Adam Guettel: Difference between revisions

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m Removed reference to Arthur Laurents as Adam Guettel's godfather. Guettel's mother, Mary Rodgers Guettel notes on pg. 317 of her memoir, Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers: "Though it would be a while before Miss Moffat got buried in the piano bench, Adam Arthur Guettel was born that December. The "Arthur" part requires an explanation, because the horrible Mr. Laurents later called himself Adam's godfather and middle-namesake. Neither claim is true.".
 
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{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
| name         = Adam Guettel
| name             = Adam Guettel
| image       =  
| image             = Adam Guettel (cropped).jpg
| caption     =  
| caption           =  
| birth_name   =
| birth_name       =  
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age |1964|12|16}}
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age |1964|12|16}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S.
| birth_place       = [[New York City]], U.S.
| genre       = [[Musical theatre]]
| genre             = [[Musical theatre]]
| occupation   = [[Composer]], [[lyricist]]
| occupation       = [[Composer]], [[lyricist]]
| years_active = 1996–present
| years_active     = 1996–present
| label       = [[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch]] / [[Elektra Records]]
| label             = [[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch]] / [[Elektra Records]]
| website          = {{URL|adamguettel.com}}
}}
}}


'''Adam Guettel''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|ɛ|t|əl}}; born December 16, 1964) is an American [[composer]]-[[lyricist]] of [[musical theater]] and [[opera]]. Born into a musical theater family, he is the son of [[Mary Rodgers]] and the grandson of [[Richard Rodgers]]. Guettel has received two [[Tony Awards]] and two [[Drama Desk Awards]].  
'''Adam Guettel''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|ɛ|t|əl}}; born December 16, 1964) is an American [[composer]]-[[lyricist]] of [[musical theater]] and [[opera]]. Guettel has written the Broadway musicals [[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|''The Light in the Piazza'']] (2005), ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]'' (2023), and ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' (2025). Guettel has received two [[Tony Awards]] and two [[Drama Desk Awards]].


Guettel attended [[Yale University]] where he met future frequent collaborator [[Tina Landau]]. He established himself as a composer writing the music and lyrics to the historical musical ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' which premiered [[off Broadway]] in 1996 and made its [[Broadway (theater)|Broadway]] debut in 2025. For his musical romance ''[[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' (2005) he won two Tony Awards for [[Tony Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] and [[Tony Award for Best Orchestrations|Best Orchestrations]]. He was also Tony-nominated for his work on the [[Aaron Sorkin]] play ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird (2018 play)|To Kill a Mockingbird]]'' (2019) and for his musical ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]'' (2024).
As a composer and lyricist, Guettel has earned acclaim and numerous accolades, including two [[Tony Awards]], two [[Drama Desk Awards]], The Stephen Sondheim Award, the [[Richard Rodgers Awards for Musical Theater|Richard Rodgers Award]], and the [[Dramatists Guild|Frederick Loewe Award]].


==Early life, family, and education ==
==Early life, family, and education ==
[[File:Rodgers.jpg|thumb|right|Adam Guettel is the grandson of composer [[Richard Rodgers]]]]  
[[File:Rodgers.jpg|thumb|right|Adam Guettel is the grandson of composer [[Richard Rodgers]]]]  
Guettel was born on December 16, 1964, to film executive Henry Guettel and writer/composer [[Mary Rodgers]], daughter of famed composer Richard Rodgers, and was raised on the [[Upper West Side]] of [[New York City]]. He performed as a [[boy soprano]] soloist in operas including ''[[Pelléas et Mélisande (opera)|Pelléas et Mélisande]]'' and ''[[The Magic Flute]]'', both at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] and the [[New York City Opera]], and in another production of ''Pelléas'' with the [[Santa Fe Opera]]. He was also slated to play Amahl in the film remake of [[Gian Carlo Menotti]]'s "[[Amahl and the Night Visitors]]". Guettel played bass guitar in rock groups, but felt he wasn't good enough at the instrument, and that even if he was "even a bass solo is not that satisfying. It is like putting a sail on a car."<ref name="comp">{{cite news |last=Green |first=Jesse |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/magazine/a-complicated-gift.html?pagewanted=all |title= A Complicated Gift | work = [[The New York Times]] | date= 2003-07-06 | access-date = 2009-03-24}}</ref> Soon, turning to musical theatre composition, he was mentored by [[Stephen Sondheim]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TofC3KD-h8M |title=The Art of Songwriting with Stephen Sondheim and Adam Guettel |date=2020-04-28 |last=Dramatists Guild Foundation |access-date=2024-09-07 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Guettel recalled how as a 14-year-old boy he showed Sondheim his work. Guettel was "crestfallen" since he had come in "sort of all puffed up thinking [he] would be rained with compliments and things", which was not the case since Sondheim had some "very direct things to say". Later, Sondheim wrote and apologized to Guettel for being "not very encouraging" when he was actually trying to be "constructive". Years later, Sondheim included Guettel's song "The Riddle Song" from ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' on his list of "songs he wished he'd written".{{cn|date=June 2025}}
Guettel was born on December 16, 1964. Guettel is the son of composer, author and [[Juilliard School]] chairman [[Mary Rodgers]], who died on June 26, 2014, and grandson of legendary musical theater composer [[Richard Rodgers]]. His father, Henry Guettel (died October 7, 2013), was a film executive<ref>{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Steve |date=1999-06-08 |title=From ''Floyd'' to Florence, with ''Saturn'' in Between: Adam Guettel Keeps Changing Chords |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/from-floyd-to-florence-with-saturn-in-between-adam-guettel-keeps-changing-chords-com-101335 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=[[Playbill]]}}</ref> and was the executive director of the [[Theatre Development Fund]].<ref>{{cite news |date=1992-02-20 |title=TKTS to Begin Experiment With 2-Tier Price Discounts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/20/theater/tkts-to-begin-experiment-with-2-tier-price-discounts.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He was raised on the [[Upper West Side]] of [[New York City]]. Despite his mother starting her career writing musicals, Rodgers had moved on to [[Freaky Friday (franchise)|novels]] by the time Guettel was born, making music uncommon in his childhood home.


Guettel is the son of composer, author and [[Juilliard School]] chairman [[Mary Rodgers]], who died on June 26, 2014, and grandson of legendary musical theater composer [[Richard Rodgers]]. His father, Henry Guettel (died October 7, 2013), was a film executive<ref>{{cite news|last=Cohen |first=Steve |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/from-floyd-to-florence-with-saturn-in-between-adam-guettel-keeps-changing-chords-com-101335 |title=From ''Floyd'' to Florence, with ''Saturn'' in Between: Adam Guettel Keeps Changing Chords |website=[[Playbill]] |date=1999-06-08 |access-date=2022-03-15}}</ref> and was the executive director of the [[Theatre Development Fund]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/20/theater/tkts-to-begin-experiment-with-2-tier-price-discounts.html |title=TKTS to Begin Experiment With 2-Tier Price Discounts|date=1992-02-20| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> When Guettel took up music composition in his mid-teens, he was encouraged by his family.  His mother said that she offered him advice for around a year. "After that, he was so far beyond anything I could ever have dreamed of, I just backed off."<ref name="comp" /> Richard Rodgers, who died when Guettel was 15, overheard an early composition, said he liked it, and asked him to play it louder.  Guettel has qualified the compliment, noting that "He was literally on his deathbed on the other side of the living-room wall."<ref name = "comp"/> In his high school and collegiate years and into his early twenties, Guettel worked as a rock and jazz musician, singing and playing bass, before realizing "that writing for character and telling stories through music was something that I really loved to do, and that allowed me to express love".<ref>{{cite news |last=DeFoe |first=Ryan |url = http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/boston/boston5.html |title=An Interview with Adam Guettel |website = Talkin' Broadway |date=2001-02-12 |access-date= 2009-03-25}}</ref>
Guettel has four siblings, Nina Beaty, Kim Beaty, Tod Beaty, and Alec Guettel. Alec "strayed away from anything artistic".<ref name=":4" /> Guettel's brother, Matthew, died at age three of [[asthma]]—Guettel's LLC is called Matthew Music.


Guettel attended [[Phillips Exeter Academy]], School Year Abroad (SYA France) and [[Interlochen Center for the Arts]]. He attended Yale University, where he met frequent collaborator [[Tina Landau]]. Guettel wrote a song for a revue Landau was directing, the first of many collaborations between the pair.<ref name="latimes.com">{{Cite web |title= Unearthing One Man&#x27;s Purgatory : The creators behind &#x27;Floyd Collins&#x27; tap into the dark side of American musicals for the tale of a man buried alive and the ensuing media circus. - Los Angeles Times|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-feb-14-ca-7890-story.html}}</ref> While at Yale, Guettel took time off from school to work as [[John Mauceri]]'s assistant and the DX7 consultant on the broadway musical ''[[Song and Dance]].''
He began performing as a [[boy soprano]] soloist in operas including ''[[Pelléas et Mélisande (opera)|Pelléas et Mélisande]]'' and ''[[The Magic Flute]]'', both at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] and the [[New York City Opera]], and in another production of ''Pelléas'' with the [[Santa Fe Opera]]. He was also slated to play Amahl in the film remake of [[Gian Carlo Menotti]]'s ''[[Amahl and the Night Visitors]]''. After Guettel's voice changed, it "became a very light, high tenor", ending his boy soprano career.<ref name=":2" />
 
Guettel played bass guitar in rock groups, but felt he wasn't good enough at the instrument, and that even if he was "even a bass solo is not that satisfying. It is like putting a sail on a car."<ref name="comp">{{cite news |last=Green |first=Jesse |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/magazine/a-complicated-gift.html?pagewanted=all |title= A Complicated Gift | work = [[The New York Times]] | date= 2003-07-06 | access-date = 2009-03-24}}</ref> For a short time, Guettel expected he would become an actor, "like any American boy in the '80s", but gave up after auditioning for a production of ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' and being told that he acted like a "cancer patient" by director Jay Harnick.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nevins |first=Jake |date=2025-04-25 |title=Adam Guettel Tells Jesse Eisenberg How He Wrote the Season's Most Ambitious Musical |url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/theater/adam-guettel-tells-jesse-eisenberg-how-he-wrote-the-seasons-most-ambitious-musical |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=Interview Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> In his collegiate years and into his early twenties, Guettel worked as a rock and jazz musician, singing and playing bass, before realizing "that writing for character and telling stories through music was something that I really loved to do, and that allowed me to express love".<ref name=":2">{{cite news |last=DeFoe |first=Ryan |date=2001-02-12 |title=An Interview with Adam Guettel |url=http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/boston/boston5.html |access-date=2009-03-25 |website=Talkin' Broadway}}</ref>
 
