Burt Shevelove

Burt Shevelove (September 19, 1915 - April 8, 1982) was an American musical theater playwright, lyricist, librettist, and director. Born in Newark, New Jersey, he graduated from Brown University and Yale (Master's degree). After serving as a volunteer ambulance driver in WWII, he began working as a writer, director and producer for radio and television. At the time of his death he had lived in London for many years. ^[1]

His Broadway career started in 1948 with writing material, co-producing and directing for the revue Small Wonder. ^[2] Among his successes were A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and No, No, Nanette, for which he won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical.

Work

Libretti

• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum 1962, revived 1972, 1996
• No, No, Nanette revisions made in 1971, from an original libretto by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel
• The Frogs adapted from Aristophanes' play in 1974; in 2004 Nathan Lane further adapted Shevelove's libretto for the work's Broadway premiere
• Happy New Year 1980
• Jerome Robbins' Broadway 1989; used some of Shevelove's Forum text

Directing

• Small Wonder (1948)
• Hallelujah, Baby! (1967)
• Rockefeller and the Red Indians (1968)
• No, No, Nanette (1971)
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1972)
• Sondheim: A Musical Tribute (1973)
• June Moon (1974 PBS production)
• Rodgers & Hart (1975)
• So Long, 174th Street (1976)
• Happy New Year 1980

Lyrics

• Small Wonder 1948

References

1. ^ Carol Lawson (9 April 1982). "Burt Shevelove Writer, 66, and Director, Dies". The New York Times. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30814FF385D0C7A8CDDAD0894DA484D81. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 
2. ^ Toby Simkin. "Author Biography: Burt Shevelove". Music Theatre International. http://www.mtishows.com/bio.asp?bID=3240. Retrieved 2008-06-14. 

External links

• Burt Shevelove at the Internet Broadway Database
• Burt Shevelove at the Internet Movie Database
• Sondheim Guide listing
• Sondheim interview