Musicals
Book by
Juliana Pedroso & Matt Gurren
Music by
Nanny Assis & Matt Gurren
Lyrics by
Matt Gurren
Set in Rio de Janeiro, the story follows the lives of two young men from vastly different worlds who find their destinies intertwined. Miguel, a passionate and resilient musician from the favela of Morro do Sol, and Daniel, a privileged finance student from the upscale neighborhood of Leblon, meet unexpectedly on New Year's Eve. Daniel, eager for an escape from his structured, affluent life, rents a room in Miguel's community, where he is introduced to the warmth, solidarity, and raw beauty of the favela—a world far removed from his own. As Daniel becomes closer to Miguel’s family, he falls for Julia, Miguel’s strong-willed sister who dreams of going to university. But when Daniel films a video of a brutal encounter between Miguel and a corrupt cop that goes viral, it sparks a chain of events that force each character to confront their privilege, identity, and the harsh divisions of Brazilian society. Miguel, grappling with the trauma of losing his brother to police violence, faces his own inner demons, battling depression as his world unravels. Daniel, torn between his growing love for Julia and his newfound awareness of the struggles faced by Miguel and his community, must navigate the deepening tensions between their lives.
With its powerful music and dance, Rio Uphill highlights the challenges and triumphs of living in a society marked by inequality and hope. This heart-pounding, emotionally charged musical explores themes of love, justice, and the fight for a better future, all set against the rhythm and soul of Brazil’s most iconic city.
The show received its world premiere at Teatro Adolpho Bloch in Rio de Janeiro in October 2024 and played thru November 17, 2024. The show then transferred to Teatro Villa Lobos in Sao Paulo from January 18 - February 17th, 2025 to critical and commercial acclaim. It was a 2021 Richard Rodgers Award finalist, presented in the 2019 ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop led by Stephen Schwartz and featured as a "Show You Should Know" in the NAMT Festival. It has been performed at Off-Broadway workshops and as staged readings at The York Theatre Company, the Dramatist Guild and Feinstein's/54 Below.
In a strange turn of fate, the three most powerful theater critics, who have taken countless shows off the stage, must now put one on. With time running short, they enlist the help of a struggling Broadway writer, Nathan Wood, who has had a string of critically panned flops and needs a comeback. Can the critics pull through and succeed despite their overly critical natures? Can cooperation, harmony, and perhaps even love exist between an artist and a critic? Find out if poetic justice will be served cold or in a warm review in WHAT DO CRITICS KNOW?
The show had a sold-out Off-Broadway run at the New York Musical Theatre festival at the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre (in the Pershing Square Signature Center). It won the NYMF Next Link Award, "Best Music" (Honorable Mention), Best Choreography, Best Featured Actress and was listed in several of “Top Shows Not to Miss at NYMF” including Playbill.com, Ken Davenport’s Top 5, New York Theatre Guide’s Top Shows of the Week and Backstage.com. It has been optioned by commercial producers and has had performances at Feinstein’s/54 Below, Brookfield Theatre and Center Stage, with plans for a full production.
Music & Lyrics by
James Campodonico & Matt Gurren
Book by
Matt Gurren