=== Mentorship by Stephen Sondheim and Mary Rodgers ===
[[File:Danya Polykov and Stephen Sondheim, 04.2014, NYC (cropped).jpg|thumb|Guettel was mentored and influenced by composer [[Stephen Sondheim]]]]
Soon, turning to musical theatre composition, he was mentored by [[Stephen Sondheim]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TofC3KD-h8M |title=The Art of Songwriting with Stephen Sondheim and Adam Guettel |date=2020-04-28 |last=Dramatists Guild Foundation |access-date=2024-09-07 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Guettel recalled how as a 14-year-old boy he showed Sondheim his work. Guettel was "crestfallen" since he had come in "sort of all puffed up thinking [he] would be rained with compliments and things", which was not the case since Sondheim had some "very direct things to say". Later, Sondheim wrote and apologized to Guettel for being "not very encouraging" when he was actually trying to be "constructive". He assured the 14-year-old Guettel that he thought him to be "literate, intelligent, and talented", and told him to "keep writing, because that's what we all do".<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Silverman |first=Stephen M |title=Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy}}</ref> Years later, Sondheim included Guettel's song "The Riddle Song" from ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' on his list of "songs he wished he'd written".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Cait |date=2021-11-29 |title=Sondheim at the Library: A Friendship with "Steve" {{!}} In The Muse |url=https://blogs.loc.gov/music/2021/11/sondheim-at-the-library-a-friendship-with-steve |access-date=2025-09-04 |website=The Library of Congress}}</ref> Guettel credits Sondheim with his focus on clarity as the central rule in his writing. In September 2009, Guettel and Sondheim "broke down the art of songwriting" in an hour-long interview for the Dramatists Guild of America.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DGF Video: The Art of Songwriting with Stephen Sondheim and Adam Guettel {{!}} Dramatists Guild |url=https://www.dramatistsguild.com/video/dgf-video-art-songwriting-stephen-sondheim-and-adam-guettel |access-date=2025-11-26 |website=www.dramatistsguild.com |language=en}}</ref> After Sondheim's passing, Guettel wrote the "last word" for the Library of Congress's magazine on his work.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-02 |title=Adam Guettel |url=https://lcm.loc.gov/issue/september-october-2025/adam-guettel/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |website=Library of Congress |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
When Guettel took up music composition in his mid-teens, he was encouraged by his family. This came with harsh criticism from his mother, a Broadway composer herself: "That's a lazy melody. Those harmonies are boring. I’ve heard that before. You can't end a song like that. You have to bring us home." Guettel recalled that "she was unforgiving, and in that way, she was the best teacher ever. The stakes were high, and she knew exactly what she was talking about."
 
His mother said that she offered him advice for around a year. "After that, he was so far beyond anything I could ever have dreamed of, I just backed off."<ref name="comp" /> Richard Rodgers, who died when Guettel was 15, overheard an early composition, said he liked it, and asked him to play it louder. Guettel has qualified the compliment, noting that "He was literally on his deathbed on the other side of the living-room wall."<ref name="comp" /> Guettel has said that his grandfather's work as a composer has afforded him enough money to choose "weird topics" for musicals, and to take his time completing them.
 
=== Education ===
Guettel attended [[Phillips Exeter Academy]], School Year Abroad (SYA France) and [[Interlochen Center for the Arts]]. He attended Yale University, where he met frequent collaborator [[Tina Landau]]. Guettel wrote a song for a revue Landau was directing, the first of many collaborations between the pair.<ref name="latimes.com">{{Cite web |title= Unearthing One Man&#x27;s Purgatory : The creators behind &#x27;Floyd Collins&#x27; tap into the dark side of American musicals for the tale of a man buried alive and the ensuing media circus. - Los Angeles Times|website= [[Los Angeles Times]]|date= 14 February 1999|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-feb-14-ca-7890-story.html}}</ref> While at Yale, Guettel took time off from school to work as [[John Mauceri]]'s assistant and the DX7 consultant on the Broadway musical ''[[Song and Dance]].''
 
When Guettel was eighteen, he began writing a one-act opera adaptation of ''[[The Butter Battle Book]]''. He had been given an "early go-ahead" by the [[Dr. Seuss|Geisel]] estate, but the rights were taken away in favor of a [[Marvin Hamlisch]] adaptation which never materialized.


== Career ==
== Career ==
=== 1987–1999: Early work and ''Floyd Collins'' ===
=== 1987–1999: Early work and ''Floyd Collins'' ===
After graduating from Yale University in 1987, Guettel's first major project was the score of ''The Legend of Oedipus'', a retelling of the story of [[Oedipus]] directed by [[Nikos Psacharopoulos]], head of the [[Williamstown Theatre Festival|Williamstown Theater Festival]]. Guettel and Landau collaborated on an adaptation of ''[[A Christmas Carol]]'' produced by [[Trinity Repertory Company]] in Providence, Rhode Island 1989. According to Guettel, the production was a difficult experience. He recalls breaking his pencil point "about 45 times" during a run-through, taking notes on his problems with the way his score was being done. When Guettel told the musical director they needed more rehearsal time, they replied that there was no time. Guettel was "furious" and started punching a wall in the back of the theater, breaking his hand and wrist in three places.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/article/A-moment-with-Adam-Guettel-musical-composer-1116687.php|title=A moment with ... Adam Guettel, musical composer|date=June 9, 2003}}</ref> Guettel said this experience taught him that he must "let go" to be a strong collaborator. Marjoree Samoff, producing director of the [[American Music Theater Festival]] saw the show and commissioned Guettel and Landau to write a new piece together.<ref name="latimes.com"/>


Landau began to search for a subject for the two to work on. "The Spark" came when Landau and Guettel discovered a 1976 ''[[American Heritage (magazine)|American Heritage]]'' article titled "Dark Carnival", a recounting of the story of [[Floyd Collins]]. Guettel claims his fascination with Collins' story came from a personal link. "This is right when I'm starting my career in musical theatre with Richard Rodgers as my Grandfather... I think I was writing it, on some level, to process the likelihood that I wouldn't match his career, to answer if there's nobility in failing at something noble" <ref>{{Cite web|title=Floyd Collins' Upcoming Broadway Debut Isn't About Why Now—It's Why Always |url=https://playbill.com/article/floyd-collins-upcoming-broadway-debut-isnt-about-why-now-its-why-always|author=Logan Culwell-Block|date=
==== Post-college work ====
After graduating from Yale University in 1987, Guettel's first major project was the score of ''The Legend of Oedipus'', a retelling of the story of [[Oedipus]] directed by [[Nikos Psacharopoulos]], head of the [[Williamstown Theatre Festival|Williamstown Theater Festival]]. Guettel and Landau collaborated on an adaptation of ''[[A Christmas Carol]]'' produced by [[Trinity Repertory Company]] in Providence, Rhode Island 1989. According to Guettel, the production was a difficult experience. He recalls breaking his pencil point "about 45 times" during a run-through, taking notes on his problems with the way his score was being done. When Guettel told the musical director they needed more rehearsal time, they replied that there was no time. Guettel was "furious" and started punching a wall in the back of the theater, breaking his hand and wrist in three places.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/article/A-moment-with-Adam-Guettel-musical-composer-1116687.php|title=A moment with ... Adam Guettel, musical composer|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=June 9, 2003}}</ref> In the adaptation, Guettel used the original Dickens text as the lyrics. Fellow composer [[Ricky Ian Gordon]] wrote that there was a song in the show where the character, Belle, sings to Scrooge "I release you with a full heart for the love of him you once were", which made Gordon "almost burst into tears".<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Gordon |first=Ricky Ian |title=Seeing Through}}</ref> Guettel said this experience taught him that he must "let go" to be a strong collaborator. Marjoree Samoff, producing director of the [[American Music Theater Festival]] saw the show and commissioned Guettel and Landau to write a new piece together.<ref name="latimes.com"/>
 
==== ''Floyd Collins'' ====
[[File:Floydcollins.jpg|thumb|Floyd Collins]]
Landau began to search for a subject for the two to work on. "The spark" came when Landau and Guettel discovered a 1976 ''[[American Heritage (magazine)|American Heritage]]'' article titled "Dark Carnival", a recounting of the story of [[Floyd Collins]]. Guettel claims his fascination with Collins' story came from a personal link. "This is right when I'm starting my career in musical theatre with Richard Rodgers as my Grandfather... I think I was writing it, on some level, to process the likelihood that I wouldn't match his career, to answer if there's nobility in failing at something noble" <ref>{{Cite web|title=Floyd Collins' Upcoming Broadway Debut Isn't About Why Now—It's Why Always |url=https://playbill.com/article/floyd-collins-upcoming-broadway-debut-isnt-about-why-now-its-why-always|author=Logan Culwell-Block|date=
February 6, 2025}}</ref> Guettel adds that his confidence in the idea came from his mentor Stephen Sondheim believing it was good idea for a musical. Sondheim was a fan of [[Ace in the Hole (1951 film)|''Ace in the Hole'']], a film loosely based on Collins' story and said it's a "fun idea for a show". ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' was originally staged at the [[American Music Theater Festival]] in Philadelphia, in 1994, in a workshop where Guettel not only wrote the music and lyrics, but also starred as Floyd's brother, Homer.<ref>{{Cite news |title=THEATER;How a Media Circus In 1925 Wound Up As a Musical Today |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/25/theater/theater-how-a-media-circus-in-1925-wound-up-as-a-musical-today.html?searchResultPosition=3 |date=1996-02-25 |access-date=2024-10-04 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> On the subject of adapting the true story of Floyd Collins, Guettel stated "We're true to the spirit of the story, but we are circling it for the most dramatic angle". The musical opened at [[Playwrights Horizons]] on February 9, 1996. In ''[[The New York Times]]'' review of the show, critic [[Ben Brantley]] noted "Mr. Guettel establishes himself as a young composer of strength and sophistication, weaving strands from the Americana of [[Aaron Copland|Copland]] and the uneasy dissonance of Sondheim". Later, Guettel would say that it was his time working on ''Floyd'' which made him certain that he would spend his life writing music for the theatre.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=floyd collins reunion - Google Search |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=floyd+collins+reunion#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:fd6809f0,vid:X9cdRFAEEao,st:0 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.google.com}}</ref>
February 6, 2025}}</ref> Guettel adds that his confidence in the idea came from his mentor Stephen Sondheim believing it was good idea for a musical. Sondheim was a fan of [[Ace in the Hole (1951 film)|''Ace in the Hole'']], a film loosely based on Collins' story and said it's a "fun idea for a show". ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' was originally staged at the [[American Music Theater Festival]] in Philadelphia, in 1994, in a workshop where Guettel not only wrote the music and lyrics, but also starred as Floyd's brother, Homer.<ref>{{Cite news |title=THEATER;How a Media Circus In 1925 Wound Up As a Musical Today |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/25/theater/theater-how-a-media-circus-in-1925-wound-up-as-a-musical-today.html?searchResultPosition=3 |date=1996-02-25 |access-date=2024-10-04 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> On the subject of adapting the true story of Floyd Collins, Guettel stated "We're true to the spirit of the story, but we are circling it for the most dramatic angle". The musical opened at [[Playwrights Horizons]] on February 9, 1996. In ''[[The New York Times]]'' review of the show, critic [[Ben Brantley]] noted "Mr. Guettel establishes himself as a young composer of strength and sophistication, weaving strands from the Americana of [[Aaron Copland|Copland]] and the uneasy dissonance of Sondheim". Later, Guettel would say that it was his time working on ''Floyd'' which made him certain that he would spend his life writing music for the theatre.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=floyd collins reunion - Google Search |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=floyd+collins+reunion#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:fd6809f0,vid:X9cdRFAEEao,st:0 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.google.com}}</ref>


