Kansas City Metro Opera

About ONE YEAR

AUGUST

Saturday August 7, 2010 7:30 p.m. Congregation Kol Ami 7501 Belinder, Prairie Village, Kansas

Sunday August 8, 2010 4:00 p.m. Matinee Congregation Kol Ami 7501 Belinder, Prairie Village, Kansas

SYNOPSIS One Year is a journey through a turbulent year in the life of young Nick Webber, a recent high school graduate, as he struggles to save enough money to move out of small town Kansas to attend music school in New York City.  On the eve of his departure, Nick opens the journal he kept throughout the past year and relives all of the loves, losses, disappointments, and triumphs that made it the most amazing year of his life.

COMPOSER'S NOTES One Year is a show that is deeply personal.  It is not completely autobiographical, to be sure.  Not everything in the show is completely factual, but the young man in the show was born of my own expectations and tribulations during the year I waited to move away from home to attend music school.  The genesis of this show was, I think, unlike most others.  I did not initially intend to write a show about my experiences.  Actually, I did not intend to write a show at all.  Some people keep a journal.  I write songs.  Any time something significant or insignificant happens to me, I write a song about me.  It wasn’t until that incredible year was almost over that I realized that I had written literally dozens upon dozens of songs that formed the narrative of my past year.  Like a journal, these songs allowed me to express my emotions completely, honestly, and privately, without fear of judgment or critique; that is…until now.  Nick from the show has his journal.  And I, well, I have this show.

RYAN BRAUN Composer & Pianist Ryan Braun was raised in Topeka, Kansas.  He began formal piano lessons at age eight and has been a serious pianist ever since.  He began composing at the age of thirteen.  Ryan began performing original music in coffee shops and bars at age sixteen.  At age 19, Ryan moved to Kansas City to continue pursuing music.  One Year is his second full-length work of musical theatre.  He is currently 21, residing in Kansas City, and working on his next work of musical theatre. Patrick Pribyl "Nick" Patrick Pribyl was born in Overland Park, Kansas. He has been training vocally for ten years four of which were with Patrick Buckley. He has performed all around the Kansas City area with talents from Musical Theatre Young People, Theatre in the Park and his Alma mater, Rockhurst High School. Next year, at the age of 18, he will be moving to New York City to Study Acting at The Actor's Studio at Pace University.