From the musical: BEAUTIFUL HAIR 

Music & Lyrics: Ronvé O'Daniel 
Music & Orchestrations: Jevares C. Myrick 
Performed by: Mona Swain, Brenae Knights & Ensemble

Class in Session

Ronvé O’Daniel is a songwriter, rapper, lyricist, composer, playwright, and hip-hop enthusiast.  His show ONCE UPON A RHYME was recently selected as part of the Competition TV Series OPENING NIGHT AMERICA, an exciting new path to Broadway which will present audiences with four new musicals, whose creators and professional cast will be put through their paces under the direction and guidance of celebrity mentors, such as Tony and Emmy award-winning actress, Kristin Chenoweth. ONCE UPON A RHYME has been produced at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley New Works Festival, Johnny Mercer Writers Colony Residency at Goodspeed Theater, the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) as well as NYU Tisch School for the Arts. 

Ronvé recently collaborated with Theatreworks USA to create a song and music video for their series Who Tells Your Story where he pays tribute to Robert Smalls, a man born into slavery who became a Civil War Naval Hero and South Carolina Congressman. In addition, he was commissioned by City Springs Theatre Company in Atlanta, GA to write a fun and educational short musical film called BEAUTIFUL HAIR. He was the recipient of the Eugene O’Neill National Music Theater Conference’s Georgia Bogardus Holof Lyricist Award – given to only one lyricist every summer who exemplifies a promising career in musical theater writing. Ronvé’s work will also be featured by Virginia Stage Company and Virginia Public Works in the new musical THE EARTH REMEMBERS, an original song-cycle that will serve as both education and a celebration of the unique history of the Hampton Roads, Virginia community.

Ronvé’s other works include: GREENWOOD (Musical Theatre Factory), LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT, BAPS (Music and Lyrics for National Tour), THE NEW GIRL (Concord Theatricals) and WE LOVE (NAMT 15-minute musical). Ronvé is also the proud founder of RADIANT STORYTELLERS, a creative platform dedicated to fostering content that uplifts humanity, challenges and shifts culture and pushes the boundaries of theatre, music and film. You can keep up with him at ronveodaniel.com.