The second project he developed with Landau and Sperling was a song cycle titled ''Saturn Returns'' (recorded as ''[[Myths and Hymns]]''). The piece musicalizes pieces of mythology, including the stories of [[Hero and Leander]], [[Icarus]], [[Medusa]], as well as classic hymns. Discussing its genesis, Guettel stated "I had been writing these myths just because I was just starting out as a writer, and you don't know what to write. I did stuff that was tried and true. That was enough to keep me busy. Then I came across this book in an old antique shop... And it was just the words to a bunch of hymns... For some reason out of this Upper West Side Jew comes all of this music to these hymn lyrics". At first, Guettel was adapting the hymns and myths as separate projects, until Landau suggested they would work well together. "And we realized in some ways that the hymns are who we would have ourselves be, and the myths are basically who we are, and that they can kind of antiphonally talk to each other", said Guettel, in a 2021 ''New York Times'' interview on the online [[MasterVoices]] production of the piece.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barone |first=Joshua |date=2021-05-25 |title='Myths and Hymns,' a Theater Cult Favorite, Changes Shape Again |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/theater/myths-and-hymns-mastervoices.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230630191545/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/theater/myths-and-hymns-mastervoices.html |archive-date=2023-06-30 |access-date=2024-10-11 |work=The new York Times}}</ref> The piece was performed at [[The Public Theater]] and was later recorded by [[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch records]] with performances by [[Billy Porter]], [[Mandy Patinkin]], [[Kristin Chenoweth]], and Guettel himself.
==== ''Saturn Returns/Myths & Hymns'' ====
The second project he developed with Landau and Sperling was a song cycle titled ''Saturn Returns'' (recorded as ''[[Myths and Hymns]]''). The piece musicalizes pieces of mythology, including the stories of [[Hero and Leander]], [[Icarus]], [[Medusa]], as well as classic hymns. Discussing its genesis, Guettel stated "I had been writing these myths just because I was just starting out as a writer, and you don't know what to write. I did stuff that was tried and true. That was enough to keep me busy. Then I came across this book in an old antique shop... And it was just the words to a bunch of hymns... For some reason out of this Upper West Side Jew comes all of this music to these hymn lyrics". At first, Guettel was adapting the hymns and myths as separate projects, until Landau suggested they would work well together. "And we realized in some ways that the hymns are who we would have ourselves be, and the myths are basically who we are, and that they can kind of antiphonally talk to each other", said Guettel, in a 2021 ''New York Times'' interview on the online [[MasterVoices]] production of the piece.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barone |first=Joshua |date=2021-05-25 |title='Myths and Hymns,' a Theater Cult Favorite, Changes Shape Again |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/theater/myths-and-hymns-mastervoices.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230630191545/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/theater/myths-and-hymns-mastervoices.html |archive-date=2023-06-30 |access-date=2024-10-11 |work=The new York Times}}</ref> The piece was performed at [[The Public Theater]] and was later recorded by [[Nonesuch Records]] with performances by [[Billy Porter]], [[Mandy Patinkin]], [[Kristin Chenoweth]], and Guettel himself.
 
==== Collaboration with Audra McDonald, incidental music, and concert work ====
Guettel has written bespoke songs, including several songs throughout [[Audra McDonald]]'s discography. Her 1998 album ''Way Back to Paradise'' includes his songs "Come to Jesus" (from ''[[Myths and Hymns]]''), "A Tragic Story", "Baby Moon" and "The Allure of Silence". Her [[How Glory Goes|2000 album]]'s namesake is the closing number of ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'', "How Glory Goes", and also includes "Was That You". Her 2006 album is named after his song "Build a Bridge" and also includes "Dividing Day" (from ''The Light in the Piazza''). Her 2018 album ''Sing Happy'' includes "March is a Windy Month" (from ''[[Millions (musical)|Millions]]''). In 2003, it was announced that Guettel would be writing a new piece for McDonald which would have opened [[Carnegie Hall]]'s [[Zankel Hall]],<ref>{{Cite news |author=Andrew Gans |date=April 4, 2003 |title=Audra McDonald Sings New Guettel Work at Carnegie Hall in 2004 |url=https://playbill.com/article/audra-mcdonald-sings-new-guettel-work-at-carnegie-hall-in-2004-com-112465}}</ref> but this piece never came to fruition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tommasini |first=Anthony |date=2004-06-04 |title=MUSIC REVIEW; Catching a Broadway Star On a Fast Concert Furlough |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/04/movies/music-review-catching-a-broadway-star-on-a-fast-concert-furlough.html |access-date=2025-03-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>


=== 2000–2020: ''The Light at the Piazza'' and other work ===
In addition to writing music and lyrics for musical theatre, Guettel has written [[incidental music]] for plays such as ''Lydie Breeze'' (2000), as well as film scores. In summer 2007, Guettel composed incidental music for a production of [[Anton Chekhov]]'s play ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'' at the [[Intiman Playhouse]] in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Ernio |date=2007-06-12 |title=Samantha Mathis Stars in Lucas' New ''Uncle Vanya'' — with Music by Guettel — Beginning June 12 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/samantha-mathis-stars-in-lucas-new-uncle-vanya-with-music-by-guettel-beginning-june-12-com-141426 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=[[Playbill]]}}</ref>
In addition to writing music and lyrics for musical theatre, Guettel has written [[incidental music]] for plays such as ''Lydie Breeze'' (2000), as well as film scores. In summer 2007, Guettel composed incidental music for a production of [[Anton Chekhov]]'s play ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'' at the [[Intiman Playhouse]] in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Ernio |date=2007-06-12 |title=Samantha Mathis Stars in Lucas' New ''Uncle Vanya'' — with Music by Guettel — Beginning June 12 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/samantha-mathis-stars-in-lucas-new-uncle-vanya-with-music-by-guettel-beginning-june-12-com-141426 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=[[Playbill]]}}</ref>


Guettel has written bespoke songs, including several songs throughout [[Audra McDonald]]'s discography. Her 1998 album ''Way Back to Paradise'' includes his songs "Come to Jesus" (from ''[[Myths and Hymns]]''), "A Tragic Story", "Baby Moon" and "The Allure of Silence". Her [[How Glory Goes|2000 album]]'s namesake is the closing number of ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'', "How Glory Goes", and also includes "Was That You". Her 2006 album is named after his song "Build a Bridge" and also includes "Dividing Day" (from ''The Light in the Piazza''). Her 2018 album, ''Sing Happy'' includes "March is a Windy Month" (from ''[[Millions (musical)|Millions]]''). In 2003, it was announced that Guettel would be writing a new piece for McDonald which would have opened [[Carnegie Hall]]'s [[Zankel Hall]],<ref>{{Cite news |title=Audra McDonald Sings New Guettel Work at Carnegie Hall in 2004 |url=https://playbill.com/article/audra-mcdonald-sings-new-guettel-work-at-carnegie-hall-in-2004-com-112465|author=Andrew Gans|date=April 4, 2003}}</ref> but this piece never came to fruition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tommasini |first=Anthony |date=2004-06-04 |title=MUSIC REVIEW; Catching a Broadway Star On a Fast Concert Furlough |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/04/movies/music-review-catching-a-broadway-star-on-a-fast-concert-furlough.html |access-date=2025-03-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
In 1999, Guettel performed a concert evening of his own work at New York's [[Town Hall]] with guests such as [[Kristin Chenoweth]], Audra McDonald, [[Billy Porter]], [[Jubilant Sykes]] and Theresa McCarthy. At first, Guettel resisted doing this concert at all, believing that his work had been heard enough in New York City, and he wanted to focus on writing something new, rather than having songs he had already written performed. It was Robert Hurwitz, the president of [[Nonesuch Records]] at the time, who insisted Guettel do the concert. Guettel has also contributed original scores to several documentary films, including ''Arguing the World'' and ''Jack: The Last Kennedy Film''. In 2004, Guettel contributed vocals to [[Jessica Molaskey]]'s [[P.S. Classics]] album ''[[Make Believe (Molaskey)|Make Believe]]'', dueting with Molaskey on his grandfather's song "Glad To Be Unhappy". Guettel also sang on albums by [[Ricky Ian Gordon]], [[John Bucchino|John Buccino]], and starred opposite [[Meryl Streep]] in the short film ''The Music of Regret'', singing several songs as a [[ventriloquist dummy]]. In 2001, he was set to sing as Charles on a studio recording of [[Evening Primrose (ABC Stage 67)|''Evening Primrose'']]. Guettel was beginning to write ''The Light in the Piazza'', saying "bells were ringing, and things were starting to come out of me", and wanted to focus on his own work, rather than his mentor Sondheim's. Guettel was told by the producer of the album that it would not be a problem if he left the project, and that they would replace him with [[Neil Patrick Harris]]. After Guettel quit, he opened his mailbox to find a "withering" letter from Sondheim. They quickly reconciled. From then on, Guettel would primarily work as a composer/lyricist.<ref name=":3" />


In 1999, Guettel performed a concert evening of his own work at New York's [[Town Hall]] with guests such as [[Kristin Chenoweth]], Audra McDonald, [[Billy Porter]], [[Jubilant Sykes]] and Theresa McCarthy. At first, Guettel resisted doing this concert at all, believing that his work had been heard enough in New York City, and he wanted to focus on writing something new, rather than having songs he had already written performed. It was Robert Hurwitz, the president of [[Nonesuch Records]] at the time, who insisted Guettel do the concert. Guettel has also contributed original scores to several documentary films, including ''Arguing the World'' and ''Jack: The Last Kennedy Film''. In 2004, Guettel contributed vocals to [[Jessica Molaskey]]'s [[P.S. Classics]] album ''[[Make Believe (Molaskey)|Make Believe]]'', dueting with Molaskey on his grandfather's song "Glad To Be Unhappy".
=== 2005–2020: ''The Light at the Piazza'', ''The Princess Bride'', and other work ===


After ''Floyd Collins,'' Guettel reportedly hoped to work on a love story. [[Mary Rodgers|His mother]] suggested an adaptation that she had once pitched to [[Richard Rodgers|her father]], ''[[The Light in the Piazza (novel)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' by [[Elizabeth Spencer (writer)|Elizabeth Spencer]]. After six years working on the project,<ref name="comp" /> [[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|Guettel's musical ''The Light in the Piazza'']] opened on Broadway in 2005. The show, which starred [[Victoria Clark]] and [[Kelli O'Hara]], met with mixed critical notices, but on June 5, 2005, Adam Guettel won the [[Tony Award for Best Original Score]] and the [[Tony Award for Best Orchestrations]]. He spent much of the period from 2005 to 2007 working on a musical adaptation of ''[[The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride]]'' with original screenwriter [[William Goldman]].  As of January 2007, Guettel had written the music for ten songs for the project.  An orchestral suite from the score was performed at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2006, and [[Lincoln Center]] conducted a workshop of ''Bride'' in January 2007.  The project was abandoned when Goldman reportedly demanded 75 percent of the author's share, even though Guettel was writing both the music and the lyrics.<ref>{{cite news |last=Riedel |first=Michael |url= https://nypost.com/2007/02/16/bride-not-to-be/ |title='Bride' Not to Be While Broderick Balks at 'Producers' | work = The [[New York Post]] |date=2007-02-16 |access-date= 2015-06-03}}</ref>
==== ''The Light in the Piazza'' ====
After ''Floyd Collins,'' Guettel reportedly hoped to work on a love story. [[Mary Rodgers|His mother]] suggested an adaptation that she had once pitched to [[Richard Rodgers|her father]], ''[[The Light in the Piazza (novel)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' by [[Elizabeth Spencer (writer)|Elizabeth Spencer]]. Guettel worked on the project for 6 years, working with several book-writers, including Arthur Laurents and [[Alfred Uhry]].<ref name="comp" /> According to Guettel, he and Uhry did not "get a lot done" together. Soon after, Guettel received a fellowship from [[Sundance Film Festival|Sundance]], eventually leading to his collaboration with bookwriter [[Craig Lucas]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title= Boston - "An Interview with Adam Guettel" - 2/12/01|url=https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/boston/boston5.html}}</ref> At the Sundance Theatre Laboratory in 2002, Lucas and Guettel collaborated with director [[Michael Greif]]. Greif did not continue with the project, but would reunite with Guettel and Lucas nearly 20 years later, on [[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|''Days of Wine and Roses'']].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Feldman |first=Adam |title=Broadway Q&A: Hell's Kitchen director Michael Greif |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/broadway-q-a-hells-kitchen-director-michael-greif-061024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708164354/https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/broadway-q-a-hells-kitchen-director-michael-greif-061024 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |access-date=2025-09-10 |work=Time Out New York |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Kelli O'Hara]] also joined the project at Sundance, originally playing the role of Franca. ''[[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' went on to make its world premiere production at Seattle's [[Intiman Theatre|Intiman Theater]], where Lucas also directed the piece. Guettel asked the theater to not mention [[Richard Rodgers|his grandfather]] in the advertising material.<ref name="comp" /> [[Bartlett Sher]] eventually replaced Lucas as director.
 
