Scott Wittman

Scott Wittman (born November 16, 1954) is an American director, lyricist, composer and writer for Broadway, concerts, and television.

Scott Wittman
Scott Wittman in 2012.
Born (1954-11-16) November 16, 1954
Occupationdirector, lyricist, composer, writer

Life and career

Wittman was raised in Nanuet, New York, graduated from Nanuet Senior High School in 1972 and attended Emerson College in Boston for two years before leaving to pursue a career in musical theatre in New York City. While directing a show for a Greenwich Village club he met songwriter and composer Marc Shaiman, and the two became collaborators and professional partners. While Shaiman wrote for television shows, including Saturday Night Live, Wittman directed concerts for such artists as Bette Midler, Christine Ebersole, Raquel Welch, Dame Edna Everage, and Lypsinka, among others.[1]

In 2002, Shaiman and Wittman wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Hairspray, which won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics, the Tony Award for Best Original Score,[2] and a Grammy Award. In addition to Hairspray, Wittman conceived, wrote lyrics for, and directed Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me and conceived and directed Matters of the Heart, a solo concert by Patti LuPone in 2000.[3]

Shaiman and Wittman worked on Catch Me If You Can, a musical adaptation of the 2002 Steven Spielberg film, together with Terrence McNally.[4] The musical opened on Broadway in April 2011.[5] They again worked together on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical.[6]

In 2011, Hairspray was performed at Nanuet Senior High School, where Wittman attended high school.

In 2013, Wittman and Marc Shaiman co-wrote the score for Bombshell, a musical about Marilyn Monroe within the context of the NBC television show Smash.[7] A soundtrack was released later that same year.

Wittman and Shaiman collaborated in 2018 on Mary Poppins Returns where Wittman wrote the lyrics for nine of the tracks listed.[8] He and Shaiman were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song "The Place Where Lost Things Go".

References

  1. Shaiman, Marc (b. 1959), and Scott Wittman (b. 1955) Archived 2007-02-12 at the Wayback Machine. GLBTQ.com.
  2. "2003". Tony Awards. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  3. Simonson, Robert. "LuPone Packs Up Her Heart as Concert Gig Closes at LCT, Dec. 17" playbill.com, December 15, 2000
  4. "Girls, Girls, Girls!". New York. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  5. Hetrick, Adam. "Wheels Up: 'Catch Me If You Can', Starring Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz, Opens On Broadway" playbill.com, April 10, 2011
  6. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to open in West End". BBC. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  7. Robinson, Mark. "'Bombshell's Bringing Her Back! But Is Marilyn Monroe Meant for the Stage?" playbill.com, August 22, 2015
  8. Roberts, Maddy Shaw. "Who composed the ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ soundtrack – and what are the songs?" Cassicfm.com. 27 December 2018.
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