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William Finn (* 28 February 1952), Tony-winning Jewish-American composer, especially of musicals.

Contents 1 Life 2 Work 3 Works 4 External links

Life

Finn was born in Boston and grew up in Natick, Massachusetts. He majored in music at Williams College. He lives in New York City as an independent composer and writer and now serves as an "Adjunct Faculty Composer/Lyricist" at NYU.

Work

Finn is a heavily autobiographical textwriter (he always writes his own lyrics); his topics are the gay and Jewish experience in contemporary America, and very often conflict, loyalty, family, belonging, sickness, and loss. In spite of this, Finn's lyrics are usually hilarious, especially in his use of language games that are reminiscent of Edward Albee. The most similar musical composer to Finn is Stephen Sondheim.

Finn's greatest commercial success so far has been Falsettos, which opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theater on April 29, 1992, and ran for 486 performances. It won the 1992 Tony Awards for Best Music and Lyrics and for Best Book, the latter shared with James Lapine.

Finn's most frequent collaborators include librettist James Lapine, director Graciela Daniele and singers Stephen Bogardus, Carolee Carmello, Stephen deRosa, Alison Fraser, Keith Byron Kirk, Norm Lewis, Michael Rupert, Mary Testa, and Chip Zien.

Works

Works denoted with a double asteriks (**) were produced on Broadway.

• Music and lyrics for In Trousers (1979)
• Revised music and lyrics for In Trousers (1987)
• Music and lyrics for March of the Falsettos (1981)
• Music and lyrics for America Kicks Up Its Heels (1983)
• Lyrics for Dangerous Games (1989) **
• Music and lyrics for Romance in Hard Times (1989)
• Music and lyrics for Falsettoland (1990)
  • Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics
• Music and lyrics (as well as book co-written with James Lapine) for Falsettos (1992, including March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland) **
  • Tony Award for Best Original Score, Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical
• Music and lyrics for the song "Scarlet Pimpernel" featured in the play The Sisters Rosensweig **
• Music and lyrics for A New Brain (1998)
  • Drama Desk Nominations for Outstanding Music, Outstanding Lyrics, and Outstanding Book of a Musical
• Music for the song "Painting" for Love's Fire (1998)
• Music and lyrics for Elegies (song cycle, 2003)
• Music and lyrics for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2004) **
  • Tony Nominations for Best Original Score, Drama Desk Nominations for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics

Other songs include "Mister, Make Me a Song", "Republicans" and "Hitchhiking Across America".

External links

• falsettos.net

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