Guettel co-orchestrated the musical with Ted Sperling and [[Bruce Coughlin]].  ''The Light in the Piazza'' opened on Broadway in 2005. The show, which starred [[Victoria Clark]] and [[Kelli O'Hara]], met with mixed critical notices, but on June 5, 2005, Adam Guettel won the [[Tony Award for Best Original Score]] and the [[Tony Award for Best Orchestrations]]. The show was filmed for and aired on [[PBS]].
 
==== ''The Princess Bride'' and ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' ====
He spent much of the period from 2005 to 2007 working on a musical adaptation of ''[[The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride]]'' with original screenwriter [[William Goldman]].  As of January 2007, Guettel had written the music for ten songs for the project.  An orchestral suite from the score was performed at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2006, and [[Lincoln Center]] conducted a workshop of ''Bride'' in January 2007.  The project was abandoned when Goldman reportedly demanded 75 percent of the author's share, even though Guettel was writing both the music and the lyrics.<ref>{{cite news |last=Riedel |first=Michael |url= https://nypost.com/2007/02/16/bride-not-to-be/ |title='Bride' Not to Be While Broderick Balks at 'Producers' | work = The [[New York Post]] |date=2007-02-16 |access-date= 2015-06-03}}</ref>
 
Despite this major blow, Guettel recalls thinking "I'm not going to give up, I don't care. I'm just not going to."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2002 |title='I know where I'm Going!' |url=https://doi.org/10.5040/9781838712891.ch-001 |journal=I Know Where I'm Going! |doi=10.5040/9781838712891.ch-001 |isbn=978-1-83871-289-1 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>


In July 2009, the [[Signature Theatre (Arlington, Virginia)|Signature Theatre]] of [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington, Virginia]], commissioned Guettel to write a new musical for their 2011–2012 season, under the auspices of their American Musical Voices Project.<ref>{{Citation | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101128061522/http://sig-online.org/press_releases/2009/Guettel_AMVP_7-17-09.pdf | archive-date = 2010-11-28 | url = http://sig-online.org/press_releases/2009/Guettel_AMVP_7-17-09.pdf | title = Signature theatre announces three new musical commissions and two awards as part of "American musical voices project" | publisher = Sig}}</ref> This would reportedly be a musical adaptation of the [[Danny Boyle]] film [[Millions (2004 film)|''Millions'']]. Other projects in development included an opera based on the short stories of [[Washington Irving]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Seeking the Human Spirit : Houston Grand Opera |url=https://www.houstongrandopera.org/you-at-the-opera/Musings/HGO-Announces-Six-Year-Initiative/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210044455/https://www.houstongrandopera.org/you-at-the-opera/Musings/HGO-Announces-Six-Year-Initiative/ |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |access-date=2019-02-09 |website=Houstongrandopera.org}}</ref>
In July 2009, the [[Signature Theatre (Arlington, Virginia)|Signature Theatre]] of [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington, Virginia]], commissioned Guettel to write a new musical for their 2011–2012 season, under the auspices of their American Musical Voices Project.<ref>{{Citation | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101128061522/http://sig-online.org/press_releases/2009/Guettel_AMVP_7-17-09.pdf | archive-date = 2010-11-28 | url = http://sig-online.org/press_releases/2009/Guettel_AMVP_7-17-09.pdf | title = Signature theatre announces three new musical commissions and two awards as part of "American musical voices project" | publisher = Sig}}</ref> This would reportedly be a musical adaptation of the [[Danny Boyle]] film [[Millions (2004 film)|''Millions'']]. Other projects in development included an opera based on the short stories of [[Washington Irving]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Seeking the Human Spirit : Houston Grand Opera |url=https://www.houstongrandopera.org/you-at-the-opera/Musings/HGO-Announces-Six-Year-Initiative/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210044455/https://www.houstongrandopera.org/you-at-the-opera/Musings/HGO-Announces-Six-Year-Initiative/ |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |access-date=2019-02-09 |website=Houstongrandopera.org}}</ref>
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Guettel wrote the original score for the original Broadway production of the play ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird (2018 play)|To Kill a Mockingbird]]'' (2018), for which he received a [[Tony Award]] nomination.
Guettel wrote the original score for the original Broadway production of the play ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird (2018 play)|To Kill a Mockingbird]]'' (2018), for which he received a [[Tony Award]] nomination.


Another major aspect of Guettel's career is his work as a teacher. Since 1995, he has taught masterclasses and seminars in musical theatre performance and songwriting, considering this to be an important complement to his work as a composer. He has led such classes at [[DePauw University]], [[DePaul University]], [[New York University]], [[Pace University]], [[Harvard University]], [[Yale University]], [[Princeton University]], [[Emerson College]], [[Elon University]], [[The Boston Conservatory]], [[Southern Methodist University]], [[Syracuse University]], [[Wagner College]] and many others.
=== 2020–present: Return to Broadway ===
 
==== ''Days of Wine and Roses'' ====
The idea to adapt [[JP Miller|J.P Miller's]] [[Days of Wine and Roses (film)|''Days of Wine and Roses'']] into a [[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|musical]] came to Guettel twenty years before it came to Broadway. He was working on ''The Light in the Piazza'' with [[Kelli O'Hara]], when they began formulating an idea for a "weird dark opera" adaptation of Miller's story. Guettel and eventual bookwriter [[Craig Lucas]], had both struggled with alcoholism, which they say informed the development of the piece.
[[File:Days of Wine and Roses (1962 poster).jpg|thumb]]
When he began writing it, Guettel received criticism from friends who did not believe such a tragic tale should be musicalized. "My response was, 'Well, [[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street|Sweeney Todd]] wasn't exactly someone you had over for Sunday brunch.'" The piece became centered around O'Hara as Kirsten Arnesen, the role made famous by [[Lee Remick]], and Brian d'Arcy James, who worked with Guettel on ''Floyd Collins'' and ''Myths and Hymns'', as Joe Clay, the role made famous by [[Jack Lemmon]].
 
Despite the show having an ensemble, Guettel chose to only have the central couple and their daughter sing. "For me, it was the most important piece that I’ve ever done in that sense that I could really sculpt this for these two great artists," Guettel said.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ryzik |first1=Melena |date=2024-01-22 |title=How 'Days of Wine and Roses' Became Their Passion Project (Published 2024) |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/22/theater/kelli-ohara-days-of-wine-and-roses-broadway.html |access-date=2025-09-06 |language=en}}</ref>
 
In January 2023, [[Atlantic Theater Company]] announced an eight-week world premiere production of [[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Guettel's adaptation]] of ''Days of Wine and Roses,'' with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Guettel, book by Craig Lucas (Guettel's collaborator on ''The Light in the Piazza,'' almost 20 years previously), and direction by [[Michael Greif]]. The production starred [[Kelli O'Hara]] and [[Brian d'Arcy James|Brian D'Arcy James]] and was the first full production of a new musical by Guettel since ''Piazza.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Days of Wine and Roses |url=https://atlantictheater.org/production/days-of-wine-and-roses/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Atlantic Theater Company |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Part-time Vermont resident Adam Guettel brings 'Days of Wine and Roses' to Broadway |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/arts/2024/01/05/days-of-wine-and-roses-vermont-adam-guettel-broadway-musical/72088182007/ |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=Burlington Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Days of Wine and Roses'' moved to Broadway, premiering on January 6, 2024, for a 16-week run.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collins-Hughes |first=Laura |date=28 January 2024 |title='Days of Wine and Roses' Review: Romance on the Rocks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/28/theater/days-of-wine-and-roses-review-broadway.html |website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES Will Transfer to Broadway January 2024 |url=https://www.theatrely.com/post/days-of-wine-and-roses-will-transfer-to-broadway-january-2024#:~:text=Days%20of%20Wine%20and%20Roses,%20adapted%20from%20the%201962%20film,28,%202024%20at%20Studio%2054. |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=www.theatrely.com |language=en}}</ref>
 
==== ''Millions'' ====
Shortly after ''Days of Wine and Roses'' closed on Broadway, it was announced that Guettel's musical ''[[Millions (musical)|Millions]]'' would make its world premiere at the [[Alliance Theatre|Alliance Theater]]. The production was directed by Guettel's longtime collaborator, [[Bartlett Sher]], with a book by [[Bob Martin (comedian)|Bob Martin]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Culwell-Block |first=Logan |date=April 25, 2024 |title=Adam Guettel Musical Millions Sets World Premiere at Atlanta's Alliance |url=https://playbill.com/article/adam-guettel-musical-millions-sets-world-premiere-at-atlantas-alliance |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Playbill}}</ref> The musical is based on the [[Millions (2004 film)|Danny Boyle film of the same name]], which Guettel saw as "a wonderful movie with a huge heart. Some of the important characters are a little bit underwritten and under-realized – which is always a good thing for those of us who want to adapt to the stage". Guettel was attracted to the movie's combination of "soft and hard" elements. When Guettel first began writing the piece, in 2014, his mother died, connecting him to the plot of the piece, which centers around the loss of a mother. Guettel said he believes ''Millions'' is at its best "when that membrane between what's terrestrial and celestial starts to become penetrable". The show received mixed-positive reviews during its out of town tryout.
 
