JESSE J. SANCHEZ is an award-winning composer-lyricist, writer, and music director based between Oregon and NYC. He is a highly sought-after collaborator in theatre, opera, TV, and film. He is the resident music supervisor of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
As composer, lyricist, arranger and librettist, his works include: musical arrangement, "Musicals Based on Shakespeare" and "Feature Group" (Broadway League’s Jimmy Awards on Broadway), original music for W. Fran Astorga’s Exhaustion Arroyo: Dancin’ Trees In The Ravine (Cutting Ball Theater), co-librettist for desert in (Boston Lyric Opera, Long Beach Opera; finalist for 2022 Opera America's Digital Excellence in Opera Award), book, music, and lyrics for Black Friday! (Prospect Theater Company's Musical Theater Lab), music and co-lyricist for The Fezziwig Promise (The 24 Hour Plays), book for Clopening (Prop Thtr Small Hours Festival), and book, music, and lyrics for SUEÑOS: Our American Musical, which has been developed at The Orchard Project, The Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, Barn on Fire Musical Residency (produced by Fire Island Pine Arts, Nicole La Fountaine, and NYTB), New York Theatre Barn, 2021 Frank Young NAMT Development Grant, Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Black Swan Lab, and The Choreography Lab. His work has been featured at Austin Latinx New Play Festival, Cutting Ball Theater, the NAMT Festival, The Green Room 42 (NYC), Prospect Theater Company, Boston Lyric Opera, Long Beach Opera, The 24 Hour Plays, Prop Thtr, Arizona Theater Company, Long Wharf, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Huntington Theater, Hartford Stage, Alley Theatre, Denver Center, and more. Jesse's musicals have been a finalist for the NAMT Musical Theater Conference, Live & In Color Development Residency, Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor, Phoenix Theatre Company’s Festival of New American Theater, and a semi-finalist for the O'Neill Music Theater Conference and Bay Area Playwrights Festival.
Jesse’s current commissions include working with the band, CHICAGO, on a new musical, commissioned by Arizona Theater Company, in partnership with BMG Music Group, Oregon Cabaret Theatre (We Three Queens), Camelot Theater (Spotlight on Trio), Portland Opera, and Zach Theatre/TYA BIPOC Superhero Project (Zapata: A Folklorico Musical). Jesse is also working with collaborator, Joslyn Housley McLaughlin, on new musical, Sarah!
As a music director, he has worked in theaters and organizations across the country including Je'Caryous Entertainment, South Coast Repertory, Seattle Rep, Portland Center Stage, Denver Center, Hartford Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, American Conservatory Theater, Theatreworks Silicon Valley, Arizona Theatre Company, Alley Theatre, Round House Theatre, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, O'Neill Music Theatre Conference, New World Stages, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and many more.
Early in Jesse’s career, he served as music assistant on the first national tour of Hamilton and the world premiere of The Prince of Egypt (Theatreworks SV). In these and other positions, he has worked with Stephen Schwartz, Alex Lacamoire, Greg Anthony Rassen, Paul Scott Goodman, AnnMarie Milazzo, Michael Starobin, Dominick Ammendum, and countless other Broadway veterans.
Jesse serves on award and reading panels for Opera America and the National Alliance for Musical Theater. Jesse is a proud member of the Dramatist Guild of America and National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures. Jesse is on the Board of Directors for new Southern Oregon based opera company, Outsider Opera. He is represented by Katie Gamelli and Paladin Artists.
As composer, lyricist, arranger and librettist, his works include: musical arrangement, "Musicals Based on Shakespeare" and "Feature Group" (Broadway League’s Jimmy Awards on Broadway), original music for W. Fran Astorga’s Exhaustion Arroyo: Dancin’ Trees In The Ravine (Cutting Ball Theater), co-librettist for desert in (Boston Lyric Opera, Long Beach Opera; finalist for 2022 Opera America's Digital Excellence in Opera Award), book, music, and lyrics for Black Friday! (Prospect Theater Company's Musical Theater Lab), music and co-lyricist for The Fezziwig Promise (The 24 Hour Plays), book for Clopening (Prop Thtr Small Hours Festival), and book, music, and lyrics for SUEÑOS: Our American Musical, which has been developed at The Orchard Project, The Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, Barn on Fire Musical Residency (produced by Fire Island Pine Arts, Nicole La Fountaine, and NYTB), New York Theatre Barn, 2021 Frank Young NAMT Development Grant, Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Black Swan Lab, and The Choreography Lab. His work has been featured at Austin Latinx New Play Festival, Cutting Ball Theater, the NAMT Festival, The Green Room 42 (NYC), Prospect Theater Company, Boston Lyric Opera, Long Beach Opera, The 24 Hour Plays, Prop Thtr, Arizona Theater Company, Long Wharf, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Huntington Theater, Hartford Stage, Alley Theatre, Denver Center, and more. Jesse's musicals have been a finalist for the NAMT Musical Theater Conference, Live & In Color Development Residency, Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor, Phoenix Theatre Company’s Festival of New American Theater, and a semi-finalist for the O'Neill Music Theater Conference and Bay Area Playwrights Festival.
Jesse’s current commissions include working with the band, CHICAGO, on a new musical, commissioned by Arizona Theater Company, in partnership with BMG Music Group, Oregon Cabaret Theatre (We Three Queens), Camelot Theater (Spotlight on Trio), Portland Opera, and Zach Theatre/TYA BIPOC Superhero Project (Zapata: A Folklorico Musical). Jesse is also working with collaborator, Joslyn Housley McLaughlin, on new musical, Sarah!
As a music director, he has worked in theaters and organizations across the country including Je'Caryous Entertainment, South Coast Repertory, Seattle Rep, Portland Center Stage, Denver Center, Hartford Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, American Conservatory Theater, Theatreworks Silicon Valley, Arizona Theatre Company, Alley Theatre, Round House Theatre, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, O'Neill Music Theatre Conference, New World Stages, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and many more.
Early in Jesse’s career, he served as music assistant on the first national tour of Hamilton and the world premiere of The Prince of Egypt (Theatreworks SV). In these and other positions, he has worked with Stephen Schwartz, Alex Lacamoire, Greg Anthony Rassen, Paul Scott Goodman, AnnMarie Milazzo, Michael Starobin, Dominick Ammendum, and countless other Broadway veterans.
Jesse serves on award and reading panels for Opera America and the National Alliance for Musical Theater. Jesse is a proud member of the Dramatist Guild of America and National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures. Jesse is on the Board of Directors for new Southern Oregon based opera company, Outsider Opera. He is represented by Katie Gamelli and Paladin Artists.
