By: Darryl Reilly
“This award feels like a deeply given nod from the world” said librettist and part-time piano teacher Madeline Myers during her poignant acceptance speech as a joint winner of the 2025 Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre. The accolade was presented to her by board member John Weidman, lyricist Benjamin Velez was the co-honoree. This pleasing 60-minute, private ceremony featured enticing excerpts from these winners’ two new musicals which are in development, and insightful observations by esteemed, Tony Award-winning theatrical figures. The event took place on February 3, 2025, at the Manhattan headquarters of ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).
Edward Kleban (1939-1987) was the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning lyricist of A Chorus Line. He made provisions in his will establishing the Kleban Foundation and the Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre, which is administered by New Dramatists; its first recipients were in 1991. These were the 35th annual dual citations given to an emerging lyricist and librettist, “of extraordinary promise,” who each receive $100,000, in two installments.
“This is the most prestigious award in musical theater, it helps young writers when they need it. I can’t think of another award that is so smart” said Kleban Foundation board member and co-host Richard Maltby, Jr., during his opening remarks. Mr. Maltby explained that 236 lyricists and 168 librettists submitted their work this year for consideration. A panel of 10 read all of these offerings, narrowing the field down to 20 finalists: the judges were choreographer and dancer Raja Feather Kelly, costume and scenic designer Clint Ramos, and producer Rachel Sussman. “Perseverance pays off, I applied six times for this. I am relieved and ecstatic” said Mr. Velez during his jovial acceptance speech following Maltby’s introduction.
Double Helix is Ms. Myers’ musical about British chemist Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) who was integral to understanding DNA. Bobby Conte and Alexandra Socha each charmingly performed stirring numbers from it. Borderline is Velez’s contemporary musical about a fiery female artist. Jon-Michael Reese powerfully sang an affective song from it. The alluring Jenny Rose Baker joined the impish Velez for a wryly romantic duet. Beaming Daniel Green animatedly accompanied these musical sequences on piano.
“Ed was way ahead of us, he educated us. He suffered, he had trouble paying his rent back then” tenderly reminisced Kleban Foundation board member and co-host Maury Yeston, who was a long-time, close friend of Mr. Kleban’s. “He exuded warmth and was tremendously sympathetic, he was a superb human being. Ed was as great a teacher, as he was a great writer.”
The 2025 Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre (February 3, 2025)
New Dramatists
ASCAP, 250 West 57th Street, in Manhattan
For information, visit www.newdramatists.org/kleban-prize-musical-theatre