==== ''Floyd Collins'' on Broadway ====
[[File:Bartlett Sher (34375705122).jpg|thumb|Guettel has collaborated with [[Bartlett Sher]] on [[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|''The Light in the Piazza'']], The unmade ''[[The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride]]'' musical, [[To Kill a Mockingbird (2018 play)|''To Kill a Mockingbird'']], and [[Millions (musical)|''Millions'']]. ]]
In June 2024, it was announced that ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' would come to Broadway as a part of [[Vivian Beaumont Theater|Lincoln Center Theater]]'s 40th Anniversary season. Plans to revisit the piece had been years in the making, with Landau saying she and Guettel were "never really done" with the piece. Guettel and Landau did a rewrite of the show, with many of the "colloquialisms" being taken out of the book, as well as changes on a deeper level. These rewrites included a new version of the song "And She'd Have Blue Eyes", with Guettel writing a second half to the song, which was sung by [[Jeremy Jordan (actor, born 1984)|Jeremy Jordan]] in this production. Guettel additionally made changes to the songs "'Tween a Rock", "Lucky", "Daybreak", and "The Riddle Song". Many of the songs also got new titles to match the Guettel and Landau's vision. The aeformentioned "Tween a Rock" was originally "Tween a Rock an' a hard place", and "Git Comfortable" was renamed "Get Comfortable". The duo also moved the [[aria]], "It Moves", from the beginning of the show to the middle of act two.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Culwell-Block |first=Logan |title=Floyd Collins' Upcoming Broadway Debut Isn't About Why Now—It's Why Always |url=https://playbill.com/article/floyd-collins-upcoming-broadway-debut-isnt-about-why-now-its-why-always}}</ref>
 
Guettel and Landau were nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for this production. A [[cast recording]] was made by Center Stage Records. Guettel co-produced the record with Lawrence Manchester and Ted Sperling. The album charted in 19 countries, reaching 21 on the [[ITunes]] charts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Itunes Charts |title= |url=https://www.itunescharts.net/artists/music/adam-guettel/albums/floyd-collins-original-broadway-cast-recording}}</ref>
 
==== Teaching ====
Another major aspect of Guettel's career is his work as a teacher. Since 1995, he has taught masterclasses and seminars in musical theatre performance and songwriting, considering this to be an important complement to his work as a composer. He has led such classes at [[DePauw University]], [[DePaul University]], [[New York University]], [[Pace University]], [[Harvard University]], [[Yale University]], [[Princeton University]], [[Emerson College]], [[Elon University]], [[The Boston Conservatory]], [[Southern Methodist University]], [[Syracuse University]], [[Wagner College]] and many others. Guettel also teaches singers privately, as well as leading masterclasses at his home studio. Guettel has led two voice masterclasses with [[National Association of Teachers of Singing|NATS]], one in 2023 and one in 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adam Guettel Performance Class {{!}} National Association of Teachers of Singing |url=https://www.nats.org/guettel.html |access-date=2025-10-27 |website=www.nats.org |language=en}}</ref> and co-taught a masterclass with Craig Carnelia at his home studio in 2024.


Guettel received an honorary doctorate from [[Lehman College]] in 2007, and was made an honorary member of the [[Royal Academy of Music]] in 2019.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.adamguettel.com/about-4 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=Adam Guettel |language=en}}</ref> He is a founding board member of Vermonters for a Clean Environment.
Guettel received an honorary doctorate from [[Lehman College]] in 2007, and was made an honorary member of the [[Royal Academy of Music]] in 2019.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.adamguettel.com/about-4 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=Adam Guettel |language=en}}</ref> He is a founding board member of Vermonters for a Clean Environment.


=== 2020–present: Return to musicals ===
== Style and influences ==
In January 2023, [[Atlantic Theater Company]] announced an eight-week world premiere production of [[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Guettel's adaptation]] of ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (film)|Days of Wine and Roses]],'' with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Guettel, book by Craig Lucas (Guettel's collaborator on ''The Light in the Piazza,'' almost 20 years previously), and direction by [[Michael Greif]]. The production starred [[Kelli O'Hara]] and [[Brian d'Arcy James|Brian D'Arcy James]] and was the first full production of a new musical by Guettel since ''Piazza.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Days of Wine and Roses |url=https://atlantictheater.org/production/days-of-wine-and-roses/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Atlantic Theater Company |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Part-time Vermont resident Adam Guettel brings 'Days of Wine and Roses' to Broadway |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/arts/2024/01/05/days-of-wine-and-roses-vermont-adam-guettel-broadway-musical/72088182007/ |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=Burlington Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Days of Wine and Roses'' moved to Broadway, premiering on January 6, 2024, for a 16-week run.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collins-Hughes |first=Laura |date=28 January 2024 |title='Days of Wine and Roses' Review: Romance on the Rocks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/28/theater/days-of-wine-and-roses-review-broadway.html |website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES Will Transfer to Broadway January 2024 |url=https://www.theatrely.com/post/days-of-wine-and-roses-will-transfer-to-broadway-january-2024#:~:text=Days%20of%20Wine%20and%20Roses,%20adapted%20from%20the%201962%20film,28,%202024%20at%20Studio%2054. |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=www.theatrely.com |language=en}}</ref>
Early on, Guettel's music was almost immediately characterized by its complexity and chromaticism. Early in his career, when asked about his approach to music, Guettel stated "to me, harmony is a continuum from Gregorian stricture to atonal chaos. And my music obviously lands somewhere in between there and occasionally accesses either pole. To me harmony is just a way of creating emotional syntax in songwriting or in music making, or in storytelling with music. Emotional syntax for me comes through harmony. Harmony as an emotional tool, I think, is predominately a tonal thing, as far as how it effects the listener. And dissonance is another color, it's another thing that is emotionally useful."<ref name=":5" />


Shortly after ''Days of Wine and Roses'' closed on Broadway, it was announced that Guettel's musical ''[[Millions (musical)|Millions]]'' would make its world premiere at the [[Alliance Theatre|Alliance Theater]]. The production will be directed by Guettel's longtime collaborator, [[Bartlett Sher]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Culwell-Block |first=Logan |date=April 25, 2024 |title=Adam Guettel Musical Millions Sets World Premiere at Atlanta's Alliance |url=https://playbill.com/article/adam-guettel-musical-millions-sets-world-premiere-at-atlantas-alliance |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Playbill}}</ref>
His major influences include [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Maurice Ravel]], [[Claude Debussy]], [[Benjamin Britten]], and [[Stevie Wonder]]. [[Stephen Sondheim]] has referred to Guettel's work as "dazzling."<ref name="rich">{{cite news |last=Rich |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Rich |date=2000-03-12 |title=Conversations With Sondheim |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/12/magazine/conversations-with-sondheim.html |access-date=2007-01-17 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> In an interview, Guettel stated a portion of his influences that included [[I. M. Pei]], [[Louis Kahn]], [[Vincent Scully]], [[Jane Jacobs]], [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Adam de la Halle]], [[Harry Nilsson]], [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]], [[Björk]], [[Erich Wolfgang Korngold]], [[Benjamin Britten]], [[William Inge]], Stephen Sondheim, [[Jody Williams]], and [[Marvin Gaye]].<ref>{{cite web |last=James |first=Erin |title=A Quick Chat With Adam Guettel |url=https://www.aussietheatre.com.au/features/20-questions/a-quick-chat-with-adam-guettel |website=AussieTheatre.com |date=2013-06-03}}</ref>


In June 2024, it was announced that ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' would come to Broadway as a part of [[Vivian Beaumont Theater|Lincoln Center Theater]]'s 40th Anniversary season. Guettel was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for this production.
== Discography ==
Guettel has had a lengthy recording career. He began the career as a session musician, playing bass on the records ''Duke Ellington's Pousse-Cafe, Ellis Larkin Plays,'' and the original Broadway cast recording of [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]]'s ''[[Song and Dance]].'' Since then, he has moved on to producing. He has produced the original Broadway cast albums of the two most recent productions of his own musicals, ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]'' and ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'', as well as producing the 2025 Broadway Cast Recording of ''[[Once Upon a Mattress]].''


== Recording work ==
=== Composer/lyricist ===
Guettel has had a lengthy recording career. He began the career as a session musician, playing bass on the records ''Duke Ellington's Pousse-Cafe, Ellis Larkin Plays,'' and the original broadway cast recording of [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]]'s ''[[Song and Dance]].'' Since then, he has moved on to producing. He has produced the original broadway cast albums of the two most recent productions of his own musicals, ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]'' and ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'', as well as producing the 2025 Broadway Cast Recording of ''[[Once Upon a Mattress]].''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1997
|''Floyd Collins: Original Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist/Guitar
|
|-
|1998
|''Audra McDonald: Way Back to Paradise''
|Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
|
|-
|1999
|''Myths and Hymns-Original Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
|
|-
|2000
|''Audra McDonald: How Glory Goes''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2000
|''Billie Stritch: Jazz Live''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2001
|''Stars and the Moon: Betty Buckley Live at the Donmar''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2002
|''Jack Donahue: Lighthouse''
|Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
|
|-
|2005
|''Billy Porter: At the Corner of Broadway + Soul''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2005
|''The Light in the Piazza: Original Broadway Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist
|Also sings on bonus tracks: "Dividing Day (Demo)" and "Love to Me (Demo)"
|-
|2006
|''Audra McDonald: Build a Bridge''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2007
|''David Burnham''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2007
|''Victoria Clark: Fifteen Seconds of Grace''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2007
|''Lauren Kennedy: Here and Now''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2007
|''Kelli O'Hara: Wonder in the World''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2008
|''John Treacy Egan: Count the Stards''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2009
|''Robyn North: Make Believe''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2011
|''Kelli O'Hara: Always''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2013
|''Judy Kuhn: All This Happiness''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2013
|''Audra McDonald: Go Back Home''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2017
|''Bob Mundy: Love to Me''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2018
|''Renee Fleming: Broadway''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2018
|''Audra McDonald: Sing Happy''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|-
|2023
|''Days of Wine and Roses: Original Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist/Producer
|
|-
|2025
|''Floyd Collins: Original Broadway Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist
|
|}


== Style and influences ==
=== Vocalist ===
Early on, Guettel's music was almost immediately characterized by its complexity and chromaticism. His major influences include [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Maurice Ravel]], [[Claude Debussy]], [[Benjamin Britten]], and [[Stevie Wonder]]. [[Stephen Sondheim]] has referred to Guettel's work as "dazzling."<ref name="rich">{{cite news |last=Rich |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Rich |date=2000-03-12 |title=Conversations With Sondheim |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/12/magazine/conversations-with-sondheim.html |access-date=2007-01-17 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> In an interview, Guettel stated a portion of his influences that included [[I. M. Pei]], [[Louis Kahn]], [[Vincent Scully]], [[Jane Jacobs]], [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Adam de la Halle]], [[Harry Nilsson]], [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]], [[Björk]], [[Erich Wolfgang Korngold]], [[Benjamin Britten]], [[William Inge]], [[Stephen Sondheim]], [[Jody Williams]], and [[Marvin Gaye]].<ref>{{cite web |last=James |first=Erin |title=A Quick Chat With Adam Guettel |url=https://www.aussietheatre.com.au/features/20-questions/a-quick-chat-with-adam-guettel |website=AussieTheatre.com |date=2013-06-03}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1998
|''Audra McDonald: Way Back to Paradise''
|Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
|
|-
|1999
|''Myths and Hymns: Original Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
|
|-
|2000
|''Grateful: The Songs of [[John Bucchino]]''
|Vocalist
|
|-
|2001
|''Bright Eyed Joy: The Songs of [[Ricky Ian Gordon]]''
|Vocalist
|
|-
|2002
|''Jack Donahue: Lighthouse''
|Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
|
|-
|2004
|''Jessica Molaskey: Make Believe''
|Vocalist
|
|-
|2005
|''Michael Feinstein Presents: B.J. Ward Sings Marshall Barer''
|Vocalist/Vocal Engineer
|
|-
|2005
|''The Light in the Piazza: Original Broadway Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist
|Also sings on bonus tracks: "Dividing Day (Demo)" and "Love to Me (Demo)"
|}
 
