Composer-Lyricist, Writer, & Music Director

JESSE J. SANCHEZ is an award-winning composer-lyricist, writer, and music director whose work has reached audiences nationwide. He is a 2025 James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation Spark Artist Award winner ($25,000), a VCCA Fellow, a two-time recipient of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Frank Young Grant, a recipient of the Milagro Latino Artist Fund Grant, and a finalist for the Opera America Digital Excellence in Opera Award. Jesse is currently under commission or has received commissions from prestigious organizations such as Zach Theatre, Boston Lyric Opera, Portland Opera, Con Ganas Entertainment, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, TYA/USA, The 24 Hour Plays, Camelot Theatre, and more.

Jesse is an alumnus of numerous distinguished programs, including Live & In Color Development Residency, Musical Theatre West New Works Festival, NAMT, The Orchard Project, The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed, Austin Latinx New Play Festival, Prospect Theatre’s Musical Theatre Lab, Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Black Swan Lab, and New York Theatre Barn Core Programs, including the Barn on Fire Festival of New Musicals (mentored by Jerry Mitchell). 

Notable works: SUEÑOS: Our American Musical (2024 Musical Theatre West New Works Festival Winner, 2024 Orchard Project, 2023 Johnny Mercer Writers Grove @ Goodspeed Musicals, 2022 Barn on Fire Festival of New Musicals, 2018 Oregon Shakespeare Festival Black Swan Lab, New York Theatre Barn Core Programs, two-time NAMT finalist, O’Neill semifinalist, Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor finalist, Live & In Color finalist); Zapata: A Superhero Folklorico Musical (2024 Zach Theatre/BIPOC Superhero Project Commission, 2025-2026 World Premiere at Zach Theatre, 2024 Austin Latinx New Play Festival, 2024 NAMT Songwriters Showcase, 2024 Orchard Project, 2024 Milagro Latino Artist Fund Grant); We Three Queens (2024 Oregon Cabaret Commission, book by Valerie Rachelle); The Crown Maker (2024 Portland Opera Commission, libretto by Maya Malan-Gonzalez); Sarah! (book by Joslyn Housley McLaughlin); Exhaustion Arroyo: Dancin’ Trees In The Ravine (2022 world premiere at Cutting Ball Theater, book by W. Fran Astorga); desert in (Boston Lyric Opera commission, 2021 world premiere co-production at Boston Lyric Opera and Long Beach Opera, Opera America Grant, 2022 Opera America's Digital Excellence in Opera Award finalist); Spotlight on Trio (Camelot Theatre Company commission, 2023 world premiere at Camelot Theatre Company); Black Friday! (2022 Prospect Theatre Company’s Musical Theater Lab); Clopening (Prop Thtr Small Hours Festival); The Fezziwig Promise (The 24 Hour Plays, book by Sean Daniels).

Jesse’s work has been showcased at major regional theaters, off-Broadway, opera houses, and other prestigious venues, including Playbill, The Green Room 42 in NYC (sold-out concert), Broadway League’s The Jimmy Awards (2023-2025), the Broadway Housing Committee Gala hosted by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show, and First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York. His music is available on all major streaming platforms, with features on Sirius XM Broadway, Playbill, and Musical Theatre Radio.

Jesse is also collaborating with the Dr. Seuss Estate and The Old Globe to create a Spanish version of their Broadway musical, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. His music is available on all major streaming platforms, with features on Sirius XM Broadway, Playbill, and Musical Theatre Radio. Full Bio Here.

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