Studied at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana

Brian Lasser was born in Chicago, where he received his initial training in musical theater and returned to embark on a career as an actor/singer/dancer after studying at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Lasser helped re-introduce cabaret as a vital entertainment form in Chicago, playing sold-out shows at the Park West, Old Vic and Ravinia. These successes led him to more theatrical pursuits in New York.

Lasser began working with vocalist Karen Mason in 1976, and was her musical director/arranger for fifteen years. Their partnership resulted in an album, Not So Simply Broadway, and her one-woman show, One Tough Cookie, written with Gary Gardner.

Lasser's first Off-Broadway musical, The Matinee Kids, won an ASCAP Popular Music Grant. His second, Bundle of Nerves, was produced at the Village Gate in New York and won the Village Critics Award for Best Musical Score Off-Broadway in 1984. His 1991 musical The Black Tulip, written with Tracy Friedman, received its world premiere at the Center Theater in Chicago. He contributed original songs to Martin Charnin's No Frills Revue, and to Eighty-Eights' Here's To Our Friends with one of his collaborators, David Arthur.

In 1984 Lasser received an After Dark Hall of Fame Award for his lifetime contribution to entertainment in Chicago, a Chicago "Clio" Award for Best Musical Radio Spot, and an ASCAP Award for Most Promising Composer.

Lasser was also well known for his cabaret and concert work in New York. He arranged, directed and wrote special material for a wide variety of performing artists, including Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert at the Rainbow Room, and Karen Mason in Karen Mason Sings Broadway, Beatles and Brian at the Minetta Lane Theatre. He received two Manhattan Association of Cabaret (MAC) Awards for Best Direction and Special Material, and a special commendation award from the Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Foundation.

His song "Hold Me" won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song in 1998.

Fourteen of his songs were recorded by Karen Mason on her 1996 album Better Days, and were published by Lasserations Music in 2000 under the title The Songs of Brian Lasser.

Brian Lasser died of AIDS in New York at the age of 40 on November 20, 1992.

—Nurit Tilles

WORKS:

MUSICAL THEATRE

The Little Prince
Children's musical adaptation of the Antoine Saint-Exupery novel
Music and Lyrics by Brian Lasser
Book by Pearl Kane
Directed by Pearl Kane
Produced by The Jewish Federation
The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (1968-69)

Aesop's Fallibles
Children's musical
Book and Lyrics by Ed Graczyk
Music by Shirley Hansen
Additional Music and Lyrics by Brian Lasser
Directed by Lawrence J. Wilker
Produced by The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (1969-70)

Clever Things
Musical adaptation of the Samuel Marshak Russian folk tale
Music and Lyrics by Brian Lasser
Book and Lyrics by Gary Gardner
Directed by Dr. Roman Tymchyshn
Produced by The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (1972)

Fairy Tale Theater
Musical story theater for children
Music by Brian Lasser
Book and Lyrics by Alan Rosen and Fred Ruben
Directed by Dr. Roman Tymchyshn
Produced by The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (1972)

Wizard of Oz
Jazz/blues adaptation
Music and Lyrics by Brian Lasser
Book by Dean Button
Produced by The Goodman School of Drama
Goodman Theater, Art Institute of Chicago (1976)

The Matinee Kids
Off-Broadway musical
Music and Lyrics by Brian Lasser
Book and Lyrics by Gary Gardner and Garry Bormet
Directed by Garry Bormet
Produced by J.W. Fisher and The Gramma-Fisher Foundation
Black Theater Alliance, Theater Row, New York (1980-81)

Bundle of Nerves
Off-Broadway musical revue
Music by Brian Lasser
Lyrics by Edward Dunne and Geoff Leon
Directed and Choreographed by Arthur Faria
Produced by Leonard Finger, Howard J. Burnett and Terry Spiegal
Top of the Gate, Village Gate, New York (1983)

No-Frills Revue
Off-Broadway musical revue
Contributing Composer, Brian Lasser ("Being With Me Is No Picnic," lyrics by Michael Leeds)
Conceived and Directed by Martin Charnin
Produced by Del Tenney, David H. Peipers and Beam One, Ltd.

