Chicago-born Adryan Russ conceived the idea and wrote music and lyrics for INSIDE OUT, the off-Broadway musical, which she co-wrote with playwright/actor Doug Haverty. The musical was produced by Richard Frankel, Marc Routh and Randy Kelly at The Cherry Lane Theatre. After a six-month NY run, the musical was published by Samuel French. An original cast CD, distributed by DRG Records, includes: Ann Crumb, Kathleen Mahony-Bennett, Harriet D. Foy, Jan Maxwell, Cass Morgan, and Julie Prosser. Stephen Holden of the New York Times called it "a witty and wise musical about the way we live now."
   She has more musical theater projects in development right now but took time out to make her first songwriter CD. EVERYONE HAS A STORY: THE SONGS OF ADRYAN RUSS is a collection of songs dealing with love, fear, hope and destiny, and they are interpreted by Karen Benjamin, Cindy Benson, Susanne Blakeslee, David Burnham, Barbara Deutsch, Susan Egan, Jason Graae, Guy Haines, Juliana A. Hansen, Sharon McNight, Michelle Nicastro, Lisa Richard, Joan Ryan, Tami Tappan and Kirby Tepper. Adryan sings one herself. As a writer who loves all kinds of music, she's also written pop and blues. Barry White recorded her R&B song, "The Better Love Is, The Worse It Is When It's Over," (the song appears on her new CD).     
   Record World magazine called it "a standout." She's written lyrics for several animated features, and several of her songs have appeared in films. Her songs have been performed by cabaret singers in New York, Boston and Los Angeles. As a returned Peace Corps volunteer, Adryan wrote and performed an original song for the 25th anniversary memorial service for John F. Kennedy in the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C. She is a member of ASCAP, The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), The Dramatists Guild, The Society of Composers & Lyricists, The Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and a fellow of the Cabaret Symposium.