For You, Paige, the first commissioned TikTok musical, will be performed live on stage in New York City and streamed globally, exclusively on TikTok, via the @TikTok handle on April 14 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT.
Starring Roman Banks (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) and Sri Ramesh (EarCandy), For You, Paige, was created by Daniel Mertzlufft as a follow up to his work on viral sensation Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. On this new production, Mertzlufft serves as executive producer, co-bookwriter, composer, executive music supervisor and music supervisor, leading a team of incredible creators including co-bookwriter Kate Leonard, songwriters Julia Riew, Katherine Lynn-Rose, RJ Christian, Blake Rouse, Morgan Reilly, Alex Engelberg, and Kate Leonard with orchestrations by Macy Schmidt. For You, Paige is the first time a commissioned TikTok musical will make its debut on @TikTok LIVE.
Alongside Banks and Ramesh, the production stars Krystina Alabado as Kaia, and features James Henry as Tyler, and JJ Niemann as Jarek, along with Aveena Sawyer, Alysia Velez, Fernell Hogan, Cori Jaskier, Max Antonio Gonzalez, Emily Stillings, Thursday Ferrar and Paul Schoeffler. Producers also include co-executive producer Macy Schmidt, and Joshua Asen, Danielle Dioguardi, and Jessica Norton of Media Monks.
Mertzlufft was inspired by the extensive musical theater community on TikTok to develop For You, Paige, collaborating with creators from all over the world to build this show.
“The way theater is being created and consumed is changing,” shared Mertzlufft. “We are now able to give theater access to people across the globe through their screens, and TikTok is the perfect platform to empower this. It’s not about follower count, it’s about the work you are putting out there. It’s so exciting to constantly see new voices emerge from this platform, and even more exciting to see TikTok not only acknowledge that community, but embrace it. I hope “For You, Paige” serves as a love letter to all of those people.”
In a story inspired by real TikTokers, teenage music nerd Landon (played by Roman Banks) collaborates with his best friend Paige (played by Sri Ramesh) on a TikTok song inspired by her favorite book series. Landon’s TikTok goes viral, thrusting him into the spotlight — and leaving Paige behind. When a producer offers Landon the opportunity to adapt the book series into a musical, Landon discovers that the glory of doing it all himself isn’t worth the stress and enlists the help of Paige and the TikTok community to turn the show into a huge success.
This production follows the wildly successful “Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical,” which raised over $2 Million for The Actor’s Fund and provided a sense of hope and excitement amidst a challenging time for theater during the pandemic.
Behind the curtain, returning artisans and craft leads include co-EP, executive music producer and music director Macy Schmidt, a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and her Broadway Sinfonietta, the acclaimed all-women, primarily women-of-color orchestra.
Full creative team credits include Daniel Mertzlufft, Executive Producer, Songwriter, Co-Bookwriter, Executive Music Producer, Music Supervisor, Arranger; Macy Schmidt, Co-Executive Producer, Orchestrator, Executive Music Producer; Kate Leonard, Co-Bookwriter, Songwriter, Lyricist; Maria Goulamhoussen, Co-Director; Emily Maltby, Co-Director, Co-Choreographer; Katie Spelman, Associate Director/Co-Choreographer; Patrick Sulken, Music Director; Joshua Asen, Executive Producer, Media.Monks; Danielle Dioguardi, Sr. Producer, Media.Monks; Jessica Norton, Executive Producer, Media.Monks; Jeffrey Limon, Creative Director, Media.Monks; Amy Dwyer, Design Director, Media.Monks; and TikTok, Creative Direction and Production.
For more on the “For You, Paige” musical, follow Mertzlufft @danieljmertzufft and @TikTok, and all updates at #projectbroadway.