Frank Oden writes and performs lyrical concert programs merging original poetry, humor, education and theatrical production values with live symphonic performance. He began creating this unique form in response to commissions from the Colorado Symphony Orchestra for a series of Halloween concerts, which resulted in The Haunted Symphony, The House of Halloween, and Eerie Lake. Based on the popularity of these works, Oden next created a full-length program of original western poetry, Cowboy Jamboree, which has been an audience favorite with orchestras across the US. His latest work, Song of the Earth, was commissioned by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic and received its world premiere in October 2008. Mr. Oden's perfectly inept "mucisological" expert, Dr. Hayward Benson from What is Music? often appears with orchestras in various contexts by popular demand, and Oden was also invited by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra to create a comical look at Mozart's life and works in Happy Birthday, Wolfgang. For Marin Alsop's tribute to Leonard Bernstein, Mr. Oden wrote and performed a critically acclaimed beat poetry version of Romeo and Juliet for Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. He also appears regularly with symphony orchestras to perform traditional narrations, as well as his own lyrical version of Peter and the Wolf and The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

A long-term resident of Denver, Colorado, Oden is also one of the most recognizable and award-winning character actors in the mile-high city, having worked in nearly every theater and appeared in numerous television commercials and film productions. As a theatrical playwright and producer, he's written book, music and lyrics for several musical comedies including Blackbeard, Gumshoe, Punch, The Pecos Pest, The Fatal Glass, Easy Money and The Winter Rose, which was voted Best New Play of 1996 by Denver Drama Critics. His television scripts as head writer for two seasons of The Cyber City Diner on KnowledgeTV received two Telly awards and a Flame Award for children's programming. Mr. Oden has directed more than thirty productions of original musicals, including a world premiere theatrical version of Heidi for Walden Media, and served for several years as Artistic Director at the historic Goldenrod Showboat in St. Louis and the Heritage Square Opera House in Golden, Colorado.

(Download files for Press / Programs : High-Res Photo, Bio Text)