Kooman and Dimond (Michael Kooman (born 1984) and Christopher Dimond) (born 1979) are a New York City-based writing team. They are most known for their musicals Dani Girl, Homemade Fusion, "The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes", their cabaret material (and subsequent YouTube following) and their album Out of Our Heads, released in 2011.
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Background
They began working together under the tutelage of Milan Stitt at Carnegie Mellon University in 2006.
Most recently they won the prestigious 2013 Fred Ebb Award. In 2010 they won a Jonathan Larson Grant, and in 2011 they were awarded the first Lorenz Hart Award by the ASCAP Foundation. They have attended the Johnny Mercer Songwriting Workshop (where they studied with Andrew Lippa and Craig Carnelia), as well as a Fellowship to the O'Neill Musical Theater Conference. They studied with Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty through the 2009–10 Dramatists Guild of America Fellowship.
According to their website, they are currently working on a stage adaptation of a film and a commission for the Canadian Music Theatre Project.
Dani Girl
Dani Girl has been work-shopped at Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania State University, the American Conservatory Theater, The Kennedy Center, The ASCAP/Disney Musical Theater Workshop, and CAP-21. The piece is licensed by Samuel French. Its professional premiere was produced in Barrie, Ontario by Talk is Free Theatre, directed by Richard Ouzounian, and subsequently was remounted in 2012. Harvest Rain Theatre Company debuted the show internationally in Brisbane, Australia in 2010. Recently, the show was presented at the 2011 National Alliance for Musical Theater Festival of New Musicals and by Maryland's Unexpected Stage Company (Summer 2014).
Homemade Fusion
Their first collaboration was "Homemade Fusion" in March 2006. Since the premiere, "Homemade Fusion" has been performed across the country as well as internationally. The show debuted at Carnegie Mellon University in 2006, with a subsequent production at the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret Theater. This production featured Tony Award winner Patina Miller, Kara Lindsay, Anderson Davis, Andrew Kober, and many other Carnegie Mellon Drama School Alumni. In 2010, the show was performed at the Ambassadors theater in London. Songs from "Homemade Fusion" have amassed more than a million views on their YouTube channel. Part of the show was performed by the writers in 2009 at The Kennedy Center's "Next Generation of Musical Theater" series.
Golden Gate
Golden Gate premiered at the Williamstown Theater Festival Aug 12, 2009. It has subsequently been workshopped as part of Millikin University's New Musicals Workshop, culminating in a production of the latest incarnation of the show, which occurred in the spring of 2011.
Someday Soon
In 2012, Kooman and Dimond collaborated with director Alberto Belli to create "Someday Soon", which was subsequently featured on Funny or Die.
Orphie and the Book of Heroes
"Orphie and the Book of Heroes" was commissioned by The Kennedy Center and premiered in 2014. The Washington Post gave the show 5 stars and called it "An Epic Success".
Judge Jackie Justice
"Judge Jackie Justice" is an audience participation based musical commissioned by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera which ran for 14 weeks at their cabaret space in downtown Pittsburgh in 2014. Reviews were positive, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette raved "Musical comedy justice is served in a new CLO Cabaret show featuring catchy tunes, clever lyrics, juicy characters and important roles for audience members throughout the proceedings.”
The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes
"The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes" was first works hoped at the prestigious Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in 2013, followed by workshops at the Human Race Theatre Company and The Village Theater. In 2014 The Village Theater produced a workshop production of the piece.
Album
On June 28, 2011, Kooman released Out of Our Heads: The Music of Kooman and Dimond. The album features several Tony nominated performers including Patina Miller, Kerry Butler and Christopher Sieber. The album release party was held at Birdland on July 18, 2011 featuring performances by Laura Osnes, Julia Murney, Jeremy Jordan, Kyle Dean Massey and Jose Llana.