=== Producer ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2023
|''Days of Wine and Roses: Original Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist/Producer
|Co-Produced with [[Lawrence Manchester]] and Jamie Lawrence
|-
|2025
|''[[Once Upon a Mattress]]: Broadway Cast Recording''
|Producer
|Co-Produced with [[Lawrence Manchester]], [[Amy Sherman-Palladino|Amy Sherman Palladino]], Mary-Mitchell Cambell, and Jenny Gersten
|-
|2025
|''Floyd Collins: Original Broadway Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist
|Co-Produced with [[Lawrence Manchester]] and [[Ted Sperling]]
|}
 
=== Instrumentalist/other ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1985
|''Song & Dance: Original Broadway Cast Recording''
|Bassist
|Assisted John Mauceri on the Broadway Production
|-
|1992
|''Ridiculous Theatrical Company 25th Anniversary''
|Engineer
|
|-
|1992
|''Duke Ellington's Pousse-Cafe''
|Bassist
|
|-
|1994
|''Ellis Larkin Plays''
|Bassist
|
|-
|1997
|''Floyd Collins: Original Cast Recording''
|Composer/Lyricist/Guitar
|
|-
|2005
|''Michael Feinstein Presents: B.J. Ward Sings Marshall Barer''
|Vocalist/Vocal Engineer
|
|}


== Major works ==
== Major works ==
=== Theatre ===
'''Music and lyrics '''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Venue
! Ref.
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' || [[Playwrights Horizons]], [[Off-Broadway]]<br>[[Vivian Beaumont Theater]], Broadway (2025)|| <ref>{{Cite web |title=Floyd Collins |url=http://www.iobdb.com/production/523 |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=www.iobdb.com}}</ref>
|-
| 1998 || ''[[Myths and Hymns]]'' (aka ''Saturn Returns'') || [[The Public Theater]] ||
|-
| 2005 || ''[[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' || [[Vivian Beaumont Theater]], Broadway<br>[[New York City Center]] (2023) || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Photos of London's The Light in the Piazza Starring Renée Fleming and Dove Cameron &#124; Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/article/photos-of-londons-the-light-in-the-piazza-starring-renee-fleming-and-dove-cameron}}</ref>                 
|-
| 2006 || ''[[The Princess Bride (film)#Adaptations|The Princess Bride]]'' || [[Hollywood Bowl]]|| <ref>{{Cite web |title=Suite from Guettel's Princess Bride to Be Part of Hollywood Bowl Concerts &#124; Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/article/suite-from-guettels-princess-bride-to-be-part-of-hollywood-bowl-concerts-com-132184}}</ref>                             
|-
| 2024 || ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]'' || [[Studio 54]], Broadway ||
|-
| 2025 || ''[[Millions (musical)|Millions]]'' || [[Alliance Theatre]]|| <ref>{{Cite web |title=Adam Guettel Musical Millions Sets World Premiere at Atlanta's Alliance &#124; Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/article/adam-guettel-musical-millions-sets-world-premiere-at-atlantas-alliance}}</ref>
|-
|}
=== Film ===
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 75: Line 385:
|-
|-
| 1997 || ''Arguing the World'' || Composer || [[PBS]] Documentary  
| 1997 || ''Arguing the World'' || Composer || [[PBS]] Documentary  
|-
| 2011 || ''The Legacy Project: In Conversation with Stephen Sondheim''|| Himself || [[Dramatists Guild Foundation]] Documentary
|-
|-
| 2016 || ''[[Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened]]'' || Himself || Documentary  
| 2016 || ''[[Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened]]'' || Himself || Documentary  
Line 90: Line 402:
| 2006 || ''[[Live from Lincoln Center]]'' || Composer || Episode: "[[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|The Light in the Piazza]]"
| 2006 || ''[[Live from Lincoln Center]]'' || Composer || Episode: "[[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|The Light in the Piazza]]"
|-
|-
| 2006 || The Music of Regret || Singer || Short film starring [[Meryl Streep]].
| 2006 || ''The Music of Regret''|| Singer || Short film starring [[Meryl Streep]]  
|-
|-
|2011
|2011
Line 96: Line 408:
|Composer
|Composer
|Television movie
|Television movie
|}
=== Theater ===
'''Music and lyrics '''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Venue
! Ref.
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' || [[Playwrights Horizons]], [[Off-Broadway]]<br>[[Vivian Beaumont Theater]], Broadway (2025)|| <ref>{{Cite web |title=Floyd Collins |url=http://www.iobdb.com/production/523 |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=www.iobdb.com}}</ref>
|-
| 1998 || ''[[Myths and Hymns]]'' (aka ''Saturn Returns'') || [[The Public Theater]] ||
|-
| 2005 || ''[[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' || [[Vivian Beaumont Theater]], Broadway<br>[[New York City Center]] (2023) || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/photos-of-londons-the-light-in-the-piazza-starring-renee-fleming-and-dove-cameron|title=Photos of London's The Light in the Piazza Starring Renée Fleming and Dove Cameron &#124; Playbill}}</ref>                 
|-
| 2006 || ''[[The Princess Bride (film)#Adaptations|The Princess Bride]]'' || [[Hollywood Bowl]]|| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/suite-from-guettels-princess-bride-to-be-part-of-hollywood-bowl-concerts-com-132184|title=Suite from Guettel's Princess Bride to Be Part of Hollywood Bowl Concerts &#124; Playbill}}</ref>                             
|-
| 2024 || ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]'' || [[Studio 54]], Broadway ||
|-
| 2025 || ''[[Millions (musical)|Millions]]'' || [[Alliance Theatre]]|| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/adam-guettel-musical-millions-sets-world-premiere-at-atlantas-alliance|title=Adam Guettel Musical Millions Sets World Premiere at Atlanta's Alliance &#124; Playbill}}</ref>
|-
|}
|}


'''Other projects'''
'''Other projects'''
* An album of ''[[Myths and Hymns]]'' was recorded featuring [[Mandy Patinkin]], [[Kristin Chenoweth]], and [[Billy Porter]]. A virtual production was mounted by MasterVoices in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saturn Returns: A Concert |url=http://www.iobdb.com/Production/280 |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=www.iobdb.com}}</ref>
* After contractual negotiations for ''The Princess Bride'' failed between Guettel and Goldman, the show was scrapped.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Riedel |first=Michael |date=2007-02-16 |title='BRIDE' NOT TO BE |url=https://nypost.com/2007/02/16/bride-not-to-be/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>                             
* After contractual negotiations for ''The Princess Bride'' failed between Guettel and Goldman, the show was scrapped.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Riedel |first=Michael |date=2007-02-16 |title='BRIDE' NOT TO BE |url=https://nypost.com/2007/02/16/bride-not-to-be/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>                             
* Guettel has also been reported to be working on several other pieces, including an opera based on the works of [[Washington Irving]] and a musical based on H. G. Wells's ''[[The Invisible Man]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hetrick  |first=Adam |date=2012-02-06 |title=Adam Guettel's New Musical Projects Include The Invisible Man, Days of Wine and Roses and More |url=https://playbill.com/article/adam-guettels-new-musical-projects-include-the-invisible-man-days-of-wine-and-roses-and-more-com-187207 |access-date=2024-10-11 |work=Playbill}}</ref>
* Guettel has also been reported to be working on several other pieces, including an opera based on the works of [[Washington Irving]] and a musical based on H. G. Wells's ''[[The Invisible Man]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hetrick  |first=Adam |date=2012-02-06 |title=Adam Guettel's New Musical Projects Include The Invisible Man, Days of Wine and Roses and More |url=https://playbill.com/article/adam-guettels-new-musical-projects-include-the-invisible-man-days-of-wine-and-roses-and-more-com-187207 |access-date=2024-10-11 |work=Playbill}}</ref>


== Awards and nominations ==  
== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
Line 146: Line 434:
|2025
|2025
|Best Revival of a Musical
|Best Revival of a Musical
|[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]  
|[[Floyd Collins (musical)|''Floyd Collins'']]
|Nominated
|{{nom}}
|
|
|-
|-
Line 154: Line 442:
| [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations|Outstanding Orchestrations]]|| {{nom}}  
| [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations|Outstanding Orchestrations]]|| {{nom}}  
|-
|-
|rowspan=2|2005 || Outstanding Music || rowspan=2|''The Light in the Piazza'' || {{won}} || rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|2005 || Outstanding Music || rowspan=2|''[[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' || {{won}} || rowspan=2|
|-
|-
| [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics|Outstanding Lyrics]]|| {{won}}  
| [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics|Outstanding Lyrics]]|| {{won}}  
|-
|-
|rowspan=2|2024 || rowspan=2|[[Outer Critics Circle Awards]] || Outstanding Score || rowspan=2|''Days of Wine and Roses'' || {{nom}} || rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|2024 || rowspan=2|[[Outer Critics Circle Awards]] || Outstanding Score || rowspan=2|''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]'' || {{nom}} || rowspan=2|
|-
|-
| Outstanding Orchestrations || {{nom}}
| Outstanding Orchestrations || {{nom}}
|-
|-
|1990
|Stephen Sondheim Award
|
|
|{{won}}
|
|-
|1997
|[[ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award|ASCAP New Horizons Award]]
|
|
|{{won}}
|
|-
|2005
|The American Composers Orchestra Award
|
|
|{{won}}
|
|-
|2024
|The Frederick Loewe Award
|Achievement in a Theatrical Score
|''[[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Days of Wine and Roses]]''
|{{won}}
|
|}
|}



Latest revision as of 21:54, 4 December 2025

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Adam Guettel (Template:IPAc-en; born December 16, 1964) is an American composer-lyricist of musical theater and opera. Guettel has written the Broadway musicals The Light in the Piazza (2005), Days of Wine and Roses (2023), and Floyd Collins (2025). Guettel has received two Tony Awards and two Drama Desk Awards.

As a composer and lyricist, Guettel has earned acclaim and numerous accolades, including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, The Stephen Sondheim Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, and the Frederick Loewe Award.

Early life, family, and education

File:Rodgers.jpg
Adam Guettel is the grandson of composer Richard Rodgers

Guettel was born on December 16, 1964. Guettel is the son of composer, author and Juilliard School chairman Mary Rodgers, who died on June 26, 2014, and grandson of legendary musical theater composer Richard Rodgers. His father, Henry Guettel (died October 7, 2013), was a film executive[1] and was the executive director of the Theatre Development Fund.[2] He was raised on the Upper West Side of New York City. Despite his mother starting her career writing musicals, Rodgers had moved on to novels by the time Guettel was born, making music uncommon in his childhood home.

Guettel has four siblings, Nina Beaty, Kim Beaty, Tod Beaty, and Alec Guettel. Alec "strayed away from anything artistic".[3] Guettel's brother, Matthew, died at age three of asthma—Guettel's LLC is called Matthew Music.

