David Jayden Anthony
Musical Theatre Writer and Educator · Book, Lyrics and Music · Director/MD
Voice and Acting Coach, Piano Bar Performer, Performance Guide
Long Beach, CA | 332.288.8800 | DavidJaydenAnthony@gmail.com | DavidJAnthony.com
Last updated: August 20, 2026
Profile
Musical theatre educator, composer, and music director with 20+ years of experience spanning conservatory programs, college faculty, and professional production. Trained at Berklee College of Music (BA, Songwriting & Music Production; MA, Musical Theatre Writing, NYC campus). Former faculty at the Orange County School of the Arts, where students have gone on to perform on Broadway. Proven ability to build programs from the ground up — including hiring faculty, developing A–G accredited curriculum, and shepherding a new performing arts high school through full institutional accreditation.
Education
Master of Arts — Musical Theatre Writing & Production (2025)
Berklee College of Music, New York City Campus (The Power Station)
Bachelor of Arts — Songwriting & Music Production (2023)
Berklee College of Music
Composer Lab, New Musicals Initiative
Academy for New Musical Theatre (ANMT/NMI)
Coursework equivalent to NYU MFA / BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop. Lyric setting, underscore, piano arranging, score formatting, industry standards.
Music Education · Choral Conducting · Composition
Chapman University · California State University, Fullerton
Teaching Experience
South Coast Repertory Theatre
Musical Theatre Faculty, Conservatory Accompanist
- Taught High School Musical Theatre Summer Session
- Provide live piano accompaniment for conservatory musical theatre classes during the school year
- Collaborate directly with Conservatory teaching artists (Erin McNally) to support student acting and vocal development
Orange County School of the Arts
Ensemble Director and Educator (OCSA) · 2003–2008
- Vocal Director for the 20th Anniversary Gala at OCPAC, featuring alumni who have gone on to perform on Broadway
- Founded Unplugged, an a cappella ensemble that generated significant revenue through regional performances
- Music Director for Montage, an interdepartmental ensemble featuring a 25-piece jazz band
- Wrote instrumental and choral arrangements for productions and special events
- Courses: Music Theory · Commercial Voice (Pop, Rock & Jazz) · Choir · A Cappella · Audition Techniques
The Young Americans College of the Arts (Adjunct Faculty)
Young Americans College of the Arts · 2010–2014 – Adjunct Faculty
- Developed new courses including Musical Theatre and Vocal Master Class
- Improved vocal department curriculum; created Student Learning Objective rubrics for college accreditation
- Juried 120+ students annually in classical music and contemporary musical theatre
- Guided students in professional development: resumes, headshots, portfolio websites
- Courses: Musical Theatre · Private Voice · Semi-Private Voice · Vocal MasterClass · Beginning Piano · Audition Techniques · Vocal Techniques 1, 2 & 3
Saddleback College (Adjunct Faculty)
Saddleback College · 2008–2014
- Co-created and served as Music Director of the New Works Program — world premiere staged readings of original musicals
- Music Director/Choreographer of the College for Kids Summer Program
- Composer–Lyricist for original Saddleback productions: A Christmas Carol and The Journey
Cypress College (Adjunct Faculty)
Music Director
The Toxic Avenger
Edges
Hair
San Clemente High School
Musical Theatre and Drama Teacher and Director / MD · 2015–2019
- Taught Beginning Acting and Musical Theatre Workshop
- Directed Boeing, Boeing
- Music Directed Mamma Mia, Spamalot,
Woodbridge High School (Irvine)
- Taught a course in Musical Theatre Writing for Advanced Drama under the direction of Cassandra Goana
- Music Directed the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- Music Directed The Addams Family
No Square Theatre
McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts
- Directed summer stock productions using a professional stock model
- Pianist and conductor for masterclasses with Scott Alan, Ryan Scott Oliver, and casting director Julia Flores
Arts and Educational Leadership
Executive Director of Arts & Teachers
Encore Education Corporation (Performing Arts High Schools) · 2014–2017
- Hired and trained arts faculty across multiple performing arts high school campuses throughout the Inland Empire
- Developed all arts curriculum and registered courses as A–G college preparatory
- Instituted student assessments with rubrics for leveled class placement
- Led the opening of a new performing arts high school in downtown Riverside — overseeing enrollment, marketing, and institutional launch
- Shepherded the school through full accreditation: developed all required documentation, assessment frameworks, and curriculum standards
- Oversaw all productions: licensed shows, booked venues, managed budgets, and guided directors
Co-Artistic Director & Music Director
Musical Theatre University
- Co-Artistic Director with Tony-nominated actress Jonelle Allen
- Cast and directed three productions annually; mentored students who have appeared on Broadway and television
- Music Director, Fashion Island Tree Lighting Ceremony (10,000+ in attendance)
Selected Production Credits
| Production | Organization / Venue | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Awakening (Regional Premiere) | OCPAC – Founders Hall | Director |
| BARE: A Pop Opera (Regional Premiere) | OCPAC – Founders Hall | Music Director |
| 13 – The Musical (Regional Premiere) | OCPAC – Samueli Hall | Music Director |
| Heathers: The Musical | Cal State Fullerton | Music Director |
| Hair | Cypress College | Music Director |
| The Toxic Avenger | Cypress College | Music Director |
| Edges | Cypress College | Music Director / Orchestrator |
| Shrek | Saddleback College | Director / Music Director |
| Assassins | Saddleback College | Music Director |
| Into the Woods | Musical Theatre University | Music Director |
| A Chorus Line | McCoy Rigby Summer Stock | Music Director |
| BARE: A Pop Opera | Young Americans College of the Arts | Director / MD |
| Angel’s Playhouse (Original Musical) | Berklee NYC | Book / Music / Lyrics |
| Lucky Stiff | Musical Theatre University | Vocal Director |
| Carol Channing’s 90th Birthday Concert | Channing-Kullijan Foundation | Music Director |
| Evening with Stephen Schwartz | Irvine Barclay Theatre | Vocal Director |
| Frozen | Buena Park High School | Vocal Director |
| The Wedding Singer | The Triton Center | Music Director |
| A Christmas Carol (Original) | Saddleback / Public Theatre LB | Composer–Lyricist |
Original Works in Development
- Angel’s Playhouse — Full-length musical (book, music & lyrics)
- The Greenhouse
- Gold Diggers — Broadway-concept musical set around the near-closure of the Rockettes, 1978
Writing Credits
Angel’s Playhouse
Amirican Dream
F*cked Up Fairy Tales
A Christmas Carol
Possibly the only person to help create two different original productions of A Christmas Carol.
Chatterbate: A Pornsical
Skills & Expertise
Composition: Musical theatre composition · choral arranging & orchestration · piano arranging
Pedagogy: Voice pedagogy · audition technique · musical theatre performance · music theory
Production: Music direction · stage direction · summer stock · curriculum development
Software: Logic Pro · Dorico · Sibelius · ProTools · MainStage · GarageBand · Final Cut Pro · Adobe CS
Web & Design: HTML · WordPress · Graphic Design Photoshop and AI)
Languages: Conversational Spanish