John Bucchino Receives First Fred Ebb Award
at the Fred Ebb Award reception
(Photo © www.johnbucchino.com)
John Bucchino, the composer of such popular songs as “Sweet Dreams” and “Grateful” and the one-act musical “Lavender Girl,” received the inaugural Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theater songwriters at a star-studded reception on November 29 at the Roundabout’s American Airlines Theater. The award, presented by the Fred Ebb Foundation, includes a $50,000 cash prize, left by the late lyricist, and a Steuben Glass bowl. Bucchino was chosen from 391 applicants from around the world.
On hand to offer their congratulations were Harvey Fierstein (who is collaborating with Bucchino on the musical A Catered Affair), Harold Prince and daughter Daisy Prince, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, Karen Ziemba, Brent Barrett, Andrea Marcovicci, Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso, Julie Gold, Stephen Flaherty, and Steve Ross.
The ceremony began with a heartfelt speech by John Kander, Ebb’s longtime songwriting partner. “In addition to Fred’s enormous contribution to musical theater, he left behind this incredible financial encouragement to those who want to follow in his footsteps — and we all know they’re mighty big footsteps,” said Kander. He was followed by Mitchell Bernard, Ebb’s nephew and a Foundation trustee; director Scott Ellis; and lyricist Sheldon Harnick. (Ellis and Harnick were on the panel that chose Bucchino for the award.)
The award was presented to Bucchino by the legendary Chita Rivera, who starred in such Kander and Ebb shows as Chicago, The Rink, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. “Freddie lives in me, and he wants to drive me crazy and keep me in my place for the rest of my life — which is fine with me,” said Rivera with a laugh. “We all know how much Freddie loved to win awards — especially those with money attached.”
In his acceptance speech, Bucchino — who pointed out that he had never met Ebb — thanked theater giants Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim for encouraging him early in his career. He said that the money would allow him to focus on writing A Catered Affair (an adaptation of the 1957 film The Catered Affair, which starred Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, and Debbie Reynolds) and to work on It’s Only Life, a revue of his songs that was performed at the Summer Play Festival and will be presented on January 27 as part of Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. However, Bucchino remarked that he won’t be giving up his day job as a pianist in building lobbies. “I am not going to sit around all day eating bonbons,” he joked.