He began performing as a boy soprano soloist in operas including Pelléas et Mélisande and The Magic Flute, both at the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera, and in another production of Pelléas with the Santa Fe Opera. He was also slated to play Amahl in the film remake of Gian Carlo Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors. After Guettel's voice changed, it "became a very light, high tenor", ending his boy soprano career.[4]

Guettel played bass guitar in rock groups, but felt he wasn't good enough at the instrument, and that even if he was "even a bass solo is not that satisfying. It is like putting a sail on a car."[5] For a short time, Guettel expected he would become an actor, "like any American boy in the '80s", but gave up after auditioning for a production of The Sound of Music and being told that he acted like a "cancer patient" by director Jay Harnick.[6] In his collegiate years and into his early twenties, Guettel worked as a rock and jazz musician, singing and playing bass, before realizing "that writing for character and telling stories through music was something that I really loved to do, and that allowed me to express love".[4]

Mentorship by Stephen Sondheim and Mary Rodgers

File:Danya Polykov and Stephen Sondheim, 04.2014, NYC (cropped).jpg
Guettel was mentored and influenced by composer Stephen Sondheim

Soon, turning to musical theatre composition, he was mentored by Stephen Sondheim.[7] Guettel recalled how as a 14-year-old boy he showed Sondheim his work. Guettel was "crestfallen" since he had come in "sort of all puffed up thinking [he] would be rained with compliments and things", which was not the case since Sondheim had some "very direct things to say". Later, Sondheim wrote and apologized to Guettel for being "not very encouraging" when he was actually trying to be "constructive". He assured the 14-year-old Guettel that he thought him to be "literate, intelligent, and talented", and told him to "keep writing, because that's what we all do".[8] Years later, Sondheim included Guettel's song "The Riddle Song" from Floyd Collins on his list of "songs he wished he'd written".[9] Guettel credits Sondheim with his focus on clarity as the central rule in his writing. In September 2009, Guettel and Sondheim "broke down the art of songwriting" in an hour-long interview for the Dramatists Guild of America.[10] After Sondheim's passing, Guettel wrote the "last word" for the Library of Congress's magazine on his work.[11]

When Guettel took up music composition in his mid-teens, he was encouraged by his family. This came with harsh criticism from his mother, a Broadway composer herself: "That's a lazy melody. Those harmonies are boring. I’ve heard that before. You can't end a song like that. You have to bring us home." Guettel recalled that "she was unforgiving, and in that way, she was the best teacher ever. The stakes were high, and she knew exactly what she was talking about."

His mother said that she offered him advice for around a year. "After that, he was so far beyond anything I could ever have dreamed of, I just backed off."[5] Richard Rodgers, who died when Guettel was 15, overheard an early composition, said he liked it, and asked him to play it louder. Guettel has qualified the compliment, noting that "He was literally on his deathbed on the other side of the living-room wall."[5] Guettel has said that his grandfather's work as a composer has afforded him enough money to choose "weird topics" for musicals, and to take his time completing them.

Education

Guettel attended Phillips Exeter Academy, School Year Abroad (SYA France) and Interlochen Center for the Arts. He attended Yale University, where he met frequent collaborator Tina Landau. Guettel wrote a song for a revue Landau was directing, the first of many collaborations between the pair.[12] While at Yale, Guettel took time off from school to work as John Mauceri's assistant and the DX7 consultant on the Broadway musical Song and Dance.

When Guettel was eighteen, he began writing a one-act opera adaptation of The Butter Battle Book. He had been given an "early go-ahead" by the Geisel estate, but the rights were taken away in favor of a Marvin Hamlisch adaptation which never materialized.

Career

1987–1999: Early work and Floyd Collins

Post-college work

After graduating from Yale University in 1987, Guettel's first major project was the score of The Legend of Oedipus, a retelling of the story of Oedipus directed by Nikos Psacharopoulos, head of the Williamstown Theater Festival. Guettel and Landau collaborated on an adaptation of A Christmas Carol produced by Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island 1989. According to Guettel, the production was a difficult experience. He recalls breaking his pencil point "about 45 times" during a run-through, taking notes on his problems with the way his score was being done. When Guettel told the musical director they needed more rehearsal time, they replied that there was no time. Guettel was "furious" and started punching a wall in the back of the theater, breaking his hand and wrist in three places.[13] In the adaptation, Guettel used the original Dickens text as the lyrics. Fellow composer Ricky Ian Gordon wrote that there was a song in the show where the character, Belle, sings to Scrooge "I release you with a full heart for the love of him you once were", which made Gordon "almost burst into tears".[3] Guettel said this experience taught him that he must "let go" to be a strong collaborator. Marjoree Samoff, producing director of the American Music Theater Festival saw the show and commissioned Guettel and Landau to write a new piece together.[12]

Floyd Collins

File:Floydcollins.jpg
Floyd Collins

Landau began to search for a subject for the two to work on. "The spark" came when Landau and Guettel discovered a 1976 American Heritage article titled "Dark Carnival", a recounting of the story of Floyd Collins. Guettel claims his fascination with Collins' story came from a personal link. "This is right when I'm starting my career in musical theatre with Richard Rodgers as my Grandfather... I think I was writing it, on some level, to process the likelihood that I wouldn't match his career, to answer if there's nobility in failing at something noble" [14] Guettel adds that his confidence in the idea came from his mentor Stephen Sondheim believing it was good idea for a musical. Sondheim was a fan of Ace in the Hole, a film loosely based on Collins' story and said it's a "fun idea for a show". Floyd Collins was originally staged at the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia, in 1994, in a workshop where Guettel not only wrote the music and lyrics, but also starred as Floyd's brother, Homer.[15] On the subject of adapting the true story of Floyd Collins, Guettel stated "We're true to the spirit of the story, but we are circling it for the most dramatic angle". The musical opened at Playwrights Horizons on February 9, 1996. In The New York Times review of the show, critic Ben Brantley noted "Mr. Guettel establishes himself as a young composer of strength and sophistication, weaving strands from the Americana of Copland and the uneasy dissonance of Sondheim". Later, Guettel would say that it was his time working on Floyd which made him certain that he would spend his life writing music for the theatre.[16]

Saturn Returns/Myths & Hymns

The second project he developed with Landau and Sperling was a song cycle titled Saturn Returns (recorded as Myths and Hymns). The piece musicalizes pieces of mythology, including the stories of Hero and Leander, Icarus, Medusa, as well as classic hymns. Discussing its genesis, Guettel stated "I had been writing these myths just because I was just starting out as a writer, and you don't know what to write. I did stuff that was tried and true. That was enough to keep me busy. Then I came across this book in an old antique shop... And it was just the words to a bunch of hymns... For some reason out of this Upper West Side Jew comes all of this music to these hymn lyrics". At first, Guettel was adapting the hymns and myths as separate projects, until Landau suggested they would work well together. "And we realized in some ways that the hymns are who we would have ourselves be, and the myths are basically who we are, and that they can kind of antiphonally talk to each other", said Guettel, in a 2021 New York Times interview on the online MasterVoices production of the piece.[17] The piece was performed at The Public Theater and was later recorded by Nonesuch Records with performances by Billy Porter, Mandy Patinkin, Kristin Chenoweth, and Guettel himself.

Collaboration with Audra McDonald, incidental music, and concert work

Guettel has written bespoke songs, including several songs throughout Audra McDonald's discography. Her 1998 album Way Back to Paradise includes his songs "Come to Jesus" (from Myths and Hymns), "A Tragic Story", "Baby Moon" and "The Allure of Silence". Her 2000 album's namesake is the closing number of Floyd Collins, "How Glory Goes", and also includes "Was That You". Her 2006 album is named after his song "Build a Bridge" and also includes "Dividing Day" (from The Light in the Piazza). Her 2018 album Sing Happy includes "March is a Windy Month" (from Millions). In 2003, it was announced that Guettel would be writing a new piece for McDonald which would have opened Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall,[18] but this piece never came to fruition.[19]

In addition to writing music and lyrics for musical theatre, Guettel has written incidental music for plays such as Lydie Breeze (2000), as well as film scores. In summer 2007, Guettel composed incidental music for a production of Anton Chekhov's play Uncle Vanya at the Intiman Playhouse in Seattle, Washington.[20]

In 1999, Guettel performed a concert evening of his own work at New York's Town Hall with guests such as Kristin Chenoweth, Audra McDonald, Billy Porter, Jubilant Sykes and Theresa McCarthy. At first, Guettel resisted doing this concert at all, believing that his work had been heard enough in New York City, and he wanted to focus on writing something new, rather than having songs he had already written performed. It was Robert Hurwitz, the president of Nonesuch Records at the time, who insisted Guettel do the concert. Guettel has also contributed original scores to several documentary films, including Arguing the World and Jack: The Last Kennedy Film. In 2004, Guettel contributed vocals to Jessica Molaskey's P.S. Classics album Make Believe, dueting with Molaskey on his grandfather's song "Glad To Be Unhappy". Guettel also sang on albums by Ricky Ian Gordon, John Buccino, and starred opposite Meryl Streep in the short film The Music of Regret, singing several songs as a ventriloquist dummy. In 2001, he was set to sing as Charles on a studio recording of Evening Primrose. Guettel was beginning to write The Light in the Piazza, saying "bells were ringing, and things were starting to come out of me", and wanted to focus on his own work, rather than his mentor Sondheim's. Guettel was told by the producer of the album that it would not be a problem if he left the project, and that they would replace him with Neil Patrick Harris. After Guettel quit, he opened his mailbox to find a "withering" letter from Sondheim. They quickly reconciled. From then on, Guettel would primarily work as a composer/lyricist.[8]

2005–2020: The Light at the Piazza, The Princess Bride, and other work

The Light in the Piazza

After Floyd Collins, Guettel reportedly hoped to work on a love story. His mother suggested an adaptation that she had once pitched to her father, The Light in the Piazza by Elizabeth Spencer. Guettel worked on the project for 6 years, working with several book-writers, including Arthur Laurents and Alfred Uhry.[5] According to Guettel, he and Uhry did not "get a lot done" together. Soon after, Guettel received a fellowship from Sundance, eventually leading to his collaboration with bookwriter Craig Lucas.[21] At the Sundance Theatre Laboratory in 2002, Lucas and Guettel collaborated with director Michael Greif. Greif did not continue with the project, but would reunite with Guettel and Lucas nearly 20 years later, on Days of Wine and Roses.[22] Kelli O'Hara also joined the project at Sundance, originally playing the role of Franca. The Light in the Piazza went on to make its world premiere production at Seattle's Intiman Theater, where Lucas also directed the piece. Guettel asked the theater to not mention his grandfather in the advertising material.[5] Bartlett Sher eventually replaced Lucas as director.

Guettel co-orchestrated the musical with Ted Sperling and Bruce Coughlin. The Light in the Piazza opened on Broadway in 2005. The show, which starred Victoria Clark and Kelli O'Hara, met with mixed critical notices, but on June 5, 2005, Adam Guettel won the Tony Award for Best Original Score and the Tony Award for Best Orchestrations. The show was filmed for and aired on PBS.

The Princess Bride and To Kill a Mockingbird

He spent much of the period from 2005 to 2007 working on a musical adaptation of The Princess Bride with original screenwriter William Goldman. As of January 2007, Guettel had written the music for ten songs for the project. An orchestral suite from the score was performed at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2006, and Lincoln Center conducted a workshop of Bride in January 2007. The project was abandoned when Goldman reportedly demanded 75 percent of the author's share, even though Guettel was writing both the music and the lyrics.[23]

Despite this major blow, Guettel recalls thinking "I'm not going to give up, I don't care. I'm just not going to."[24]

In July 2009, the Signature Theatre of Arlington, Virginia, commissioned Guettel to write a new musical for their 2011–2012 season, under the auspices of their American Musical Voices Project.[25] This would reportedly be a musical adaptation of the Danny Boyle film Millions. Other projects in development included an opera based on the short stories of Washington Irving.[26]

Guettel wrote the original score for the original Broadway production of the play To Kill a Mockingbird (2018), for which he received a Tony Award nomination.

