What begins for many as a passion for music can lead to major opportunities beyond the classroom. For Andrews University alum Paul Byssainthe Jr., that passion has taken him all the way to Broadway, where he now helps bring huge productions to life on some of the world’s most recognized stages.
Byssainthe’s newest project is “Wanted,” which is a new Broadway musical that opened on Nov. 8, 2026, in the James Earl Jones Theatre. “Wanted” is an original musical inspired by the true story of Mary and Martha Clarke, African American twin sisters living in post-Civil War Texas in 1893. In an effort to settle their mother's sharecropper debt and stop her from losing her home, the sisters pass as white and become outlaws. Byssainthe is the music director, conductor and Keyboard 1 player, according to Playbill.
Stephen Zork, former Andrews professor of music and the director of choral studies, attended the pre-opening performance with his wife and a few other Andrews alumni. “It was poignant… an excellent performance,” Zork said. “The fact is that it is a very empowering story… it makes you cry. [And] the level of musicianship gives you goosebumps.”
His wife, Susan Zork, added, “It’s a very beautiful story… about the struggle of being free but not being treated as free.”
Byssainthe is a highly renowned organist. He is the associate organist at the Riverside Church in New York City. He also formerly served as director of music at Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church, located on the campus of Washington Adventist University, and as interim minister of music at Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
Byssainthe earned a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from Andrews University in 2008. In 2019, he continued his education at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he also earned a Graduate Performance Diploma in organ performance. He is now pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance at the Peabody Conservatory.
His Broadway career first took off in 2024 when he became the music director and conductor for the high-profile Broadway revival of “The Wiz,” which first opened on Broadway in the Majestic Theatre on Jan. 5, 1975. On April 17, 2024, the show opened at the Marquis Theatre, bringing back the Broadway musical with its mix of gospel, soul, funk and R&B. As music director, Byssainthe also played keyboard. His job included managing the music while helping to shape how the show sounded every night.
After his time with “The Wiz”, Byssainthe served as the music director and conductor for the off-Broadway musical “Goddess” during its New York premiere at The Public Theater. After the production closed, he joined the 2025 Broadway revival of “Ragtime” as an associate music director and associate conductor. Presented at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, the production tells the stories of three families navigating life in America at the turn of the 20th century. His involvement in another major Broadway revival further expanded his experience working alongside professional musicians, performers and creative teams.
Byssainthe has worked on other productions such as Disney’s “Hercules” at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and “American Prophet”at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. As a result, his work on “American Prophet” earned him a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Musical Direction.
While many often associate Broadway with the actors who are performing on stage, productions rely on an entire team of artists and musicians who are working behind the scenes. Music directors are responsible for many things, like helping establish the musical tone of a production, conducting rehearsals, coordinating musicians, and making sure that the score supports the story that is being told. Byssainthe’s work shows the importance of all these roles, and the many career possibilities that are available to musicians outside of traditional performance.
Zork had nothing but high praise for his former student. “He is an extremely modest and talented person. A brilliant musician, a brilliant pianist and a wonderful conductor. He has a gentle spirit about him, and he is a very sweet guy. A competent musician, with an affable attractiveness. Musicians like working with him. He is highly respected as a musical director and conductor… and a phenomenal classical organist.”
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.