Richard Maltby, Jr.

Richard Maltby, Jr. (born October 6, 1937, Ripon, Wisconsin) is an American theatre director and producer, lyricist, and screenwriter.

Biography

Maltby has conceived and directed two Tony Award-winning musicals: "Ain't Misbehavin'" (1978: Tony, N.Y. Drama Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards, also Tony Award for Best Director) and "Fosse" (1999: Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards). He was director/co-lyricist for the American version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Song and Dance", (1986) starring Bernadette Peters. He was co-lyricist for "Miss Saigon" (Evening Standard Award 1990; Tony nomination: Best Score, 1991).

Maltby and David Shire started working together as students at Yale University; their first Broadway credit was in 1968, when their song "The Girl of the Minute" was used in the revue New Faces of 1968. In 1977 the Manhattan Theatre Club produced a review of their earlier songs, written for other works, finally titled "Starting Here, Starting Now". [ [http://www.theatrealliance.org/news/2008/0122a.html Theatre Alliance article, January 22, 2008] ] With composer Shire, Maltby was the director and lyricist for "Baby", (1983, book by Sybille Pearson) and the lyricist for "Big", (1996, book by John Weidman). Also with Shire, he conceived and wrote the lyrics for "Take Flight" (book by John Weidman), which had its world premiere in July 2007 at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. [ [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/109510.html playbill article, July 13, 2007, Take Flight Takes Off at London's Menier Chocolate Factory July 13] ]

He also conceived and directed "Ring Of Fire, The Johnny Cash Musical Show", (2006). He is co-bookwriter/lyricist for "The Pirate Queen" (2007). [ [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/106269.html Playbill article, March 6, 2007, Pirate Queen Unfurls Her Sails on Broadway March 6] ] He is currently working as director on the new musical "The Story of My Life", which is expected to open on Broadway on January 2009. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/116607.html playbill article, April 8, 2008, New Musical Story of My Life, Directed by Maltby, Jr., Will Arrive on Broadway in 2009] ]

He is the son of the well-known orchestra leader Richard Maltby, Sr., and his wife, formerly Virginia Hosegood. He married twice: first to Barbara Black Sudler on June 5, 1965 (they had three children, Nicholas, David and Jordan), and secondly, in 1987, to Janet Brenner (they have two children, Emily and Charlotte).

Work

;Broadway
*"Bea Arthur on Broadway", 2002 (Production Consultant) [ [http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?html_title=&tols_title=BEA%20ARTHUR%20ON%20BROADWAY%20(PLAY)&pdate=20020218&byline=By%20BEN%20BRANTLEY&id=1077011429250 "New York Times" review, February 18, 2002] ]
*"Nick & Nora", 1991 (Lyricist)
*"Blood Knot", 1985 (Producer);Off-Broadway
*"Starting Here, Starting Now", director/lyricist (1977 Grammy nomination) with David Shire [ [http://www.nodanw.com/shows_s/starting_here.htm NODANW listing] ]
*"Closer Than Ever", (1989, two Outer Critics Circle Awards: Best Musical, Best Score) with David Shire;Regional
*The 60'S Project, director, (2006, Goodspeed Opera House) [ [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/101319.html playbill article, Aug. 10, 206, Flashback: Maltby Directs The 60's Project, a Musical Tale of a Generation] ] ;Film
*Miss Potter, (2007), Screenplay, starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor (Christopher Award, best screenplay)

Awards and nominations

;Awards
*1978 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical - "Ain't Misbehavin"
*1990 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Score - "Closer Than Ever"
*2001 Laurence Olivier Award - "Fosse"

;Nominations
*1977 Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Recording - "Starting Here, Starting Now"
*1984 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics - "Baby"
*1984 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical - "Baby"
*1984 Tony Award for Best Original Score - "Baby"
*1986 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical - "Song and Dance"
*1986 Tony Award for Best Musical - "Song and Dance"
*1986 Tony Award for Best Original Score - "Song and Dance"
*1986 Tony Award for Best Play - "Blood Knot"
*1990 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics - "Closer Than Ever"
*1991 Tony Award for Best Original Score - "Miss Saigon"
*1992 Tony Award for Best Original Score - "Nick & Nora"
*1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics - "Big"
*1996 Tony Award for Best Original Score - "Big"
*1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical - "Fosse"
*1999 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical - "Fosse"

References

External links

*
*
* [http://www.americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/richard_maltby_jr Richard Maltby Jr.] - "Downstage Center" interview at American Theatre Wing.org
* [http://www.mtishows.com/bio.asp?bID=3452 MTI Shows biography]