Eric Lane Barnes

Eric Lane Barnes is leader of the vocal comedy group Captain Smartypants and the author of the critically acclaimed Fairy Tales, which received numerous awards in Chicago, New York, and London. His scores and scripts for Chicago’s Lifeline Theatre include Tuck Everlasting, The Amazing Bone, Simple Jim and His Four Fabulous Friends, and Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, the latter of which has toured the USA and has enjoyed many successful regional productions. His musical The Stops, a show about the lives of three lady organists, was awarded Best Musical at the 2006 National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival. Barnes’ list of choral commissioners includes The Esoterics; The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC; The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus; One Voice Charlotte; The Quire; Sound Circle; The Turtle Creek Chorale; and The Windy City Gay Chorus. Several of his pieces are published through Shawnee Press, including “Lambscapes” “It’s Our Christmas Cheer” and “Glee.” Recently Eric wrote songs and underscoring for the independent films In-laws and Outlaws, Waxie Moon, Seattle to Ghana, and Fallen Jewel.