Music & More

Raymond Benson has been composing music and performing on the piano from a very early age. Listed below is the most complete listing of his compositions, theatrical-musical productions, and recordings. To hear several samples and to view track information on some of Raymond’s compositions click here.

And for many video performances of his music, as well as “2020 quarantine home recordings of favorite cover songs and original compositions,” check out Raymond’s YouTube channel (and subscribe!) here.

1972
“On Borrowed Time” (Paul Osborne)
(Theme music for stage play; Permian High School, Odessa, Texas)

1974
“Out of Gas” (Michael Robert David)
(Songs with lyrics by Michael Robert David; E. P. Conkle Workshop for Playwrights)

1975
“The Resurrection of Jackie Cramer” (Gagliano/Benson)
(Entirely sung musical theatre piece with lyrics by Frank Gagliano; E. P. Conkle Workshop for Playwrights)

“Hugo Martyr” (Jeffrey Kindley)
(Songs with lyrics by Jeffrey Kindley; E. P. Conkle Workshop for Playwrights)

1976
“The Resurrection of Jackie Cramer”
(URI Theatre, Kingston, R.I.)

“The Resurrection of Jackie Cramer”
(New Dramatists Inc., New York)

“Primer for City Dwellers” (Bertolt Brecht)
(Songs with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht; Austin Theatre Group)

“Paper Tiger” (Brasch/Benson)
(Entirely sung musical theatre piece with lyrics by Thomas Brasch; Austin Theatre Group)

1977
“Morgue or Less” (Dan Duling)
(Songs with lyrics by Dan Duling; University of Texas at Austin)

“Clue” (Raymond Benson)
(Songs with lyrics by Stuart Howard; University of Texas at Austin)

1978
“Alice in Wonderland” (Eva LeGallienne)
(Songs/incidental score with lyrics by Lewis Carroll; Alley Theatre)

1979
“The Resurrection of Jackie Cramer”
(New Dramatists Inc.)

“Miss Julie” (August Strindberg)
(Incidental score; Tyson Studio, New York)

1980
“The Resurrection of Jackie Cramer”
(American Theatre of Actors, New York)

“Paper Tiger”
(New York Theater Ensemble, New York)

1981
“I Can’t Imagine Tomorrow” (Tennessee Williams)
(Incidental score; New York Stageworks, New York)

“Deirdre” (Norman Morrow)
(Songs with lyrics by Norman Morrow; Empire Stage Players, New York)

“The Technimetrics Follies” (Raymond Benson)
(Songs with lyrics by Raymond Benson; Technimetrics Inc., New York)

1982
“Audrealis”
(Personal composition)

“Stayin’ Away From Home
(Personal composition; lyrics by James Goodner)

“I’m Driving”
(Personal composition; lyrics by James Goodner)

“Floating”
(Personal composition)

1983
“Rudimentary Rag”
(Personal composition)

1984
“Ultimate Joy”
(Entirely sung theatre piece with lyrics by Marvin Cohen; NY Shakespeare Festival)

“The Man Who Could See Through Time” (Terri Wagener)
(Incidental score; Ark Theatre, New York)

“Charlotte’s Web” (Joe Robinette)
(Songs/incidental score with lyrics by Joe Robinette; Lincoln Center Institute)

1985
“Charlotte’s Web”
(Revival)

1987
“The Lucky Chance” (Aphra Behn)
(Songs with lyrics by Aphra Behn; Beacon Project, New York)

1989
“Hyde Park” (James Shirley)
(Songs with lyrics by James Shirley; Beacon Project, New York)

1992
“Love Theme” from “Ultima VII-The Black Gate” (Origin Systems Inc.)

