Robert John Ford
PLAYWRIGHT | COMPOSER | LYRICIST | PRODUCER
JANUARY 2026
THE WILLING​​​
Book by Robert John Ford
Music & Lyrics by Amy Engelhardt
Commissioned by Dunbar Hofmann Productions
A new musical based on the book "The Boy Who Would Be Shakespeare" by Doug Stewart, THE WILLING tells the true story of William-Henry Ireland, a teenage boy who - in an attempt to win the respect of his Shakespeare-obsessed father - perpetrates an audacious forgery scheme resulting in a whirlwind of consequences, all set against the backdrop of the London theatre scene in 1795.
A workshop production will be presented January 9-12, 2026 at the Depot Theater in Duluth, Minnesota. For more information and tickets, click HERE.​​​​​​​
FALL 2026
ROLF(E)
Book, Music & Lyrics by Robert John Ford
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You know him from "The Sound Of Music," but how did a dancing messenger boy become a member of the Nazi Youth movement during one fateful summer? Was he the villain or just a naïve, hormonal teenager? And exactly how do you spell his name? ROLF(E) tells the hilarious back-story of an unheralded and misunderstood hero-wannabe who would do anything for love and the resistance, while also examining more serious and timely themes such as gender/sexual identity, the rise of fascism, and the challenge of discerning what is actually true in an era of disinformation.
A workshop production is planned for fall 2026 in NYC. Info will be posted here when confirmed. ​​​​​​​
DECEMBER 2026
THE LAST RIDE​​​
A novel by Robert John Ford
When a middle-aged architect learns that a rickety old wooden roller coaster - one that he and his friends would congregate around during the carefree summers of his childhood - is scheduled to be torn down, he journeys to the site, determined to enjoy one last ride. Along the way, he examines everything from his career choices to his current relationships with his son and his spouse-to-be.
This novel is currently in development. Info will be posted here when publishing date is confirmed.​​​​​​​