The Black Tulip
Musical adaptation of the Alexander Dumas novel
Book and Lyrics by Tracy Friedman
Directed by Dan LaMort and Tracy Friedman
Produced by Center Theater
Center Theater, Chicago (1991)

The Mating Habits of the Urban Male

One Tough Cookie
Music and Lyrics by Brian Lasser and Gary Gardner
Book by Rita Nachtmn
Performed by Karen Mason
The Apple Tree Theater, Chicago (1995)

SONGS

Music and lyrics by Lasser except where noted. All songs copyright Lasserations Music.
*Songs published in The Songs of Brian Lasser

Another Year (with Garry Bormet)
Being With Me Is No Picnic (lyrics by Michael Leeds)
Better Days*
Carry Me Away
Come Share My Life
Favorite Son
Footprints
Getting So Old In New York City*
Hello, Tom*
Hold Me*
How Long Has It Been*
I Eat (additional lyrics by Geoff Leon and Edward Dunne)
I Haven't Got Time*
I Made A New Friend*
(I'm) Becoming My Mother* (lyrics by Gary Gardner)
Just To Look At Him* (lyrics by Gary Gardner)
Living, Loving You*
The Lucky Ones*
Man On A Wire
Merry Christmas
Nice Joint
Not This Christmas
Sally's Song
Something That I Said
Something Warm and Wise*
Tear Up The Town*
That's My Girl
The Toast
Younger Girls
We're So Glad You're Here
What I Saw*

UNCOMPLETED WORKS:
Numerous sketches of songs and lyrics.

WRITINGS:
Unknown

DISCOGRAPHY:
Better Days—Zevely Records KMPR-28 (1996).
All music and lyrics by Brian Lasser except where noted.
     Tear Up The Town
     How Long Has It Been
     Hold Me
     I Made A New Friend
     Hello, Tom
     Something Warm And Wise
     The Lucky Ones
     Becoming My Mother (lyrics by Gary Gardner)
     Just To Look At Him (lyrics by Gary Gardner)
     What I Saw
     Getting Old In New York City
     I Haven't Got Time
     Better Days
     Living Loving You
Karen Mason, vocals—Christopher Denny, Bill Fayne, Alex Rybeck, piano—Christian Jaudes, trumpet—Jeffrey Nelson, trombone—James Saporito, percussion—Ken Dybisz, oboe/sax—Gregory Utzig, guitar—Mark Minkler, bass—Kurt Coble, Sanford Allen, Aaron Stolow, violin—Sarah Seiver, cello—Alex Rybeck, Paul Rolnick, synthesizer. Produced by Paul Rolnick.

Not So Simply Broadway—Zevely Records KMPR-4 (1986, 1995). Songs from Broadway musicals arranged by Brian Lasser, additional arrangements by Tom Kochan.
     Follow Me
     Something's Coming
     Lorna's Here
     I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
     If This Isn't Love
     Isn't It A Pity

Long Before I Knew You
     Mr. Snow
     Colored Lights
     Old Devil Moon
     Nothing Really Happened
     This Nearly Was Mine
     Hey, Look Me Over
     Never, Never Land
Karen Mason, vocals—Brian Lasser, piano—Nelson Rangel, piccolo/flute/saxes—Glen Drewes, trumpet/flugelhorn—Kenny Dybisz, oboe—Eddie Montiero, accordion, Eugene Moye, cello. Produced by Andre Gauthier.

Christmas! Christmas! Christmas! Karen Mason Live at the West Bank Café—Zevely Records KMPR-25 (1999). Includes four songs by Lasser:
     Another Year (additional Christmas lyrics by Barry Kleinbort)
     I Eat (additional Christmas lyrics by Barry Kleinbort)
     Not This Christmas (additional Christmas lyrics by Barry Kleinbort)
     We're So Glad You're Here
Karen Mason, vocals—Christopher Denny, musical director/piano/vocals. Produced by Paul Rolnick.

"I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" (Lennon & McCartney), arranged by Brian Lasser, on Karen Mason: When the Sun Comes Out—Jerome Records 4491 (2001).
Karen Mason, vocals—Christopher Denny, piano—Bob Renino, bass—Rex Benincasa, percussion—Kevin Kuhn, acoustic guitar. Produced by Paul Rolnick.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• "Center Theater to Premiere New Musical: The Black Tulip" by David Murray, Gay Chicago Magazine #15, April 11-21, 1991.
• "Gay Chicago Talks With Brian Lasser" (interview), Gay Chicago Magazine #15, April 11-21, 1991.
• "'Black Tulip' A Hybrid That Grows Sweetly" by Richard Christiansen, Chicago Tribune, May 3, 1991.
"Center's 'Black Tulip' Wilts Before It Ever Blooms" by Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times, May 3, 1991.
• "Sweet Smell of Success" by Elaine D. Luther, The Flame (University of Illinois at Chicago), May 13, 1991.
• "The Black Tulip" by John W. Schmid, (name of publication?), May 15, 1991.
• "'The Black Tulip' Wilts" by Joe D. Russell, Gay Chicago Magazine #21, May 23-June 2, 1991.
• "The Black Tulip" by Hugh Iglarsh, New City, May 30, 1991.

PERFORMING RIGHTS AFFILIATION:
ASCAP

RESOURCES:
CDs and The Songs of Brian Lasser are available through:
www.karenmason.com

MUSICAL EXECUTOR:
Lasserations Music
Zevely Records, Inc.
511 Avenue of the Americas
Suite 20
New York, NY 10011

OTHER CONTACTS:
Unknown