Nathan Tysen
Arthur Perlman
The Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre was presented on June 23rd at ASCAP in NYC. The winners Nathan Tysen and Arthur Perlman were thrilled to receive the award which comes with a $100,000 check.
The 24-year-old prize gives honors to lyricists and librettists, awarded by the Kleban Foundation, named after the late Edward L. Kleban, lyricist of “A Chorus Line.” The funds are given to reward previous achievement and also to help artists support themselves as they create future work.
Tysen takes home the award for most promising lyricist. His musical “The Burnt Part Boys” ran Off Broadway in 2010, and he’s currently at work on developing “Amelie” with composer Dan Messe, book writer Craig Lucas and helmer Pam McKinnon, and on “Tuck Everlasting,” which he’s co-writing with “Burnt Part” composer Chris Miller and book writer Claudia Shear.
Perlman is a librettist.and wrote the book and lyrics for the adaptation of Arthur Kopit’s “Wings” (Public Theater in 1993), and also has written titles for “Another Midsummer Night,” “The Little Prince” and “The Civil War” (not the Frank Wildhorn version).
Martin Charnin, Rita Gardner
Steven Lutvak
Sheldon Harnick
In attendance were Martin Charnin, Rita Gardner, Sheldon Harnick and this year’s Tony Award winners Steven Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder).
www.ASCAP.org
Photos/Video: Magda Katz
