Composer · Lyricist · Musical Director
Songs and soundscapes for the stage, shaped through colour, emotion and vibe.
Explore the productions
Across genres
Across borders
Selected work
A growing chronological archive of productions, songs, people and recordings.
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Recordings from the stage and the creative process — from cast performances and production recordings to composer demos and works in development.
Cast recording · 2026
An original cast performance from the family musical Emma Amazing & The Bucket Fillers, part of the Nagoya Players Junior Showcase 2026.
Music by Ben Dorman.
Lyrics by Ben Dorman and Kory Alexander Majansky.
Concept by Kory Alexander Majansky.
Photography courtesy of Nagoya Players Junior. Nagoya Players Junior Showcase 2026 — Emma Amazing & The Bucket Fillers. Written and directed by Kory Alexander Majansky.
Composer demo · 2024
An original song written for The Cat Who Walked by Herself, part of Nagoya Players Junior Showcase 2024, presented as a composer demo.
Music and original lyrics by Ben Dorman.
Incorporating text from Rudyard Kipling’s The Cat that Walked by Himself.
Vocals by Ben Dorman.
Composer demo · 2024
An original song written for The Cat Who Walked by Herself, part of Nagoya Players Junior Showcase 2024, presented as a composer demo.
Music by Ben Dorman.
Lyrics by Ben Dorman and Jeff Fritch.
Vocals by Ben Dorman.
Composer demo · 2024
An original song written for Nagoya Players’ 2024 production of Romeo and Juliet, presented as a composer demo.
Music and original lyrics by Ben Dorman.
Incorporating text from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Vocals by Ben Dorman.
Composer demo · 2024
An original song written for Nagoya Players’ 2024 production of Romeo and Juliet, presented as a composer demo.
Music and original lyrics by Ben Dorman.
Incorporating text from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Vocals by Ben Dorman.
Cast recording · 2022
An original song written for Rainbow Connections: The Land of Kindness, part of Nagoya Players Junior Showcase 2022, presented as a cast recording.
Music by Ben Dorman.
Lyrics by Ben Dorman and Jeff Fritch.
Produced by Ben Dorman.
Vocals by Aya Kawakami.
Composer demo · 2021
A song from Rainbow Connections: The Land of Kindness, part of Nagoya Players Junior Showcase 2022, presented as a composer demo.
Music by Ben Dorman.
Lyrics by Ben Dorman and Jeff Fritch.
Cast recording · 2022
A song from A Day in the Life of Boogy, part of Nagoya Players Junior Showcase 2022.
Music by Ben Dorman.
Lyrics by Ben Dorman and Jeff Fritch.
Produced by Ben Dorman.
Vocals by Aya Kawakami, Ben Dorman, Calum Vigrow, Kiko Sugii, Marii Takagi, Saki Kawashima, Twila Vigrow and Yurii Takagi.
Originally released December 17, 2022 · Ten Worlds Records.
Production recording · 2010
A darker song about a town in decline, written for Nagoya Players’ 2010 production of A Christmas Carol with Heart. Directed by John Lenihan, the production reimagined Dickens’s story in Texas.
Music, lyrics and vocals by Ben Dorman.
Photographs by John Lenihan, used with permission.
Read the Note: Digging through the archive: where a song begins
Performances recorded with the casts who brought the shows to life.
Demos recorded while writing the music for staged productions.
The public albums are one part of a wider body of work.
Music written outside the theatre.
Acoustic
A mellow acoustic song with guitar and vocal harmonies.
“Breathe, let your soul go awandering, drift without a care…”
Garage rock · c. 1986–87
An original song by The Throwbacks, recorded in a Canberra living room on a four-track.
Selected comments from performers, families and creative collaborators.
Occasional thoughts from works in progress, rehearsals and the creative process.
About
Ben Dorman is an Australian composer and lyricist based in Japan and available for collaborations anywhere. He creates songs and soundscapes for the stage. He begins by asking collaborators about colours, feelings and vibes, then searches for the musical language that captures them.
His own relationship with musical theatre began at school, performing in Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, and original productions with music and song. Those experiences shaped a deeply personal, performer-first approach to composition.
“I want my work to carry young performers somewhere—and for their families to share the joy of seeing that happen. I hope the experience stays with them far beyond the stage.”