William Finn

William Alan Finn (February 28, 1952 – April 7, 2025) was an American composer and lyricist. He was best known for his musicals, which include Falsettos, for which he won the 1992 Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, A New Brain (1998), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005).

Early life

Finn was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 28, 1952.<ref name = Paulson>Template:Cite news</ref> He was Jewish,<ref>Friedman, Jonathan C."Chapter Three" Rainbow Jews:Jewish and Gay Identity in the Performing Arts, Lexington Books, 2007, Template:ISBN, p.74</ref> raised in conservative Judaism,<ref name="Tablet">Hoffman, Wayne. [1] Tablet October 26, 2016</ref> and grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, with his parents and siblings, Michael and Nancy. He attended the Temple Israel in Natick, where his rabbi was Harold Kushner. In Hebrew school, Finn wrote his first play, and said, "I don't think I ever told anyone this: The first play I ever wrote was in Hebrew. I have no idea what it was about. But it was horrible, I guarantee it. I couldn't write plays, and I couldn't really speak Hebrew, so how good could it be?"<ref name="Tablet"/> While attending Natick High School, Finn competed with the Natick Speech Team and was in the drama department headed by Gerald Dyer.<ref>Aucoin, Don. [2] Boston Globe August 19, 2016</ref> For his bar mitzvah, he received a guitar and taught himself to play.<ref name="Playbill1">Viagas, Robert. [3] Playbill February 10, 2004</ref>

He went on to attend Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, as a music major.<ref name = Paulson/> He originally entered as a guitar major, "When I got to college I kind of transferred to the piano. I transferred what I knew on the guitar to the piano. But when I was playing the guitar I was always writing my own songs — and singing a few of — I only had one book of folk songs, a blue book, of these sad, sad folk songs. ...I would start them the way they were written and then I would change them to how I wanted them.... I would just use the lyrics — re-musicalize the lyrics."<ref name="Playbill1"/> When he graduated, he received the Hutchinson Fellowship (a musical composition award).<ref>Ruhlmann, William."William Finn Biography Yahoo! Music. Retrieved August 22, 2011</ref>

Career

Finn was a heavily autobiographical writer; he always wrote his own lyrics. His topics included the gay and Jewish experiences in contemporary America, and also family, belonging, sickness, healing, and loss. According to a 2006 article, "The Washington Post called him 'the composer laureate of loss.'"<ref name=sf/>

Finn was especially noted for his work on what was to become a trilogy of short musicals Off-Broadway. In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, and Falsettoland. All of them chronicle the lives of the character Marvin; his ex-wife, Trina; his boyfriend, Whizzer; his psychiatrist, Mendel; and his son, Jason.<ref name=time>Henry, William A."The Quirky William Finn" Template:WebarchiveTime Magazine, May 11, 1992</ref> Falsettos, the combination of the latter two parts of his Marvin Trilogy (March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland), opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theater on April 29, 1992,<ref name=time/> and ran for 486 performances. It went on to garner seven nominations at the 46th Tony Awards, winning two: the 1992 Tony Award for Best Original Score as well as the 1992 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, the latter Finn shared with James Lapine.

A critically acclaimed revival opened on September 29, 2016, at the Walter Kerr Theater and went on to garner five nominations at the 71st Tony Awards, including Best Revival.

With Lapine, Finn penned a musical loosely based on his near-death experience following brain surgery, exploring the role of music in his life and recovery. The musical's main character is a man who has what may be a terminal arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Finn's longtime partner, Arthur Salvadore, is represented by the character Roger Delli-Bovi. Finn's mother is also present in the piece.<ref name=sf>Pall, Ellen."The Long-Running Musical of William Finn's Life" The New York Times, February 20, 2012</ref> That musical, A New Brain, starred Malcolm Gets, Kristin Chenoweth and Chip Zien, and premiered at the then Off-Broadway venue, the Lincoln Center Theater in 1998.<ref>Brantley, Ben."Theater Review:A Romp Through the Valley of Death"The New York Times (requires relgistration), June 19, 1998</ref> The musical won the 1999 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical. The UK premiere was at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

At the 2006 Elliot Norton Awards Ceremony, Finn brought his high school drama teacher, Gerry Dyer, onstage with him to present an award. Finn said of Dyer that he "imbued us with a ridiculous sense of our own self-worth."<ref>MacDonald, Sandy.Camp, Mays, Spamalot, et al. Win 2006 Elliot Norton Awards" theatermania.com, May 23, 2006</ref> Another student of Gerald Dyer, Alison Fraser, found fame on Broadway, collaborating with Finn in the original casts of In Trousers and March of the Falsettos.

