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Stephen Schwartz Toasts The Prom Tony Nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin

The songwriters’ 25-year collaboration has also included ”The Wedding Singer” and ”Elf”.

Bethany Rickwald
Broadway New York City

At a May 22 event, legendary composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) toasted 2019 Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin's 25-year collaboration and Tony Award nominations for Broadway's new musical comedy The Prom.

Stephen Flaherty, Chad Beguelin, Matthew Sklar, John Weidman, and Stephen Schwartz.
Stephen Flaherty, Chad Beguelin, Matthew Sklar, John Weidman, and Stephen Schwartz.

(photo provided by Polk & Co.)

Sklar and Beguelin met at NYU over two decades ago and together have written musicals including Broadway's The Wedding Singer and Elf, with The Prom marking their first wholly original work to make it to the Great White Way. Other Broadway luminaries on hand to celebrate the songwriters included Ragtime composer Stephen Flaherty and librettist John Weidman.

Schwartz has mentored the duo since the beginnings of their careers, and has been cheering them on ever since. After his introduction, the event featured a look through Sklar and Beguelin songbook with performances of "Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)" from Elf, performed by Beetlejuices Leslie Kritzer; "If I Told You" from The Wedding Singer, performed by Aladdin's Ainsley Melham and The Prom's Isabelle McCalla; and "We Look to You" from The Prom, performed by The Prom's Michael Potts.