![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/69d915c28f8e4098ab2db4961d27cc2c.jpg/v1/fill/w_1920,h_1275,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/69d915c28f8e4098ab2db4961d27cc2c.jpg)
Joe Patrick Ward
Composer for Film, Television & Theatre
![Joe Patrick Ward with "GWW" Cast](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_fcdb5f08282c454b8d0bf46535e61e09~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_595,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_fcdb5f08282c454b8d0bf46535e61e09~mv2.jpg)
Craig A. Curtis, Joe Patrick Ward, Shannon Stoeke, Lesli Margherita, Amy Rutberg and Andrew Makay.
![Joe Patrick Ward with John Raitt](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_9c95584f9c7e4954ba40d37835e0969c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_956,h_800,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_9c95584f9c7e4954ba40d37835e0969c~mv2.jpg)
A true Broadway legend, star of the original productions of "Carousel" and "The Pajama Game" appeared in "The Grave White Way" to sing my song "Darlin' Sally (from Death Valley). Needless to say, he stopped the show!
![Del Shores and Joe Patrick Ward](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_3782128aa1a643ceb8857753af60758a~mv2_d_1920_2560_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_3782128aa1a643ceb8857753af60758a~mv2_d_1920_2560_s_2.jpg)
My dear friend and collaborator for over two decades!
![Lily Tomlin and Joe Patrick Ward](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_4e08edc2febb4f14aa98828c624e1f21~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_513,h_442,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_4e08edc2febb4f14aa98828c624e1f21~mv2.jpg)
After a production of "Sissies" in Nashville.
![With Karen Morrow and Joanne Worley](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_dd9e5a2778b74260b9b441032f95be90~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_922,h_707,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_dd9e5a2778b74260b9b441032f95be90~mv2.jpg)
After a performance of "The Grave White Way" at the Cinegrill in Hollywood.
![Joe Patrick Ward and Levi Kreis](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_aecaffa26a544858ab936eaaad203a28~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_288,h_432,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_aecaffa26a544858ab936eaaad203a28~mv2.jpg)
Levi, Debby Holiday and I cowrote the song "I Won't Listen" from "Blues for Willadean".
!["Judy's Christmas" NYC Reading](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_7aba5657c05b4f4db25cc01aa0901194~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_208,h_184,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_7aba5657c05b4f4db25cc01aa0901194~mv2.jpg)
With my collaborators, David Church and Jim Webber (who wrote the book), director Leonard Foglia, Isabel Keating ("Judy") and Kristine Zbornak ("Ethel").
![Stephen Schwartz & Joe Patrick Ward](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_cc7737c11ff4481a9496be083c2d8955~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_615,h_800,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_cc7737c11ff4481a9496be083c2d8955~mv2.jpg)
The legendary composer/lyricist of "Wicked", "Godspell" and "Pippin" guest-starred in "The Grave White Way" to sing one of my showtunes! How awesome is that?
![Rehearsal for "Sissies" Tour](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_aa2187c2114c445c8972fa04ad138150~mv2_d_3888_2592_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_aa2187c2114c445c8972fa04ad138150~mv2_d_3888_2592_s_4_2.jpg)
With Dale Dickey and Leslie Jordan.
![Ken Page and Joe Patrick Ward](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_70139e406eff418b8d68e5b7ab56ef71~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_819,h_847,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_70139e406eff418b8d68e5b7ab56ef71~mv2.jpg)
Ken Page is probably best remembered for the Fats Waller musical "Ain't Misbehavin'". He was a great sport to sing one of my parodies called "You're the Only Freak for Me" (by the fictitious composer Skinny Bollocks!). I also composed the title tune for Ken's successful one-man show "Page By Page" which toured all over the country.
![On set of "Sordid Lives: The Series"](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_3e9ab2a415a0498eb125f26f308b4a24~mv2_d_2448_1632_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_3e9ab2a415a0498eb125f26f308b4a24~mv2_d_2448_1632_s_2.jpg)
With Ann Walker ("LaVonda") and Mitch Carter ("Bumper").
