Born in Dix Hills, Long Island, NY, Roberts studied Pre-law at Pennsylvania State University before changing his major to music, studying composition with Myron Fink and John Reeves White at Hunter College, and attending classes at Mannes School of Music. After obtaining his Masters in Music from Indiana University, he returned to New York and worked in the city’s independent band scene. Before long he was a pianist and music director for a variety of acts, including Leslie Gore, Lou Christie, Bobby Sherman, Fabian, Bowzer (Sha Na Na), Tommy Roe, Little Anthony, Billy J Kramer, Pete Seeger, Bobby Rydell, Peter Noone/Herman’s Hermits, The Tokens, The Drifters and The Coasters, as well as comedians Jackie Mason and Joan Rivers.
He eventually left touring to refocus on composing, working closely with legendary songwriter/author/playwright Rupert Holmes. He became a staff composer for Holmes’ Emmy-Award-Winning sitcom “Remember WENN” on AMC, even appearing in two episodes. The two collaborated on music again for the Dennis Leary film “Love Walked In (Tri-Star/Sony). His work includes music for the Bravo and The Golf Channel as well as many short films, including The AFS Story and the award-winning Lemonade Stand.
He then turned to musical theater. In 2003, Broadway producer Eric Krebs commissioned Roberts to create a musical revue about golf. The result was the hit Off-Broadway comedy GOLF: THE MUSICAL. After its critically-acclaimed 2003-2004 run at the John Houseman Theater, GOLF was revived Off-Broadway twice, and has now played in twenty-five US states. International tours and productions include those in Japan, New Zealand, Germany, Finland, Canada and Scotland.
Following the success of GOLF, he wrote THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, a show about Bob Hope. The show premiered at Peoria's Prairie Theater in 2006, with a second production later in Marin, CA in 2010.
Then he teamed with playwright Charlie Schulman for a show about French 19th-Century flatulence artist Joseph Pujol, THE FARTISTE. After winning Best Musical at the 2006 New York International Fringe Festival, it transferred to off-Broadway in 2011, followed by a concert performance at The Charing Cross Theatre on London's West End.
In 2013 Krebs again approached Roberts with the plans for a new musical revue. The result was GREED, A Musical For Our Times. GREED opened at The Playroom Theater in New York’s Time Square in November 2013, and transferred in early 2014 to the New World Stages, starring Tony-nominee Stephanie D’Bruzzo.
In 2018 Roberts and Schulman debuted their new musical GOLDSTEIN Off Broadway at New York’s legendary Actor’s Temple Theater in Times Square. The show starred Broadway veterans Julie Benko, Megan McGinnis, and Jim Stanek. In Autumn of 2017, Broadway legend Betty Buckley recorded a song from the show (“Beloved”). The show received an Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best Musical.
Roberts was, for fifteen years, music director for THE BROADWAY KIDS, which had numerous Off-Broadway incarnations, including productions at the Barrymore Theater and The Lambs Theater. He also composed special material for the group.
Roberts composed the incidental music for 2007's MY SECRET GARDEN at New York's 45th Street Theater, and The Storm Theatre's TIDINGS BROUGHT TO MARY (2009). He also arranged and produced incidental music for the touring version of the Off-Broadway hit JEWTOPIA.
He has music directed and performed with many of cabaret and Broadway’s biggest stars. In addition to Betty Buckley, Roberts has collaborated with such luminaries as Donna Murphy, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Christine Andreas, Kurt Peterson, Sally Mayes, Natalie Douglas, Craig Pomranz, Rupert Holmes, Teri Ralston, and Stephanie Mills. He has performed as some of the country’s most celebrated venues, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Philadelphia Academy of Music, The White House, and countless theaters, auditoriums, and clubs.
AWARDS and HONORS
In addition to his winning Best Musical at the 2006 NYC International Fringe Festival, Roberts has won three ASCAP Plus Awards. He was also a nominee for a 2013 BroadwayWorld Award, and a 2018 Off-Broadway Alliance Award. He has served as President of The American Songbook Association.