1993
“Ultima-Runes of Virtue II”
(Various incidental songs)

1994
“Frederico’s Song” from “Are You Afraid of the Dark? – “The Tale of Orpheo’s Curse”
(Viacom New Media)

1995
“Bridget697”
(Personal composition)

“Melancholy”
(Personal composition)

“Of Earth and Ocean”
(Personal composition)

1996
“Five Days in October”
(Personal composition)

1997
“Think of Me With Kindness”
(Cover of Gentle Giant song; released on Mellow Records CD “Giant for a Life—a Gentle Giant Tribute Album”)

2019
“Ghosts in the Ink”
(Award-winning piano score for short film produced by Schiltron Films)

Raymond has had a lifelong love of film and film history.  He taught a credit course in Film History for eleven years at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL. Occasionally he also taught one-off courses in such topics as James Bond Films and Stanley Kubrick.  For the year 2014, he was nominated by students and faculty for the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty recognition.  Prior to teaching at COD, he taught various film courses at William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, IL, and the New School for Social Research in New York, NY.

Raymond is a regular contributor to Cinema Retro magazine.  His ongoing column, “Benson Looks Back: Cinema 101,” examines film history over the years. His previous column that ran for over a decade was “Benson Turns Back the Clock,” which listed his top ten favorite movies of a particular year.  His interviews and articles on various film subjects have also appeared in the magazine.  On the Cinema Retro website he frequently contributes Blu-ray and DVD reviews, especially those films released by the prestigious Criterion Collection.  You can access Raymond’s reviews from his blog.

Of particular interest to film buffs was “Dann & Raymond’s Movie Club,” a live-in-front-of-an-audience show presented between 2007 and 2023 by Raymond and Dann Gire, film critic of Chicago’s Daily Herald newspaper.  Dann and Raymond appeared at least twice a month between September and May each year at Chicago suburban libraries and other venues.  While their monthly run has now ended, see the Appearances page for info on when and where to catch “Dann & Raymond’s Movie Club” should the duo make any one-off return presentations.

Raymond Benson spent several years working in the computer game industry. Listed below are his major works and contributions.

STEPHEN KING’S THE MIST
(1985; Mindscape)
(Designer/Writer)

A VIEW TO A KILL
(1985; Mindscape)
(Designer/Writer)

GOLDFINGER
(1986; Mindscape)
(Designer/Writer)

MARTIAN DREAMS
(1991; Origin Systems Inc.)
(Dialogue Editor)

ULTIMA VII-THE BLACK GATE
(1992; Origin Systems Inc.)
(Screenplay and Story Direction; Music Composer – “Love Theme”; Head Writer)
*Nominated for SPA Award-Best Role-Playing/Adventure Game 1992

ULTIMA VII, PART TWO-SERPENT ISLE
(1993; Origin Systems Inc.)
(Co-Writer)

ULTIMA: RUNES OF VIRTUE II
(1993; Origin Systems Inc.)
(Co-Music Composer)

RETURN OF THE PHANTOM
(1993; MicroProse Software Inc.)
(Designer/Writer)

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?—THE TALE OF ORPHEO’S CURSE
(1994; Viacom New Media)
(Co-Designer; Screenplay and Story Direction; Additional Music; Cast-“Frederico”)
*Winner: Newsweek Editor’s Choice Award
*Winner: Parent’s Choice Award

DARK SEED II
(1995; Cyberdreams Inc.)
(Designer/Writer)

THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD
(1995; Viacom New Media)
(Designer/Writer)
* Winner: Print’s Digital Art & Design Annual 5 Award-Best Interactive Screen Design
* Winner: Digital Hollywood-Best CD-ROM
* Winner: Digital Hollywood-Best Children’s CD-ROM

REMBRANDT
(1996; Viacom New Media/Rabid Entertainment)
(Designer)
 

Raymond spent much of his early years in theatre. He directed many productions in Austin and Houston, Texas, and in New York, New York (too many to list here). He also wrote the following produced stage works:

CLUE
(1977; University of Texas at Austin, one-act musical)

SECOND CHANCE
(2005; Darknight Theatrical Productions, Chicago; co-written with Doug Redenius)

Return to top of page