2020–present: Return to Broadway

Days of Wine and Roses

The idea to adapt J.P Miller's Days of Wine and Roses into a musical came to Guettel twenty years before it came to Broadway. He was working on The Light in the Piazza with Kelli O'Hara, when they began formulating an idea for a "weird dark opera" adaptation of Miller's story. Guettel and eventual bookwriter Craig Lucas, had both struggled with alcoholism, which they say informed the development of the piece.

File:Days of Wine and Roses (1962 poster).jpg

When he began writing it, Guettel received criticism from friends who did not believe such a tragic tale should be musicalized. "My response was, 'Well, Sweeney Todd wasn't exactly someone you had over for Sunday brunch.'" The piece became centered around O'Hara as Kirsten Arnesen, the role made famous by Lee Remick, and Brian d'Arcy James, who worked with Guettel on Floyd Collins and Myths and Hymns, as Joe Clay, the role made famous by Jack Lemmon.

Despite the show having an ensemble, Guettel chose to only have the central couple and their daughter sing. "For me, it was the most important piece that I’ve ever done in that sense that I could really sculpt this for these two great artists," Guettel said.[27]

In January 2023, Atlantic Theater Company announced an eight-week world premiere production of Guettel's adaptation of Days of Wine and Roses, with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Guettel, book by Craig Lucas (Guettel's collaborator on The Light in the Piazza, almost 20 years previously), and direction by Michael Greif. The production starred Kelli O'Hara and Brian D'Arcy James and was the first full production of a new musical by Guettel since Piazza.[28][29] Days of Wine and Roses moved to Broadway, premiering on January 6, 2024, for a 16-week run.[30][31]

Millions

Shortly after Days of Wine and Roses closed on Broadway, it was announced that Guettel's musical Millions would make its world premiere at the Alliance Theater. The production was directed by Guettel's longtime collaborator, Bartlett Sher, with a book by Bob Martin.[32] The musical is based on the Danny Boyle film of the same name, which Guettel saw as "a wonderful movie with a huge heart. Some of the important characters are a little bit underwritten and under-realized – which is always a good thing for those of us who want to adapt to the stage". Guettel was attracted to the movie's combination of "soft and hard" elements. When Guettel first began writing the piece, in 2014, his mother died, connecting him to the plot of the piece, which centers around the loss of a mother. Guettel said he believes Millions is at its best "when that membrane between what's terrestrial and celestial starts to become penetrable". The show received mixed-positive reviews during its out of town tryout.

Floyd Collins on Broadway

File:Bartlett Sher (34375705122).jpg
Guettel has collaborated with Bartlett Sher on The Light in the Piazza, The unmade The Princess Bride musical, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Millions.

In June 2024, it was announced that Floyd Collins would come to Broadway as a part of Lincoln Center Theater's 40th Anniversary season. Plans to revisit the piece had been years in the making, with Landau saying she and Guettel were "never really done" with the piece. Guettel and Landau did a rewrite of the show, with many of the "colloquialisms" being taken out of the book, as well as changes on a deeper level. These rewrites included a new version of the song "And She'd Have Blue Eyes", with Guettel writing a second half to the song, which was sung by Jeremy Jordan in this production. Guettel additionally made changes to the songs "'Tween a Rock", "Lucky", "Daybreak", and "The Riddle Song". Many of the songs also got new titles to match the Guettel and Landau's vision. The aeformentioned "Tween a Rock" was originally "Tween a Rock an' a hard place", and "Git Comfortable" was renamed "Get Comfortable". The duo also moved the aria, "It Moves", from the beginning of the show to the middle of act two.[33]

Guettel and Landau were nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for this production. A cast recording was made by Center Stage Records. Guettel co-produced the record with Lawrence Manchester and Ted Sperling. The album charted in 19 countries, reaching 21 on the ITunes charts.[34]

Teaching

Another major aspect of Guettel's career is his work as a teacher. Since 1995, he has taught masterclasses and seminars in musical theatre performance and songwriting, considering this to be an important complement to his work as a composer. He has led such classes at DePauw University, DePaul University, New York University, Pace University, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Emerson College, Elon University, The Boston Conservatory, Southern Methodist University, Syracuse University, Wagner College and many others. Guettel also teaches singers privately, as well as leading masterclasses at his home studio. Guettel has led two voice masterclasses with NATS, one in 2023 and one in 2025,[35] and co-taught a masterclass with Craig Carnelia at his home studio in 2024.

Guettel received an honorary doctorate from Lehman College in 2007, and was made an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in 2019.[36] He is a founding board member of Vermonters for a Clean Environment.

Style and influences

Early on, Guettel's music was almost immediately characterized by its complexity and chromaticism. Early in his career, when asked about his approach to music, Guettel stated "to me, harmony is a continuum from Gregorian stricture to atonal chaos. And my music obviously lands somewhere in between there and occasionally accesses either pole. To me harmony is just a way of creating emotional syntax in songwriting or in music making, or in storytelling with music. Emotional syntax for me comes through harmony. Harmony as an emotional tool, I think, is predominately a tonal thing, as far as how it effects the listener. And dissonance is another color, it's another thing that is emotionally useful."[21]

His major influences include Igor Stravinsky, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Benjamin Britten, and Stevie Wonder. Stephen Sondheim has referred to Guettel's work as "dazzling."[37] In an interview, Guettel stated a portion of his influences that included I. M. Pei, Louis Kahn, Vincent Scully, Jane Jacobs, Igor Stravinsky, Stevie Wonder, Adam de la Halle, Harry Nilsson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Björk, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Benjamin Britten, William Inge, Stephen Sondheim, Jody Williams, and Marvin Gaye.[38]

Discography

Guettel has had a lengthy recording career. He began the career as a session musician, playing bass on the records Duke Ellington's Pousse-Cafe, Ellis Larkin Plays, and the original Broadway cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance. Since then, he has moved on to producing. He has produced the original Broadway cast albums of the two most recent productions of his own musicals, Days of Wine and Roses and Floyd Collins, as well as producing the 2025 Broadway Cast Recording of Once Upon a Mattress.

Composer/lyricist

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Floyd Collins: Original Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist/Guitar
1998 Audra McDonald: Way Back to Paradise Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
1999 Myths and Hymns-Original Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
2000 Audra McDonald: How Glory Goes Composer/Lyricist
2000 Billie Stritch: Jazz Live Composer/Lyricist
2001 Stars and the Moon: Betty Buckley Live at the Donmar Composer/Lyricist
2002 Jack Donahue: Lighthouse Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
2005 Billy Porter: At the Corner of Broadway + Soul Composer/Lyricist
2005 The Light in the Piazza: Original Broadway Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist Also sings on bonus tracks: "Dividing Day (Demo)" and "Love to Me (Demo)"
2006 Audra McDonald: Build a Bridge Composer/Lyricist
2007 David Burnham Composer/Lyricist
2007 Victoria Clark: Fifteen Seconds of Grace Composer/Lyricist
2007 Lauren Kennedy: Here and Now Composer/Lyricist
2007 Kelli O'Hara: Wonder in the World Composer/Lyricist
2008 John Treacy Egan: Count the Stards Composer/Lyricist
2009 Robyn North: Make Believe Composer/Lyricist
2011 Kelli O'Hara: Always Composer/Lyricist
2013 Judy Kuhn: All This Happiness Composer/Lyricist
2013 Audra McDonald: Go Back Home Composer/Lyricist
2017 Bob Mundy: Love to Me Composer/Lyricist
2018 Renee Fleming: Broadway Composer/Lyricist
2018 Audra McDonald: Sing Happy Composer/Lyricist
2023 Days of Wine and Roses: Original Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist/Producer
2025 Floyd Collins: Original Broadway Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist

Vocalist

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Audra McDonald: Way Back to Paradise Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
1999 Myths and Hymns: Original Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
2000 Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino Vocalist
2001 Bright Eyed Joy: The Songs of Ricky Ian Gordon Vocalist
2002 Jack Donahue: Lighthouse Composer/Lyricist/Vocalist
2004 Jessica Molaskey: Make Believe Vocalist
2005 Michael Feinstein Presents: B.J. Ward Sings Marshall Barer Vocalist/Vocal Engineer
2005 The Light in the Piazza: Original Broadway Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist Also sings on bonus tracks: "Dividing Day (Demo)" and "Love to Me (Demo)"

Producer

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Days of Wine and Roses: Original Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist/Producer Co-Produced with Lawrence Manchester and Jamie Lawrence
2025 Once Upon a Mattress: Broadway Cast Recording Producer Co-Produced with Lawrence Manchester, Amy Sherman Palladino, Mary-Mitchell Cambell, and Jenny Gersten
2025 Floyd Collins: Original Broadway Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist Co-Produced with Lawrence Manchester and Ted Sperling

Instrumentalist/other

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Song & Dance: Original Broadway Cast Recording Bassist Assisted John Mauceri on the Broadway Production
1992 Ridiculous Theatrical Company 25th Anniversary Engineer
1992 Duke Ellington's Pousse-Cafe Bassist
1994 Ellis Larkin Plays Bassist
1997 Floyd Collins: Original Cast Recording Composer/Lyricist/Guitar
2005 Michael Feinstein Presents: B.J. Ward Sings Marshall Barer Vocalist/Vocal Engineer

Major works

Theatre

Music and lyrics

Year Title Venue Ref.
1996 Floyd Collins Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway
Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway (2025)
[39]
1998 Myths and Hymns (aka Saturn Returns) The Public Theater
2005 The Light in the Piazza Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway
New York City Center (2023)
[40]
2006 The Princess Bride Hollywood Bowl [41]
2024 Days of Wine and Roses Studio 54, Broadway
2025 Millions Alliance Theatre [42]

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Jack: The Last Kennedy Film Composer Fox Documentary
1997 Arguing the World Composer PBS Documentary
2011 The Legacy Project: In Conversation with Stephen Sondheim Himself Dramatists Guild Foundation Documentary
2016 Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened Himself Documentary

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Live from Lincoln Center Composer Episode: "The Light in the Piazza"
2006 The Music of Regret Singer Short film starring Meryl Streep
2011 The Miraculous Year Composer Television movie

Other projects

  • After contractual negotiations for The Princess Bride failed between Guettel and Goldman, the show was scrapped.[43]
  • Guettel has also been reported to be working on several other pieces, including an opera based on the works of Washington Irving and a musical based on H. G. Wells's The Invisible Man.[44]

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Project Result Ref.
2005 Tony Awards Best Original Score The Light in the Piazza Won [45]
Best Orchestrations Won
2019 Best Original Score To Kill a Mockingbird Nominated [46]
2024 Best Original Score Days of Wine and Roses Nominated [47]
2025 Best Revival of a Musical Floyd Collins Nominated
1996 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Music Floyd Collins Nominated
Outstanding Orchestrations Nominated
2005 Outstanding Music The Light in the Piazza Won
Outstanding Lyrics Won
2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Score Days of Wine and Roses Nominated
Outstanding Orchestrations Nominated
1990 Stephen Sondheim Award Won
1997 ASCAP New Horizons Award Won
2005 The American Composers Orchestra Award Won
2024 The Frederick Loewe Award Achievement in a Theatrical Score Days of Wine and Roses Won

References

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External links

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