The Gingerbread Players were fortunate for many years to have our own resident composer, William Ryden, who wrote the music for three original shows— Ragtag!, Through the Looking Glass, The Sleeping Beauty and Nowell! — and contributed to, arranged or compiled the music for several others, including our unique World War I commemoration, Over There! in 2017 (see photo, below).

 

We will always remember Bill as a brilliant talent and a kind and wonderful friend. Bill died in January 2018. His uniquely inspiring presence will be sorely missed, but his contribution to GP lives on not only in his musical influence but in the new lighting system enabled by the Bill Ryden Memorial Fund, which will be unveiled for the first time in all its glory in Shrek.