Dayton Daily News: Wright State theatre alum invited to write musical for current students

Wright State University’s School of Fine and Performing Arts tapped 2006 theatre alum Ronvé O’Daniel to write a new, full-length, two-act musical. The working title is “How to Survive in New York City” and it is expected to premiere in February 2026.

“We’ve been watching his work and have been intrigued by it,” said Marya Spring Cordes, associate chair of the school and professor and artistic director of Wright State Theatre, in a news release.

In particular, Cordes said she was attracted to O’Daniel’s use of R&B, hip-hop and rap.

“What he writes is unique and the aspect of a new piece was intriguing,” Cordes said. “We were looking for a new voice with a new story.”

O’Daniel met the 14 students performing in his show in December during a four-day residency at Wright State.

“My job is to craft a show that plays to the strength of the cast,” O’Daniel said in the release. “In this case, I needed a sense of the talent, which was the whole point of my trip.”

The New York-based O’Daniel is an award-winning songwriter, lyricist and composer whose work has been produced Off-Broadway. He was most recently attached to the development of the World War II-inspired, Blair Underwood-produced “6888: The Musical.”

“How to Survive in New York City” tells the story of Kenya, a struggling screenwriter-turned-bartender navigating the demands of motherhood and marriage who discovers a passion for mixology.

“The show is going to be great,” O’Daniel said. “It tackles the themes of parenthood, motherhood, identity, dreams, how old is too old to follow your dreams, mental health — to be talked about in a fun, entertaining way. I encourage people to see the talent that Dayton has to offer at Wright State.”

Read the article at daytondailynews.com.