"Musical Genius" began its life as a straight play with incidental music called "Modulating Back to Tonic." Set in the early days of 20th-century "avant-garde" music, it's the sardonic story of a shell-shocked WWI composer hell-bent on using music to alienate a world that he feels has rejected him. It ran in workshop in Los Angeles, California in the late 1980's.

By the late 1990's, "Modulating Back to Tonic" had grown into a full musical. A first-act version of the work appeared at the Goat Hall "Fresh Voices II" festival of new music in August, 2001

Called a "work of antic genius" by 21st Century Music Magazine, the show's demo was very well received at the festival. But, it takes money to shape up a musical. As part of its mission to help bring wholly original musical theatre works to the public, Not Quite Opera Productions picked up the show. NQO presented it as the centerpiece of its 2003 season benefit/"backer's audition."

The Workshop cast featured Jonathan Siders as John Crumbe; Heather Lukens-Gavin as Violet Rose; Douglas Mandell as "Carrot" Cohan; Diana Landau as Helen, of Troy, New York; Scott King as the Reverend Willard Nickelodeon Roach; and Harriet March Page (Artistic Director of Goat Hall) as "Paddy " the Cop. Mark Alburger served as Music Director to the ensemble, featuring Dave Hurlbert  on the piano.