Finn had another Broadway success with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, for which he wrote both music and lyrics. The show won two Tony Awards in 2005-one for Best Book of a Musical, and another for the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. It ran Off-Broadway, then on Broadway in 2005<ref>Isherwood, Charles."Six Misfits Test Wits on Bigger Platform"The New York Times, May 3, 2005</ref> and toured the United States in 2006. The show was first workshopped and produced at Barrington Stage Company (BSC) in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where Finn later created The Musical Theatre Lab (MTL) with BSC Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. The MTL is an annual summer lab where emerging musical theatre artists are supported and new musical works are created, originally fine-tuned and produced under the curatorship of Finn and Boyd.<ref>"Barrington Stage History, Commitment to New Work and the Musical Theatre Lab" Template:Webarchive Barrington Stage Company. Retrieved August 22, 2011</ref>

Three musical revues or song suites of Finn's music have been produced:

• Infinite Joy, in which the composer played the piano and sang along with an all-star cast, contained several songs from shows that were unfinished, and some that were cut from previous shows.
• Elegies: A Song Cycle (2003) is a series of songs the composer wrote in memoriam of loved ones now gone, and in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks.<ref>Holden, Stephen.Departed Friends Vibrantly Recalled in Song"The New York Times (requires registration), March 28, 2003</ref>
• Make Me a Song, conceived and directed by Rob Ruggiero, premiered at Hartford's Theaterworks in the summer of 2006, opened Off-Broadway in November 2007, and closed in December 2007 after 54 performances.<ref>Midgette, Anne. "A Songwriter's Gamut, Personal and Poignant With Notes in Between" The New York Times, November 21, 2007</ref> A live recording was released by Sh-K-Boom Records on April 29, 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Finn's first show was called Sizzle and was produced at Williams College in the fall of 1971. Finn wrote the music and lyrics, and his good friend, Charlie Rubin, wrote the libretto. Sizzle was the first original musical produced on the Williams College campus since Stephen Sondheim attended the college over 20 years earlier. Sizzle was a coming of age musical about college students but concluded in an unusual way with the star of the show, played by J. Tyler Griffin, Jr., dying in an electric chair. Sizzle played to packed houses. Rubin possesses a reel-to-reel tape containing excerpts from the show, including most of the music.

Finn's songs were featured exclusively on Lisa Howard's album Songs of Innocence and Experience, released on April 12, 2011.<ref>Cerasaro, Pat."SOUND OFF Special Interview: Lisa Howard on William Finn Album, TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN, and More" broadwayworld.com, April 13, 2011</ref>

The musical comedy Little Miss Sunshine, premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse, California, from February 15, 2011, through March 27, 2011. James Lapine wrote the book and was the director, set design by David Korins, staging by Lapine and Christopher Gattelli. The opening night cast featured Hunter Foster (Richard), Malcolm Gets (Frank), Dick Latessa (Grandpa), Taylor Trensch (Dwayne), Georgi James (Olive), and Jennifer Laura Thompson (Sheryl).<ref>Jones, Kenneth."Road Trip! Finn & Lapine's 'Little Miss Sunshine' Musical Begins World-Premiere Run in CA" Template:Webarchive playbill.com, February 15, 2011</ref> The ensemble, who Jay Irwin wrote "...took the small parts they were given and ran with them, almost right out of the theater as each of them brilliantly played the comedic relief to the family's "straight man"", starred Bradley Dean, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Eliseo Roman, Andrew Samonsky, Sally Wilfert, and Zakiya Young.<ref>Irwin, Jay."BWW Reviews: 'Little Miss Sunshine' at the La Jolla Playhouse" broadwayworld.com, March 26, 2010</ref>

Little Miss Sunshine began previews Off Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre in New York on October 15, 2013, and opened November 14, 2013.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Finn's frequent collaborators included librettist James Lapine, director Graciela Daniele and singers/actors Stephen Bogardus, Carolee Carmello, Stephen DeRosa, Alison Fraser, Keith Byron Kirk, Norm Lewis, Michael Rupert, Mary Testa, Christian Borle, and Chip Zien.

Finn was one of a selected few composers who contributed to the song cycle Stars of David which premiered in October 2012 at the Philadelphia Theatre Company. It is based on the Abigail Pogrebin's book Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish and starred Nancy Balbirer, Alex Brightman, Joanna Glushak, Brad Oscar, and Donna Vivino.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Finn also contributed to the Off-Broadway musical Mama & her Boys.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

His long-in-development show, The Royal Family of Broadway, with a book by Richard Greenberg, is based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, which tells the story of a girl from a family of great Broadway actors who contemplates leaving show business and getting married. It apparently had been shelved according to Finn's personal notes for Make Me a Song, Playbill magazine and an article from 2006.<ref name=sf/><ref>Jones, Kenneth."'Make Me a Song, Finn's Revue of "Heart and Music," Opens in NYC" Playbill, November 12, 2007</ref> Notwithstanding, it saw its first full production in 2018 at the Barrington Stage Company with Putnam librettist Rachel Sheinkin penning the book.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life and death

Finn was gay, and lived with his life partner, Arthur Salvadore, in New York City<ref name=guthmann>Guthmann, Edward."A playwright steeped in loss finds bliss in 'Spelling Bee'" San Francisco Chronicle, February 18, 2006</ref> and Pittsfield, Massachusetts.<ref name = Paulson/>

