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Awards, Honors & Reviews:

The following list of Rita's Awards and Honors covers a broad diversity of fields, including musical direction and scoring of adult and children's programs, musical theatre, greeting cards, and community service.

Awards:
For Music, Lyrics, Musical Direction*
  • EMMY Award: NBC News documentary: I Want It All Now*
  • EMMY Award: Classic Stories for Children, Image Garden Productions
  • 26 ASCAP Annual Cash Awards: American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers
  • 3 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards:
    - Aftershocks
    - New Wrinkles
    - For Whom the Bridge Tolls
  • 2 Dean Goodman Choice Awards:
    - New Wrinkles
    - For Whom the Bridge Tolls
  • Associated Press Best Video: Tell 'em How You Feel, Simon & Schuster Films
  • U.S. International Film and Video Festival: Popcorn Park, Livewire Media
  • 2 New York TV and Film Festival Awards:
    - The Savings Habit, Raindrop Entertainment
    - What Tadoo, Simon & Schuster Films
  • 2 Parents Choice Awards:
    - Popcorn Park, Livewire Media
    - The Savings Habit, Raindrop Entertainment
  • American Education Foundation Award: When a Parent Drinks, Britannica Films
  • Association of Educational Publishers: Popcorn Park, Livewire Media
  • National Parenting Publications Award: Popcorn Park, Livewire Media
  • CINE Golden Eagle Award: Council on Global Non-theatrical Events:
    - Prevent Violence with Groark, Livewire Media
  • KIDS FIRST! Awards: Coalition for Quality Children's Media: Popcorn Park, Livewire Media
  • Gold Apple & Silver Apple Awards: Prevent Violence with Groark, Livewire Media
  • Media & Methods Magazine Award: Popcorn Park, Livewire Media
  • Telly Award: Prevent Violence with Groark, Livewire Media
  • 2 Louie Awards: National greeting card industry: Best greeting card text
  • Tamalpa Award for Outstanding Musical Contribution to the City of Mill Valley
  • Milley Award for Artistic Contribution to the Mill Valley Community
  • Marin Arts Council Grant: Art for Youth
  • AWARE Award: Association for Women's Active Return to Education


Honors:

  • Playhouse West: "Our Musical Legacy", guest artist, details:>>
  • LV Review Journal: “One of the year’s Top 10 best new shows.”
  • 2 EMMY NOMINATIONS:
    Smokey Bear’s 50th Anniversary video, Musical Director
    Chip: Children’s computer video, Musical Director,
    details:>>
  • New York TV & Film Festival finalist: What Tadoo: Simon & Schuster Films
  • Inductee: Cleveland Heights High School Hall of Fame
  • Judge of the Grammy Awards


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Reviews:

"Abrams opens up the comic and dramatic possibilities of her songs...
She closes the first act with a smart one-two punch, following the ironic grandeur of two women embracing their bodily failings--delivered with amusing gravity" - San Francisco Chronicle

"'The Feinstein-Boxer Rebellion' is inspired revelry on Abrams' part"
- Drama-Logue

"Ms. Abrams is right on the mark with a song called 'The Pause.' Abrams' 'Dr. Dr. Do Me' had me falling out of my seat with laughter. Her poignant, tuneful "Middle-Aged Love' is the most memorable" - Citysearch

"The funniest lines and best moments come from Rita Abrams' songs." - Bay Area Reporter

"The show's biggest strength is in the musical numbers penned by Abrams." - Pacific Sun

"...loaded with fine songs by Rita Abrams." - San Francisco Chronicle

"The funniest lines are cached in Rita Abrams' lyrics." - Drama-Logue

"Every Aspiring columnist should know Rita Abrams. No doubt she is the second funniest person in Marin." - Marin Independent Journal

"[Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus]...Played well to the packed house...even the men seemed festive" - Las Vegas Sun

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE:

" I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to your Pride and Prejudice songs. The lyrics are so clever and entertaining! They are sticking in my mind . . . I love Mr. Collins's tango and Lady Catherine's song."
-- Marsha Huff, President of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA)

