Charlie Romano is a Latino/Italian-American composer from the Chicago area. As a member of a large family, he is used to sharing everything and spending time with many different kinds of people. As a result, Charlie is passionate about telling untold stories. Beyond Onward and Upward (2023 O’Neill Semifinalist, 2022 Weinberger Emerging Librettist Award), his work includes Call Me From the Grave (2021 O’Neill Finalist), the story of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson and his infamous deal with the devil; Word Nerd (2023 O’Neill Semifinalist), a comedy about a crossword game show host and his quest for professional redemption; and Video Rental Store, a short exploration of human connection in the face of disaster. He is also currently working on TITA, a musical about his Panamanian-immigrant grandmother (a hyper-energetic polyglot whose life touched countless people across the world). He was recently honored as 2022 Jonathan Larson Grant Finalist for his work with Will Wegner. Charlie is also in a part-time writing residency at NYCSongSpace. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the BMI Advanced Workshop. Visit charlieromano.com for more information.