NEW TIKTOK SERIES “THE M. TEA” SPILLS THE TEA ON EVERYTHING YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE BROADWAY MUSICALS

Brett Boles, an award-winning musical theatre composer/lyricist, high school choir teacher, and longtime member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop has launched a new series on TikTok called “The M. Tea.” In one month’s time, it has amassed a following of over 22,000 with more than 40 episodes released.

“Welcome to The M. Tea, a series where I ‘spill the tea’ on why certain musical theatre songs work so well, from a songwriter’s perspective!” In short, dynamic 60-second segments, Boles works his way through some of musical theatre’s most cherished repertoire (both classic and contemporary) to point out why composers and lyricists make the choices they make, and how those choices affect your emotional response to the work.

“I get to combine my experience as a songwriter, my adoration of the musical theatre art form, and my passion for education all at the same time,” Boles writes. The series was born out of a desire to educate musical theatre performers and consumers about how songs are put together. “I noticed that there was a lack of content like this, and my hope is that after listening to me pull back the curtain to reveal the creative process behind songwriting for the theatre, people will listen to musical theatre tunes with new ears, and be able to pick up on some of the nuances that make the songs come alive—and this is exactly what seems to be happening.”

Also a lifelong musical theatre performer, Boles holds live sessions on TikTok every Friday night at 9:30PM EST, where he takes questions, analyzes specific tunes upon request, and plays and sings for his followers, taking requests. “It’s a wonderful community we’ve created, and I would invite everyone to join the M. Tea family! We talk, sing, learn, and geek out about musical theatre.”

Going forward, it is Boles’s hope that post-pandemic, the show will have enough of a following that a live tour might be possible. “I would love to take the show on the road with me at the piano, and a Broadway ‘leading lady’ to perform tunes with me in their entirety before I do my crazy analysis. I would take requests and questions from the audience, and start to bring back some of the theatrical joy that’s been missing during this difficult time.”

Brett Boles is an award-winning musical theatre composer, lyricist, bookwriter and music director. His original musical Foreverman premiered at NYMF where it garnered awards for Outstanding Orchestrations and the New World Stages Development Prize. Brett has also collaborated with composer Natalie Tenenbaum on an adaptation of Benjamin Button, which has had showings at the York Theatre Off-Broadway and the Southwark Playhouse in London. He has also written original material for three of the four original Broadway Matildas, which they premiered at 54 Below. Brett’s work has been performed by Broadway greats including Jeremy Jordan, Josh Young, and Janine DiVita. In 2013, he co-conceived From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert for Sandy Hook with Tony-winning producer and founder/president of Broadway Records Van Dean. As a vocal arranger, Brett has worked with Seth Rudetsky, arranging work for Stephanie Mills and Orfeh for the Concerts for America series. Brett currently serves as the Director of Choirs at Hall High School in West Hartford, CT. He is a proud member of the Tony-honored BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and the Dramatists Guild of America.

To check out The M. Tea on TikTok click here 

You can find Boles and The M. Tea on TikTok @brettboles, on Instagram @brettbolesmusic, and on YouTube @brettboles. As well as on Facebook @themteafb.