Brett Ryback is an actor, composer/lyricist, and playwright based in LA. He is the recipient of the ASCAP Foundation’s Cole Porter Award. His plays and musicals include Nate the Great; Joe Schmoe Saves the World (National Alliance for Musical Theatre 2016, ASCAP/Dreamworks Workshop); Liberty Inn: The Musical (Ovation Award nominations: Best Book, Best Music/Lyrics); Darling (Weston Playhouse New Musical Award); The Tavern Keeper’s Daughter (Best Musical, Pasadena Weekly), and Just a Little Critter Musical (First Stage). His plays Weïrd and A Roz By Any Other Name are both published in The Best American Short Plays 2007-2008. His musical Passing Through was developed at the Rhinebeck Writer’s Retreat and the Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, where it was recently featured in their New Works Festival.
As an actor, he originated the role of Marcus off-Broadway in Murder for Two. His SCR appearances include the world premieres of Shrew!, The Prince of Atlantis and Doctor Cerberus. His recent TV and film appearances include “Mom,” “Modern Family,” “How I Met Your Mother,” Hail, Caesar!, and the Lifetime movie, The Assistant. Ryback is currently writing a musical podcast called In Strange Woods. He created the online accompanist website PlayThisForMe.com, and he teaches musical theatre at the University of Southern California. brettryback.com