"This musical does not disappoint. When I listened to the musical I was entranced and I wanted to know more about its creators. I am a music buff and attend many concerts and Broadway musicals. From my perspective, I would pay to see this production."
-- "Ms. Place" of the Jane Austen's World blog

"Everyone in our JASNA group has liked your songs. You should do well since Jane-Mania is growing. We would like you to speak at our December meeting.
-- Isabel Green, San Francisco


NEW WRINKLES:

"A rollicking, poignant look at midlife from its crises to its joys and beyond. I developed some new laugh lines around my eyes. Don't miss it!"
- Eganville, Ontario

"A funny show, sprinkled with truths" - Trafford, PA

"Funnier than ever. A laugh riot" - KGO Radio (ABC)

"Sprightly, funny, insightful. One of the surprise comic hits of the year"
- Contra Costa Times

"Funny songs and sketches~a series of 'That's it exactly' moments"
- Oakland Tribune

"A fast-paced, entertaining show whose truths evoke laughs of recognition from the audience"
- Aisle Say

"Catchy, caustic songs. The audience roared their approval" - Pacific Sun

"No wrinkles in New Wrinkles" - The Independent (South Bay)

"Seriously clever lyrics. Wickedly observant. The audience was in non-stop stitches" - Citysearch

"A hilarious kick in the libido. Highly recommended" - SF Bay Times

" A sure-fire winner and must-see show for anyone of any age" - Theatre-express

"New Wrinkles Canadian premiere hits all the right notes for 50-somethings, midlife survivors, and younger adults wondering what's next"

New Wrinkles’ skewers the ‘joys’ of aging

"Marin County’s equivalent-of-a-national-treasure Rita Abrams has teamed up with collaborators Morris Bobrow and Gerald Nachman to create a riotous smorgasbord of material ..."
--Marin IJ

Fantastic Opening Weekend of New Wrinkles

"(New Wrinkles) has since had nearly 21 productions in the USA and Canada...An outstanding song by Abrams performed with dignity by Erika Alstrom and Nan Ayers was “Woman in her Prime,” a real show-stopper!"

--For All Events

Getting Old is Now a Laughing MatterNew Wrinkles: the Middle-Aged Musical,’

"Award-winning SF composer-lyricist-writer Morris Bobrow collaborated with Nachman and Abrams to create 31 hilarious yet sometimes angst-filled reflections on aging. Abrams said, “As we age, we try desperately to hang on to our youth. You can either laugh or cry…I choose laughter.”

--Marin Scope, serving Mill Valley, Sausalito, San Rafael, Ross, Marin


FOR WHOM THE BRIDGE TOLLS:

"It's like finding a parking space on a downtown street, a small, satisfying pleasure that can brighten the rest of the day" - San Francisco Chronicle

"Chuckles galore from rising 'Bridge'" - Oakland Tribune

"Crossing this bridge is an entertaining journey" - San Francisco Examiner

"Very witty satire" - Napa Valley Register

"Outrageously funny!" - Pacific Sun

"Fast, furious, and funny. It tolls for thee" - Bay Area Reporter


VELOCITY CIRCUS' 1906:

“What sets Velocity’s 1906 apart from most tourist fare is the sincerity of its vision...shares the essence of what makes San Francisco special...great message about experiencing and embracing diversity.”
- San Francisco Bay Times

“A joyfully enthusiastic tribute to darned near everybody’s favorite city…a wonderful multimedia presentation…truly special…delightfully sassy…breathtaking costumes.”
- Pat Craig Contra Costa Times

“Magical... Entertaining... Delightfully inventive...Fetching Extravaganza”
- San Francisco Chronicle

"Along comes a Circus that’s not only full of physical stunts, feats, and special effects, but also appeals to the intellect.”
- Where Magazine, San Francisco and Bay Area

American Profile
Every so often the question pops up: "What ever happened to that teacher who wrote that song?" Or "...that teacher who sang that Mill Valley PTA song with her class?" Or, "Remember that {Singing} Nun who wrote 'Mill Valley'?" This one came up recently, in a magazine that may come with your Sunday paper. (More...)

 

 

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