WRITER/MUSICIAN
Chan Chandler has spent over 30 years working in theater and the entertainment business as a writer, producer and filmmaker.
Chan spent a large part of the 80’s working as a staff songwriter/producer for albums, songs, jingles and film scores in NYC. He worked at many studios and the music house Elias Associates with a wide range of artists including Duran Duran, Michael Bolton, John Barry, Grace Jones, Jonathan Elias and Yes.
Chan has produced over 30 new recordings of classic songs from the Paramount Pictures film library as part of a long-term project with the studio . Chan produced the music for Paramount’s video games of GREASE and SATURDAYNIGHT FEVER. Along with Chris Gage he recently produced an album of Lennon/McCartney songs that featured Austin artists including Kevin Ahart, SPEAK, and Albert & Gage.
A member of the Writers Guild of America since 1985, Chan has written many screenplays, including Red Draw for Rob Lowe, and taught screenwriting at NYU. He has written, produced and/or directed award-winning short films and music videos for artists as diverse as Prince ("Cream", and "Diamond & Pearls"), Grace Jones, Brave Combo, Duran Duran and KISS. Chan was a co-founder of Studio Eyebeam making award-winning animation with Austin-based artist, cartoonist and animator Sam Hurt.
The Twilight Theatre in Aurora, KY premiered Chan’s newest musical Living News 2.0. Twilight Theatre also staged his adaptation of Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants and the premiere of his musical Swan Song, which was adapted from the Chekhov play.
Other musicals Chan has written include Slammer! (a women-in-prison musical), which premiered in the FringeNYC, co-written with Steve Adams and directed by Rod Caspers. A life time member of the BMI Musical Theater Workshop, Chan’s musicals have been produced all over America and include: An Upper West Side Story, La Triviata and Stars In My Eyes. Branson Or Bust premiered at the UT Austin where Chan was a guest artist.
While getting his MFA at the Yale School of Drama, Chan wrote and presented the musicals Oh, Cloris!, A Part Of Me and Simply Weill, which he also directed at the Yale Cabaret.
Chan has worked on Broadway as a stage manager, Carnegie Hall, and spent 9 years with the world famous Rockettes, both at Radio City Music Hall and on the road. He has written, produced, tour managed, designed lights, and/or stage managed for many artists including Skitch Henderson, Shel Silverstein, Marvin Hamlisch, The New York Pops, Tony Bennett, Cy Coleman and Chet Atkins. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and the American Guild of Variety Artists.
A graduate of the University of Texas and the Yale School of Drama, Chan has taught at Yale, SUNY Purchase, The University of Texas and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.