Theater News

Nathan Tysen and Arthur Perlman Awarded the 24th Annual Kleban Prizes for Musical Theatre

The honors are given each year to a lyricist and librettist who show promise in American Musical Theatre.

Nathan Tysen has been awarded the Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist.
Nathan Tysen has been awarded the Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist.
(© Cecilia Träff)

The Kleban Foundation has announced that the 24th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theater lyricist has been awarded to Nathan Tysen and the 24th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theater librettist has been awarded to Arthur Perlman. The prizes will be presented at a private ceremony on June 23, hosted by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and Broadcast Music, Inc.

The Kleban Foundation was established in 1988 under the will of Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist Edward L. Kleban (A Chorus Line). In recent years, the two annual prizes have totaled $100,000 and are payable over two years. The judges who determined the awards' recipients were Jason Danieley (Next to Normal), Colleen Jennings-Roggensack (executive director of Arizona State University Gammage and assistant vice president for cultural affairs), and Broadway cast recording executive producer and playwright Bill Rosenfield.

Previous recipients of the annual Kleban Prize include David Lindsay-Abaire (Shrek), Jason Robert Brown (The Bridges of Madison County), John Bucchino (A Catered Affair), Gretchen Cryer (I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road), Michael Korie (Grey Gardens), Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), Michael John LaChiusa (Giant), and more.

Nathan Tysen is a Brooklyn-based songwriter and performer. His musical theater work with composer Chris Miller includes lyrics for The Burnt Part Boys (2009 Lucille Lortel Nomination for Best New Musical) and Fugitive Songs (2008 Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Revue).

Arthur Perlman has written book and lyrics (with music by Jeff Lunden) for Wings, based on Arthur Kopit's play (Public Theater in New York; Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical), and Another Midsummer Night, a modern adaptation/sequel of the Shakespeare play (Goodman Theatre).