Chicago-born Adryan Russ conceived the idea and wrote music and lyrics for INSIDE OUT, the off-Broadway musical, co-written with Doug Haverty. The musical was produced by Richard Frankel Productions, published by Samuel French and has enjoyed several productions across the U.S. and Europe. The original New York cast CD, originally distributed by DRG records, is currently available from PlayWorksMusic@aol.com Stephen Holden of the New York Times calls the play "a witty and wise musical about the way we live now."
EVERYONE HAS A STORY: THE SONGS OF ADRYAN RUSS is an LML collection of songs dealing with love, fear, hope and destiny, interpreted by Susan Egan, David Burnham, Jason Graae, Cindy Benson, Barbara Deutsch, Guy Haines, Juliana A. Hansen, Sharon McNight, Michelle Nicastro, Lisa Richard, Joan Ryan, Tami Tappan, Susanne Blakeslee, Karen Benjamin and Kirby Tepper. Adryan sings one herself. She appeared with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall in a tribute to Charles Strouse, playing a Strouse song and one of her own. She participated in Chicago's Humanities Festival, with Karen Mason, Jason Graae, Babbie Green, Lindy Robbins, Patty Morabito, Dan Stetzl and Beckie Menzie. Her musical theater piece LOVE & ORDER, co-written with Doug Haverty, was selected to be part of the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre in Los Angeles, moderated by Stephen Schwartz; and more recently, EBENEZER: RETURN OF THE SCROOGE, co-written with Chicago award-winning playwright Keith Huff, was invited into the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop in Chicago, moderated by Craig Carnelia. She is currently writing lyrics only to the music of Shelly Markham, with book by David Bryant and Howard George on a new musical, THE ROXY; collaborating with longtime partner Haverty on iGHOST, inspired by Oscar Wilde’s “The Canterville Ghost”; and contributing songs for Bob Schrock’s newest “Naked Boys Singing” musical called HANGIN’ OUT. Barry White recorded Adryan’s R&B song, "The Better Love Is, The Worse It Is When It's Over" which Record World called "a standout." She's written lyrics for several animated features, several of her songs have appeared in films and on television, and her songs have been performed by cabaret singers across the U.S. With Lloyd J. Schwartz, she co-wrote a children’s musical version of THE UGLY DUCKLING. Which played Theatre West for five months.
Adryan is a member of ASCAP, The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), The Dramatists Guild, The Society of Composers & Lyricists, and is a fellow of the Cabaret Symposium in Connecticut.