Michael Stewart (playwright)

Template:Other people Template:Infobox writer Michael Stewart (August 1, 1924 – September 20, 1987) was an American playwright and dramatist, librettist, lyricist, screenwriter and novelist.

Life and career

Born Myron<ref>Mitchell Loebel, 1st cousin</ref> Stuart Rubin in Manhattan, Stewart attended Queens College, and graduated from the Yale School of Drama with a Master of Fine Arts in 1953.<ref name=times>Gerard, Jeremy. "Michael Stewart Is Dead 63; Author of Broadway Musicals" The New York Times, September 21, 1987, Section B, p.16</ref>

His early work was writing sketches for the revues The Shoestring Revue (1955),<ref>The Shoestring Revue. BroadWayWorld.com, accessed January 3, 2011</ref> The Littlest Revue (1956),<ref>The Littlest Revue. BroadWayWorld.com, accessed January 3, 2011</ref> and Shoestring '57 (1956, Barbizon-Plaza, New York).<ref>Funke, Lewis. "Theatre: 'Shoestring '57': New Revue Arrives at the Barbizon-Plaza", The New York Times, November 6, 1956, p.31</ref> He then joined the staff writers of Sid Caesar's television program, Caesar's Hour.<ref name=times />

He met Charles Strouse and Lee Adams in 1954, and several years after collaborated with them and Gower Champion on the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie.<ref name=times /> He worked again with Champion and Jerry Herman, with their musical Hello, Dolly! opening on Broadway in 1964.<ref name=times />

Stewart died on September 20, 1987, in New York City. Jule Styne said of him: "He was an extremely talented and knowledgeable man of the theater. He was one of the great musical-theater writers, and his string of hits showed that."<ref name=times /> Stewart's sister was writer Francine Pascal and brother Burt Rubin.<ref name="times" /><ref>Burt Rubin, son of William and Kate Rubin and brother to Michael Stewart. "Michael Stewart Is Dead 63; Author of Broadway Musicals", The New York Times, September 21, 1987, Section B, p.16</ref>

Theatre credits

• Candide (1959) — operetta (revisions for London production)
• Bye Bye Birdie (1960) — musical — bookwriter — Tony Award for Best Musical
• Carnival! (1961) — musical — bookwriter — Tony Nomination for Best Musical, Tony Nomination for Best Author of a Musical
• Hello, Dolly! (1964) — musical — bookwriter — Tony Award for Best Author of a Musical
• Those That Play the Clowns (1966) — play — playwright
• George M! (1968) — musical — co-bookwriter with sister Francine Pascal and her husband John Pascal
• Mack and Mabel (1974) — musical — bookwriter — Tony Nomination for Best Book of a Musical
• I Love My Wife (1977) — musical — lyricist and bookwriter — Tony Nomination for Best Original Score, Tony Nomination for Best Book of a Musical
• The Grand Tour (1979) — musical — co-bookwriter
• Barnum (1980) — musical — lyricist — Tony Nomination for Best Original Score
• 42nd Street (1980) — musical — co-bookwriter — Tony Co-Nomination for Best Book of a Musical
• Bring Back Birdie (1981) — musical — bookwriter
• Pieces of Eight (1985) — music — co-bookwriter, Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Canada and closed out of town.
• Harrigan 'n Hart (1985) — musical — bookwriter — Tony Nomination for Best Book of a Musical<ref>Rich, Frank."Stage:'Harrigan 'n Hart' Opens at the Longacre" The New York Times, February 1, 1985</ref>

External links

• Internet Broadway Database
• Template:IMDb name
• Michael Stewart papers, 1948-1987, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts