Fred Sauter is a NYC-based musical theater lyricist/ librettist/ composer, a performer, a drag artist, designer and producer.

With each project, Fred seeks to discover new ways to combine elements of modern song styles with theatre and storytelling to convey personal and universal truths. Fred’s stories are epic in nature and spectacular in scale and vision, taking the form of science fiction, horror, fairy tales, myths, and dark comedy and often explore LGBTQ+ themes.

His musical Bedbugs!!!, written with Paul Leschen, was a New York Times Critic’s Pick Off Broadway in 2014. The team went on to self-produce their second musical The Astronaut Love Show at The Kraine Theater in the East Village.

Fred is currently writing three new musicals: Craft Show (with Brett Macias) Small Pond (with Leschen) and The Four Horsemen with David Mallamud and Jordan Mann. Fred Associate Produced and contributed three songs to The Rainbow Lullaby, the world’s first lullaby album for LGBTQ+ parents, created by Ryan Bauer-Walsh, released by Broadway Records. Fred’s first short opera libretto “Polar”, with composer William King Barnett will be debuting at BAM in April 2024 as a part of the Climate Change Operas, produced by American Opera Project. Tickets available soon.

Fred has self-produced numerous readings and special theatrical events, and has spent time on stage performing in cabaret shows at Sid Gold’s Request Room and Pangea, with his former band The Production at rock venues throughout the city and in drag as Francis Darling Eternal. During the 2020 lockdown, Fred turned much his attention to online performance, beginning with a series of tribute videos to Jesus Christ Superstar, and then turning towards tribute shows to his favorite rock stars as well as seasonal and holiday shows, many of which have been fundraisers, including “All That Lilith” a tribute to the Lilith Fair, featuring 23 guest performers, which he hosted in drag. In 2023, he made his debut at Night of 1000 Stevies, performing “That’s Alright” alongside Anna Copa Cabanna. In December ‘23, Fred had the pleasure of portraying the character Butterbean and also originating the role of Sylvia Joan Butterfleiss in Angela Di Carlo’s new musical "The Jo-Lynn Butterfly Country Hour of Sunshine Christmas Special” at The Wild Project. Fred has studied voice training with the phenomenal, dearly departed Barbara Maier Gustern.

He holds an MFA from NYU Tisch's Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program and a BFA from Maryland Institute, College of Art. Member of the Dramatists Guild and ASCAP.