Songwriter and playwright Karen Sokolof Javitch has written five musicals. Princess Diana the Musical is her favorite. “I feel such a closeness to Princess Diana because she was such a good person and her heart was so big.”

The musical has played twice in Karen’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, USA. “The audiences loved it and we knew it was time to search for another destination for the musical. Hopefully, Germany is just the beginning.” The Princess Diana CD has over 30 songs from the musical and sells worldwide.

From Generation to Generation has such a universal and timeless theme that it touches hearts of all ages and demographics. Karen’s 17 original songs motivated her and Elaine to again create the book to bring this one to stage. It has been produced in Omaha (1996, 1997, 2004); St. Louis (1998); and Los Angeles (1999). It will be produced in Chicago in Spring 2011. Generation won the Theatre Arts Guild award for best original script.

Love! At the Café! and Surprise! have delighted several audiences and her newest musical is a short one-song musical Rachel & Ruthie about two women who meet at college and find they have a unique connection. Karen has recorded a total of 10 CD’s and used her music to raise over $200,000 for various charities, including Aids, Red Cross, Alzheimers, and visually impaired children.

Karen’s recent CD Startracks - the Tribute Album pays tribute to 23 different celebrities including Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Elen DeGeneres and Kim Cattrall. All proceeds to go Pancreatic Cancer Research in memory of Patrick Swayze.

Karen composes on the piano, and writes both the music and the lyrics. “The lyrics seem to come first and then the music. She has songs in two movies, ‘Omaha, the Movie’ and ‘California Dreamin’. Senator Ben Nelson sings on one of her CD’s as does Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch. She has presented both President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton with songs. She sung and wrote a song for Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel.

Chuck Penington, from the Grammy-winning group Mannheim Steamroller, arranges all of her music.

Karen credits her parents as her inspirations. My Mom taught blind children and bravely battled cancer for a lot of her life. My Dad was a great businessman who persevered with his passion of making this world a healthier place. Besides her parents as inspirations, she and her ex-husband Gary (“We’re great friends!”) have three adult children: Jennifer, Mark and Rachel. “They’re without a doubt the best part of my life. And they were helpful with my songs – going around the house singing them all the time! ”