![Joe Patrick Ward and Loretta Devine](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_e6dd59a28ba84d5ca0ad0f9c1d54fdeb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_603,h_800,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_e6dd59a28ba84d5ca0ad0f9c1d54fdeb~mv2.jpg)
The divine Miss Devine, star of stage and screen, sang a song from "Bean Dip Divas", my parody of the musical "Dreamgirls" (in which she starred on Broadway).
![With Ann Walker](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_9da6af0cc6244576aeb6e8036efa17a8~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_672,h_900,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_9da6af0cc6244576aeb6e8036efa17a8~mv2.jpg)
Whom I've known and worked with for almost 25 years!
![Backstage on "Sissies" Tour](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_c56a9b84a28141548edb0e0a72d18a80~mv2_d_1920_2560_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_c56a9b84a28141548edb0e0a72d18a80~mv2_d_1920_2560_s_2.jpg)
In St. Louis, Missouri.
![Yeardley Smith and Joe Patrick Ward](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_55b81359fbfc4510b38f9fdcdd1845e3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_868,h_796,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_55b81359fbfc4510b38f9fdcdd1845e3~mv2.jpg)
Yeardley (aka "Lisa Simpson") brought the house down when she sang my tune "It Always Hurts the First Time".
![Delta Burke and Joe Patrick Ward](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_e3b3004b2a0b47c79bca0253c00a2aff~mv2_d_3888_2592_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_e3b3004b2a0b47c79bca0253c00a2aff~mv2_d_3888_2592_s_4_2.jpg)
Delta played "The Mothers" in a production of "Southern Baptist Sissies" in L.A. and in the National Tour.
![Joe Patrick Ward and Dale Dickey](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_971225da96fc4d8ea1a5578fdbe75308~mv2_d_1200_1600_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_971225da96fc4d8ea1a5578fdbe75308~mv2_d_1200_1600_s_2.jpg)
From "Winter's Bone" to "Breaking Bad" to "Iron Man 3" to "True Blood", Dale is of the finest actresses I'm privileged to know, and the most down-to-earth.
![With the sensational Debby Holiday](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_0eb7876d8f9646559fa6ff2cbfa8930c~mv2_d_2560_1920_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_0eb7876d8f9646559fa6ff2cbfa8930c~mv2_d_2560_1920_s_2.jpg)
Debby portrayed "The Blues Singer" on stage in "Trailer Trash Housewife", then on film in "Blues for Willadean".
![A few kind words from Mel Brooks](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_1338f8dafc894476aeace5c5e48b25c2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_534,h_600,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_1338f8dafc894476aeace5c5e48b25c2~mv2.jpg)
I had the privilege of befriending one of my childhood idols, Mel Brooks (whose film "The Producers" served as inspiration for my musical "The Grave White Way"). Mr. Brooks actually took time to listen to some of my songs and offer comedic guidance.
![With Emerson Collins & "Aunt Booger"](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_4ebe3bbd54a445efa1a0206e8e0deaad~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_720,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_4ebe3bbd54a445efa1a0206e8e0deaad~mv2.jpg)
My real "Aunt B" (whose actual name is Nita) inspired Del Shores to use the name "Aunt Booger" in the script for "Sissies".
![With Newell Alexander](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_c1db56820b4b4021ab6086dbc41f411a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_672,h_900,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_c1db56820b4b4021ab6086dbc41f411a~mv2.jpg)
I never get tired of working with this man. He always keeps me smiling!
![The "Sissies" Revival Cast](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_9e8d0e1bf17d4bd2bee5c7629e985953~mv2_d_3683_1987_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_529,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_9e8d0e1bf17d4bd2bee5c7629e985953~mv2_d_3683_1987_s_2.jpg)
Including Delta Burke and Dale Dickey.
![On the "Sordid Lives: Series" Set](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_ce9489c8f88b4daeb8bede5d27e833f0~mv2_d_2448_1632_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_ce9489c8f88b4daeb8bede5d27e833f0~mv2_d_2448_1632_s_2.jpg)
With cast members Chris Pudlo, Kat Bayless, Ann Walker and Emerson Collins.
![With Del Shores and Levi Kreis](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a82136_0261d45d7d4d481bbdabfc33218ebb7e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_480,h_360,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/a82136_0261d45d7d4d481bbdabfc33218ebb7e~mv2.jpg)