WILLIAM SCHERMERHORN (book & lyrics) is a two-time Emmy Award-winning songwriter. As VP/Creative Director for Macy’s Parade & Entertainment Group, he brought his vision to some of America’s most beloved, large-scale productions for over three decades. In his role, Bill wrote the book and lyrics for several musical endeavors and created original material for a wide range of performers, including Julie Andrews, Harvey Fierstein, The Charlie Daniels Band, Idina Menzel, Kermit the Frog, Debra Voigt, Jane Krakowski, Whoopi Goldberg and the Texas State University Strutters. He won a Daytime Emmy Award in the “Outstanding Original Song” category for “Yes Virginia (There’s A Santa Claus)” with composer Wesley Whatley and a second consecutive Daytime Emmy Award for the song “(Won’t You) Join Our Parade” with composer Doug Katsaros. He received two additional Daytime Emmy nominations for the Christmas song “I Believe” (Wesley Whatley, music) and “Jolly Dream Pirates” (Michael Feinstein, music).

Past theatrical projects include a musical adaptation of “Miracle on 34th Street” (Wesley Whatley, music) and the Carnegie Hall premiere of “American River Suite,” a five-piece musical tone poem, with music by Stephen Flaherty. The Americana revue “Free to Dream: The Songs of Katsaros & Schermerhorn” premiered at Joe’s Pub and was performed at the Kimball Theatre in Williamsburg, Virginia. “My Gift of Thanks,” a program of Bill’s holiday songs, was presented at Feinstein’s at The Loews Regency to benefit The Actors Fund. One of Bill’s proudest moments was being invited to write “And That’s The Way It Is” (Michael Feinstein, music) for legendary broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite’s memorial service at Lincoln Center. That song can be heard in the documentary “JFK: One PM Central Standard Time.” Macy’s “Yes, Virginia The Musical” (Wesley Whatley, music) had its concert debut with The Cincinnati Pops in 2013; a royalty-free school production was performed by numerous student organizations throughout the country and a full-length musical version was presented at Twin City Stage in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Other projects include “Central Park & Other Dreams“ (Matthew Sklar, music), a song cycle that premiered at Feinstein’s/54 Below in May 2017 and “The Hope of Christmas,” a recording of Bill’s Christmas songs (with composers Ann Hampton Callaway, Michael Feinstein and Matthew Sklar, among others) interpreted by Ann Hampton Callaway and an outstanding array of jazz musicians, and released on the MCG Jazz label (2015). A vinyl edition was released in 2016. In spring 2017, Bill was an artist-in-residence at the William & Mary Theater Department, which presented his World War II musical “Swing Wings” (book & lyrics by Schermerhorn, music by Milton Delugg & Mary Ehlinger) in a workshop premiere. “MADam LUCY, deceased” (Elise Morris, music) is his latest theatrical endeavor.

Bill is currently creative director for Colonial Williamsburg’s Signature Events. He was born on the Fourth of July.