Our new musical 'A Cordial Invitation' was featured on The York Theatre's program In The Pipeline, dedicated to new musicals. You can watch this on The York Theatre's YouTube channel!
Full length online reading of Hay Fever- with a stellar cast! Produced by Theatre Now New York and Directed by J. Scott Lapp.
What's Her Line? was featured in the FIRST EVER West Coast Dramatist Guild Footlights! It was such an honor to be in a lineup celebrating Women's History Month!
A. J. wrote THREE of the EIGHT musicals featured in the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library's annual writing program! The link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WnN8nxOYq8&list=PL1LGP-91vyr-dpIROi1SMj-UedTOnBIqn
Tulane University students presented an online performance of A. J.'s musical "Fables," written with Dimitri Landrain!
A. J. was selected to join the Theatre Now New York Writers Lab! She is developing Noël Coward's Hay Fever and other musicals in the lab!
A full presentation about the source material for the Hal Prince musical! A. J. sang the title song, the event also featured Broadway legend Loni Ackerman! Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center.
Reading of this brand new musical, written with Dimitri Landrain. NYU.
An evening of new songs- A. J. presented a song from her new musical based on Noel Coward's "Hay Fever" and also sang "The Sky Is The Limit!"
A. J.'s musical "Derailed" was performed by a world class cast! Signature Theatre.
Sang songs by the brilliant Jon Bauerfeld/Melissa Weisbach and Kate Douglas/Jason Weisinger!
Sign up to hear about performances and other fun stuff!