Finn was a member of the NYU Tisch Graduate Program in Musical Theater Writing faculty.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was the co-founder and artistic producer of the Musical Theatre Lab at the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, established in 2006.<ref>Gans, Andrew. "Barrington Stage Company Will Honor William Finn at NYC Gala" Playbill, September 20, 2016</ref>

Illness and death

In 1992, Finn suffered deteriorating vision, dizziness and partial paralysis and was rushed to the hospital. He had arteriovenous malformation, or AVM, in his brain stem. In September 1992, he had Gamma Knife surgery, which obliterated the AVM. After the surgery, Finn experienced a year of humble serenity and constantly felt like he had a "new brain." Finn's 1998 musical A New Brain is based on his experience with AVM and his subsequent successful surgery.<ref name="sf"/>

Finn died from pulmonary fibrosis at a hospital in Bennington, Vermont, on April 7, 2025, at the age of 73.<ref name = Paulson/><ref name=hall>Hall, Margaret. "Tony Winner William Finn Has Died at 73" Playbill, April 8, 2025</ref>

Writing credits

Stage

• In Trousers (1979, revised 1985) – Off-Broadway musical – composer, lyricist, writer
• March of the Falsettos (1981) – Off-Broadway musical – composer, lyricist, writer
• America Kicks Up Its Heels (1983) – Off-Broadway musical – composer, lyricist (book by Charles Rubin) – an earlier version of Romance in Hard Times
• Dangerous Games (1989) – Broadway musical – lyricist (music by Ástor Piazzolla, book by Graciela Daniele and Jim Lewis)<ref>" Dangerous Games Listing" playbillvault.com. Retrieved November 5, 2013</ref>
• Romance in Hard Times (1989, revised 2015) – Off-Broadway musical – composer, lyricist, writer
• Falsettoland (1990) – Off-Broadway musical – composer, lyricist, book by James Lapine
• Falsettos (1992) – Broadway musical – composer, lyricist, co-writer with James Lapine; includes March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland
• The Sisters Rosensweig (1993) – Broadway play – composer and lyricist for the song "Scarlet Pimpernel"
• A New Brain (1998) – Off-Broadway musical – composer, lyricist, co-writer with James Lapine
• Love's Fire (1998) – playwright, composer and lyricist for the song "Painting You"
• Muscle (2001) – O'Rourke Center for the Performing Arts, Truman College – composer (lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, book by James Lapine)<ref>Jones, Kenneth. "Lapine, Finn and Fitzhugh Flex Their Muscle June 13 – July 22 in Chi" Playbill, June 13, 2001</ref>
• Elegies: A Song Cycle (2003) – Off-Broadway revue – composer, lyricist
• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2004) – Off-Broadway musical transferred to Broadway (2005) – composer, lyricist (book by Rachel Sheinkin)
• Make Me a Song (2007) – Off-Broadway revue – composer, lyricist
• Little Miss Sunshine (2011) – La Jolla Playhouse musical and then Off-Broadway, Second Stage Theatre, (2013) – composer, lyricist (books by James Lapine)
• The Royal Family of Broadway (2018) – Barrington Stage Company (new book by Rachel Sheinkin, original book by James Lapine)

Film

• The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1997) – songs (lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, score by Alexander Janko)
• The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998) – songs (lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, score by Alexander Janko)
• The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina (2002) – composer, lyricist<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref>

Television

• "Ira Sleeps Over" (1991) – TV special, part of the series HBO Storybook Musicals – composer, lyricist
• Pokey Little Puppy's First Christmas (1992) – composer, lyricist<ref name="auto"/>
• The Emperor's Newest Clothes (2018) – HBO – composer, lyricist

Notable Songs:

• "Anytime (I Am There)"
• "The Baseball Game"
• "Change"
• "Four Jews in a Room Bitching"
• "Goodbye / Boom Boom"
• "Gordo's Law of Genetics"
• "Heart and Music"
• "Holding to the Ground"
• "How Marvin Eats His Breakfast"
• "I'd Rather Be Sailing"
• "I Have Found"
• "The I Love You Song"
• "Infinite Joy"
• "Just Go"
• "Monica and Mark"
• "The Music Still Plays On"
• "Republicans"
• "Set Those Sails"
• "Song of Innocence and Experience"
• "Unlikely Lovers"
• "What More Can I Say?"
• "What Would I Do?"
• "When the Earth Stopped Turning"
• "Whizzer Going Down"

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result
1991	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Music	Falsettoland	Template:Won
		Outstanding Lyrics		Template:Won
1992	Tony Award	Best Book of a Musical	Falsettos	Template:Won
		Best Original Score		Template:Won
1999	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding New Musical	A New Brain	Template:Nom
		Outstanding Book of a Musical		Template:Nom
		Outstanding Music		Template:Nom
		Outstanding Lyrics		Template:Nom
2005	Tony Award	Best Original Score	The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee	Template:Nom
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Music		Template:Nom
		Outstanding Lyrics		Template:Nom

See also

• List of people with brain tumors

External links

• William Finn at the Internet Off Broadway Database
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• MusicalTalk Interview with, and discussion on William Finn.
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