Timothy Graphenreed, (8-26-1951 to 3-1-2020) Composer/Lyricist/Co-Author/Musical Director.Vocal Arranger/Orchestrator/Show Pianist, is best known for composing "The Tornado", "The Funky Monkey", and "Emerald City Ballet" in the Mega Broadway hit “The Wiz”. He is a member of ASCAP and worked with several multi-talented Directors/Choreographers including Michael Peters, Maurice Hines, Pat Birch, Hinton Battle, Lee Summers, Louis Johnson, Debbie Allen, Otis Sallid and of course, Tony Award-winning George Faison. He has also worked with or created arrangements for several Notables including the late Gregory Hines; Jennifer Holiday; Phylicia Rashad; Jeff Goldblum; Robert Downey, Jr.; Maya Angelou; Valerie Simpson; Darlene Love; ... read more
Wagner was born in San Francisco, the son of Phyllis Edna Catherine (née Smith-Spurgeon) and Jens Otto Wagner. His mother was from New Zealand and his father was from Denmark. He attended art school and started his career in theatres in that city with designs for Don Pasquale, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Tea and Sympathy, and Waiting for Godot, among others. In 1958, he relocated to New York City, where he worked on numerous off-Broadway productions before making his Broadway debut as an assistant designer for the Hugh Wheeler play Big Fish, Little Fish in 1961. His first solo ... read more
