Musical Theatre Writer, Performer, and Educator.
My name is Kathleen, and I love telling stories and making music. Usually at the same time.
Who I Am
A LYRICIST & BOOKWRITER
Since earning my MFA at NYU Tisch’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, I’ve written Book and Lyrics for various full-length musicals, including THE BRIDGE (Music by Peter Hodgson), a new musical epic inspired by the true story of the woman who secretly built the Brooklyn Bridge. THE BRIDGE is currently in incubation with Midnight Oil Collective as part of their third artists’ cohort and has been a two-time O’Neill NMTC semi-finalist, a finalist for San Diego State University’s New Musical Initiative, and was twice awarded a residency at the CATWALK Art Institute. It received its first workshop in Spring 2021 at Syracuse University and was featured as part of New York Theatre Barn’s New Works Series.
My other full-length musicals include TEN: THE STORY OF GRACE AND JOE (Book, Music, and Lyrics; Additional Music by Brad Kemp and Jessica Hunt), which was featured at The Rev’s PITCH Series; and THE FORGETTING OF SNOW (Book and Lyrics; Music by Paulo K Tiról), which premiered at NYU Tisch and was featured as part of the NAMT Songwriters Cabaret. I am currently developing a new musical work with composer Jessica Hunt called OUR SOLILOQUY, a new feminist adaptation of the 1909 CAROUSEL-inspiring play LILIOM from Julie’s perspective.
My work has been showcased at The Kraine Theater, Joe’s Pub, 54 Below, Berklee College of Music, and NYMF’s Women of Note concert three years in a row, as well as various cabaret venues around New York and Los Angeles.
A PERFORMER
I have performed on stages at various theatres in New York, Chicago, and regionally, including spending three years as a founding member of the Chicago-based devised physical theater company, Theater Unspeakable; singing as lead soloist with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra; and most recently playing Miss Honey in Syracuse Stage’s production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL.
AN EDUCATOR
I am an Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre at Syracuse University’s Department of Drama, where I teach musical theatre performance, musical theatre writing, contemporary vocal technique, solo cabaret creation, and all levels of singing voice.
AN ADVOCATE
I am passionate about elevating the voices of underrepresented writers and composers and diversifying the stories told in the musical theatre canon. I serve as the Directory Manager for MaestraMusic.org (an organization that provides support, visibility, and community for women and non-binary people in the musical theatre industry) and am the creator and founder of New Works, New Voices at SU Drama.
The Bridge
Book & Lyrics by Kathleen Wrinn, Music by Peter Hodgson
The Bridge is a new musical epic inspired by the true story of the woman who secretly built the Brooklyn Bridge.
Listen to The Bridge audio trailer below:
When Emily Roebling’s husband falls mysteriously ill and is unable to continue as Chief Engineer, Emily must do the impossible: secretly take her husband’s place as Chief, in an era half a century before women were allowed to vote.
The Bridge is currently in incubation with Midnight Oil Collective as part of their third artists’ cohort.
For inquiries about The Bridge, please email thebridgemusical@gmail.com. And if you’d like to learn more about Hodgson and Wrinn, you can do that here.
Check out our feature in New York Theatre Barn’s New Works Series below:
The Forgetting of Snow
Book & Lyrics by Kathleen Wrinn, Music by Paulo K Tiról
Here you’ll find songs from another of my musicals, THE FORGETTING OF SNOW, which examines the epidemic of gun violence in America through the eyes of a nine-year-old girl.
Hodgson and Wrinn
Who We Are
Peter Hodgson (Music) and Kathleen Wrinn (Words) are a rising musical theatre writing team. Together, we create shows that are both a love letter and a thrown gauntlet to traditional musical theatre.
Peter and Kathleen met while attending NYU Tisch’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. There, they became fast friends, and when they heard each other’s music and lyrics for the first time, they fell hard (collaboratively speaking) and knew they had to write together.
Their full-length original musical, THE BRIDGE, inspired by the true story of the woman who secretly built the Brooklyn Bridge, is currently in incubation Midnight Oil Collective as part of their third artists’ cohort.
For inquiries about Hodgson and Wrinn, please email hodgsonandwrinn@gmail.com.
Our Bios
Peter Hodgson (Music) is a composer for both film and theatre, and music director who received his BM and MFA from New York University. He has worked on music teams across the country, including A CHRISTMAS STORY: LIVE! (FOX) and SUPERHERO (Tom Kitt and John Logan, O’Neill 2017). Hodgson’s original works have been performed at Joe’s Pub, The Duplex, NYMF, Cape Rep Theatre, NYU Tisch, and Feinstein’s/54 Below. As a musician, Peter has appeared at various prestigious music venues, including the famed Birdland Jazz Club. His next projects include BOUNDLESS, a docu-musical about the fishing community of Cape Cod (with Alison Weller, The Civilians); and THE BRIDGE, about the woman who secretly built the Brooklyn Bridge (written with his longtime collaborator Kathleen Wrinn.) Since its inception, Hodgson has been a core member of the instructional team at Department of Sound, a non-profit that empowers Sacramento youth through music & podcasting education. www.peterhodgsonmusic.com
Kathleen Wrinn (Words) is a musical theater writer, performer, and educator, currently serving as Assistant Professor of Musical Theater at the Syracuse University Department of Drama. Current musical works in development include: OUR SOLILOQUY (Book & Lyrics by Wrinn; Music by Jessica Hunt), a new feminist adaptation of the 1909 CAROUSEL-inspiring play LILIOM from Julie’s perspective; and THE BRIDGE (Book & Lyrics by Wrinn; Music by Peter Hodgson), a new musical epic based on the true love story that built the Brooklyn Bridge (NYTB New Works Series; semi-finalist O’Neill NMTC; finalist SDSU New Musical Initiative; two-time recipient Catwalk Art Residency; workshop Syracuse University). THE BRIDGE is currently in incubation with Midnight Oil Collective as part of their third artists’ cohort. Wrinn’s work has been featured at The Kraine Theater, The Rev, Berklee College of Music, NAMT's Songwriters' Cabaret, NYMF’s Women of Note concert, and cabaret venues across the country, including The Sorting Room in Los Angeles and Joe's Pub and 54 Below in New York. Affiliations: AEA, Dramatists Guild, and Maestra (Directory Manager). MFA NYU Tisch (Musical Theater Writing); BFA Syracuse University.
Media
Take a peek at some live performances of my work.
“At the Inn,” Lyrics by Kathleen Wrinn, Music by Jonathan Fadner (feat. Ayme Olivo)
“It Could Be Anything,” Lyrics by Kathleen Wrinn, Music by Minhui Lee (feat. John Riddle, Gen Parton Shin, and Q Lim)
“Happy Birthday, Jesus,” Lyrics by Kathleen Wrinn, Music by Ross Baum (feat. Chris Nicolosi)
“Standing Out,” Lyrics by Kathleen Wrinn & Peter Hodgson, Music by Peter Hodgson (feat. Jelani Alladin, Alexandra Petrullo, Jake Glassman, and Mary Catherine Hughes)