Paul Gordon (composer)

Paul Howard Gordon is a composer of popular songs and music for the theatre.

Not to be confused with Paul Gordon (musician).
Paul Gordon
Birth namePaul Howard Gordon
Occupation(s)Musical theatre writer, songwriter
Years active1970s–present
Associated actsJay Gruska, Bill Mumy
Websitepaulgordonmusic.com

Career

Gordon composed the music and lyrics for the stage musical Jane Eyre which ran on Broadway in 2000–2001, for which he received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Original Score. The musical was later produced by TheatreWorks at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in Mountain View, California, in 2003. Of this production, the talkinbroadway.com reviewer wrote: "The music of Paul Gordon fits this production like a glove, with unbroken strings of music and lyrics that give the audience the mood of the story."[1] The Wall Street Journal noted the musical has "a lyrical score".[2]

His musical Emma played an engagement at the Old Globe Theatre (San Diego, California) in 2011.[3]

The stage musical The Front, for which Gordon wrote the music and lyrics with Jay Gruska, had a reading at the Manhattan Theatre Club in April 2007, and private industry readings in 2008. [4][5]

He composed the music and lyrics for the stage musical Daddy Long Legs with the book and direction by John Caird, which premiered at the Rubicon Theatre Company, Ventura, California in October 2009[6] and then had an engagement with TheatreWorks at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts from January through February 2010.[7][8]

In progress is a musical entitled Little Miss Scrooge, which had a workshop production at the Rubicon Theatre in 2013.[5][9][10]

A concert of Gordon's music played at Joe's Pub (New York City) in 2007, and featured his works from stage musicals performed by Marla Schaffel, Brian D'Arcy James and others.[5]

Gordon has written popular songs, including the "#1 songs: "Next Time I Fall" recorded by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant, and "Friends and Lovers," which was #1 on both pop and country charts." He has also written for films (including Ghostbusters II) and television.[11][7]

As of 2019 Gordon's new musical adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice will receive its world premiere in December 2019 presented by TheatreWorks (Silicon Valley) at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto, California.[12]

Musical scores
  • Greetings from Venice Beach (1993)
  • Jane Eyre (1995)
  • Emma (2006)
  • The Front; music also by Jay Gruska
  • Daddy Long Legs (2009)
  • Sense & Sensibility (2015)
  • Pride & Prejudice (2018)

Awards and nominations

Tony Awards

  • 2001: Nominated for Best Original Score for the original Broadway production of "Jane Eyre", which was also nominated for Best Musical.[13]

Bay Area Critics Circle Awards

  • 2007: Won the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Original Script for "Emma" at TheatreWorks[14]

Ovation Awards

  • 2010: Won the award for Lyrics/Music for an Original Musical for the Rubicon Theatre Company production of "Daddy Long Legs"[15]

Jeff Awards

References
  1. Connema, Richard."A Beautiful Production of the Musical Jane Eyre" talkinbroadway.com, April 15, 2003
  2. "'Jane Eyre' listing with review" mtishows.com, accessed February 18, 2011
  3. Jones, Kenneth."'Emma', Paul Gordon's Austen-Inspired Musical, Opens Jan. 23 at Old Globe" Archived 2011-01-24 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, January 23, 2011
  4. Jones, Kenneth.Inspired by the Film, New Musical The Front Gets Caird-Directed Reading March 3" playbill.com, March 3, 2008
  5. "'Jane Eyre' Composer, Paul Gordon & Stars at Joe's Pub 10/15" broadwayworld.com, October 1, 2007
  6. Henerson, Evan."A CurtainUp Los Angeles Review" 'Daddy Long Legs'" curtainup.com, October 21, 2009
  7. John Caird's DADDY LONG LEGS Gets TheatreWorks Run, 1/23 - 2/14" broadwayworld.com, January 23, 2010
  8. "'Daddy Long Legs' CD listing and liner notes" cdbaby.com, accessed February 18, 2011
  9. Probst, Andy."Paul Gordon's Emma - A Musical Romantic Comedy Added to the Old Globe Theatre's Winter Season" theatermania.com, July 19, 2010
  10. Grigware, Don (9 December 2013). "BWW Interviews: Triple Threat Rebecca Johnson Talks About Playing Little Miss Scrooge at the Rubicon". Broadway World. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  11. Back to the 80s: Interview with songwriter/composer Paul Gordon - Kickin' it Old School
  12. "TheatreWorks announces final season for outgoing leader". San Francisco Chronicle. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  13. Associated Press (8 May 2001). "Nominees, Some Returning, For the 2001 Tony Awards". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  14. "2007 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards". Bay Area Stage and Screen. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  15. "2009/2010 Ovation Award Winners". 17 January 2011.
  16. Jones, Chris (5 October 2015). "Equity Jeff Awards 2015: Paramount Theatre's 'Les Miserables' is a top winner". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
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