WikiMini

Daryl Waters

Daryl Waters
BornCleveland, Ohio, U.S.
GenresOrchestra
Occupation(s)Composer, arranger, orchestrator, conductor
InstrumentKeyboards

Daryl Waters is an American composer, arranger, conductor, and orchestrator who has worked on many shows both on and off-Broadway.[1][2] He has received numerous Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations for orchestration, and won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for Memphis.[3][4]

Life and career

[edit]

Waters was born in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina.[5] He made his Broadway debut as associate conductor on Leader of the Pack in 1985. He was the co-composer of the musical Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk, which earned him a Tony Award and Grammy Award nomination in 1996.[6]

Waters is a member of the American Federation of Musicians and the Dramatists Guild of America.[7] He has collaborated with artists such as Eartha Kitt, Leslie Uggams, Sammy Davis Jr., Jennifer Holliday, Nell Carter and more.[8]

Stage credits

[edit]
Year Title Role Venue Ref.
1985 Leader of the Pack Associate Conductor Broadway, Ambassador Theatre [9]
1992 Jelly's Last Jam Broadway, Virginia Theatre
1996 Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk Composer, Orchestrator Broadway, Ambassador Theatre
1997 Street Corner Symphony Arranger, Orchestrator Broadway, Brooks Atkinson Theatre
2004 Drowning Crow Composer Broadway, Biltmore Theatre
2005 The Color Purple Dance arrangements Broadway, Broadway Theatre
2009 Memphis Orchestrator Broadway, Shubert Theatre
2013 After Midnight Music Supervisor, Additional arrangements Broadway, Brooks Atkinson Theatre
2014 Holler If Ya Hear Me Arranger, Orchestrator Broadway, Palace Theatre
2016 Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed Broadway, Music Box Theatre
2018 The Cher Show Broadway, Neil Simon Theatre
2023 New York, New York Orchestrator Broadway, St. James Theatre
2024 Water for Elephants Broadway, Imperial Theatre
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical Additional orchestrations Broadway, Studio 54
2025 Gypsy Additional arrangements, orchestrations Broadway, Majestic Theatre
Boop! The Musical Additional arrangements, Music Director Broadway, Broadhurst Theatre
Pirates! The Penzance Musical Orchestrations Broadway, Todd Haimes Theatre

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1996 Tony Awards Best Original Score Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk Nominated [10]
Grammy Awards Best Musical Show Album Nominated [6]
2010 Tony Awards Best Orchestrations Memphis Won [11]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Orchestrations Won [12]
2016 Tony Awards Best Orchestrations Shuffle Along Nominated [13]
2023 Tony Awards Best Orchestrations New York, New York Nominated [14]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Orchestrations Nominated [15]
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Orchestrations Nominated [16]
2019 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Orchestrations The Cher Show Nominated [17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "East Cleveland native Daryl Waters talks about his Tony award-winning career as orchestrator". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  2. ^ "Black conductors make history on Broadway". newpittsburghcourier.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  3. ^ "Daryl Waters". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  4. ^ "WINNERS / 2010 (DARYL WATERS)". tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  5. ^ "Salisbury Post". issuu.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  6. ^ a b "Daryl Waters". grammy.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  7. ^ "Daryl Waters". dramatistsguild.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  8. ^ "DARYL WATERS". thehistorymakers.org. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  9. ^ "Daryl Waters". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  10. ^ "THE TONY AWARD NOMINATIONS". tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  11. ^ "WINNERS / 2010". tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  12. ^ "The 55th Annual Drama Desk Awards Winners". newyorktheatreguide.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  13. ^ "2016 Tony Award Nominations". tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  14. ^ "2023 Tony Awards Nominees". tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  15. ^ "2022-2023 Drama Desk Awards nominations announced". ny1.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  16. ^ "Outer Critics Circle nominations: 'New York, New York' leads with 12, 'Leopoldstadt' has 6". goldderby.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  17. ^ "Nominations for the 2019 Drama Desk Awards Announced; Oklahoma!, Tootsie, Rags Parkland Lead the Pack". playbill.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
[edit]