Centered on Aria and Luca, The First Verse brings Amy Matthew’s songwriting and long-form storytelling together in one
emotionally connected world. Its songs explore ambition, attraction, heartbreak, friendship, artistic identity and the
courage required to speak honestly when music feels easier than conversation. The musical also serves as the creative
foundation for characters and relationships that expand into the A Song Apart novels and the Sunset Blues television
universe. Rather than existing as a single isolated project, The First Verse demonstrates Amy’s approach to intellectual
property: songs become scenes, characters become worlds and one emotional idea can grow across multiple formats.
“The First Verse began with music, but Aria and Luca kept asking for a larger world. The songs became a story, and the story kept growing.”
— Amy Matthew
