Pasek and Paul
Encyclopedia
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
(known as Pasek and Paul) are an award winning musical theatre composing team. Their works include A Christmas Story, Dogfight, Edges and James and the Giant Peach. They are graduates of the University of Michigan
. They are the winners of a 2007 Jonathan Larson Award
, named after the late Rent
composer, that honors achievement by composers, lyricists and librettists.
where they completed their BFA degrees
in 2006.
on December 9th, 2010. Since the Seattle premiere, the show recruited Tony Award winning director John Rando
and choreographer Warren Carlyle
to launch a national tour in 2011, concluding at the Chicago Theatre
in Chicago, Illinois.
/Lili Taylor
film, Dogfight
. The show was commissioned by Lincoln Center Theatre. The musical was the recipient of the 2011 Richard Rodgers Award
.
on April 3rd, 2005. Social media created a dedicated fan base nicknamed "Edge-heads". It has had over 200 productions worldwide in Australia, South Africa, Denmark, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Philippines, and across the United States.
’s James and the Giant Peach
. The show premiered at Goodspeed’s Norma Terris Theatre in 2010, and was directed by 10-time Tony nominee Graciela Daniele
and choreographed by famed dance troupe Pilobolus
.
show Johnny and the Sprites
, including the series premiere.
and Cheyenne Jackson
. Pasek and Paul were heavily featured in the documentary film Overnight Musicals about the process.
Justin Paul
-Biography:Justin was raised in Connecticut and attended Music Theatre of Connecticut School of Performing Arts in Westport, CT as well as Staples High School in Westport, CT. He graduated from the University of Michigan in December 2006 with a BFA in Musical Theatre.He is the co-creator of the...
(known as Pasek and Paul) are an award winning musical theatre composing team. Their works include A Christmas Story, Dogfight, Edges and James and the Giant Peach. They are graduates of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. They are the winners of a 2007 Jonathan Larson Award
Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation
The Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation was a foundation started in 1997 by the family and friends of Jonathan Larson, composer of the musical Rent. From 1997 to 2008, the foundation awarded grants to musical theatre composers, lyricists and book writers. Following the 2008 grants, the...
, named after the late Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
composer, that honors achievement by composers, lyricists and librettists.
University of Michigan
Pasek and Paul began their collaboration as freshmen at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where they completed their BFA degrees
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in 2006.
A Christmas Story: the Musical!
In 2010, Pasek and Paul joined the creative team of A Christmas Story: The Musical! The show opened at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theater building located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land is owned by the University of Washington and was once part of the original campus...
on December 9th, 2010. Since the Seattle premiere, the show recruited Tony Award winning director John Rando
John Rando
John Rando is an American stage director, winning the Tony Award for his direction of the musical Urinetown in 2002.-Stage productions:* 1994 Broken Glass * 2000 The Dinner Party* 2001 A Thousand Clowns...
and choreographer Warren Carlyle
Warren Carlyle
Warren Carlyle is a director and choreographer who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He received Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Director of a Musical for Finian's Rainbow.-Biography:...
to launch a national tour in 2011, concluding at the Chicago Theatre
Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother...
in Chicago, Illinois.
Dogfight
Pasek and Paul are adapting the 1991 River PhoenixRiver Phoenix
River Jude Phoenix was an American film actor, musician, and teen icon. He was the oldest brother of fellow actors Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer Phoenix.Phoenix began acting at age 10 in television commercials...
/Lili Taylor
Lili Taylor
Lili Anne Taylor is an American actress notable for her appearances in such award-winning indie films as Mystic Pizza, Say Anything..., Short Cuts and I Shot Andy Warhol, and the acclaimed TV show Six Feet Under....
film, Dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
. The show was commissioned by Lincoln Center Theatre. The musical was the recipient of the 2011 Richard Rodgers Award
Richard Rodgers Award
Richard Rodgers Award may refer to:* The ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award* The ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award* The Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theater--presented by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and established in 1988* Richard Rodgers Awards for...
.
Edges
Edges is a song cycle about the trials and tribulations of moving into adulthood. It examines the search for love, commitment and meaning. Edges premiered at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
on April 3rd, 2005. Social media created a dedicated fan base nicknamed "Edge-heads". It has had over 200 productions worldwide in Australia, South Africa, Denmark, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Philippines, and across the United States.
James and the Giant Peach
Benj and Justin wrote the score to the musical adaptation of Roald DahlRoald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
’s James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peach is a popular children's novel written in 1961 by British author Roald Dahl. The original first edition published by Alfred Knopf featured illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. However, there have been various reillustrated versions of it over the years, done by Michael...
. The show premiered at Goodspeed’s Norma Terris Theatre in 2010, and was directed by 10-time Tony nominee Graciela Daniele
Graciela Daniele
Graciela Daniele is an Argentine-American dancer, choreographer, and theatre director.-Biography:Born at Buenos Aires, Daniele began her dance training at the age of seven at Teatro Colón, Argentina's equivalent of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre...
and choreographed by famed dance troupe Pilobolus
Pilobolus
Pilobolus is a genus of fungi that commonly grows on herbivore dung.-Life cycle:The life cycle of Pilobolus begins with a black sporangium that has been discharged onto a plant substrate such as grass. A herbivorous animal such as a horse then eats the substrate, unknowingly consuming the...
.
Johnny and the Sprites
Pasek and Paul wrote six episodes of the Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
show Johnny and the Sprites
Johnny and the Sprites
Johnny and the Sprites is a musical television show aimed for preschoolers that airs every weekend on the "Playhouse Disney" program of The Disney Channel. The show was created for, is produced by, and stars John Tartaglia . The show's theme song was written by Stephen Schwartz...
, including the series premiere.
Other
Other works include If You Give A Pig A Pancake and Duck For President for Theatreworks USA, and Dr. Williams, written for the Orchard Project’s 24 Hour Musicals benefit. The show starred Jesse Tyler FergusonJesse Tyler Ferguson
Jesse Tyler Ferguson is an American actor who portrays Mitchell Pritchett on the ABC sitcom Modern Family. Previously he played the role of Richie Velch in the CBS sitcom The Class. He is openly gay.-Life and career:...
and Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
. Pasek and Paul were heavily featured in the documentary film Overnight Musicals about the process.
Awards and honors
- 2011 Songwriter's Fellowship Award
- 2011 Richard Rodgers Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters
- 2011 ASCAP Songwriters Fellowship Award
- 2011 Sundance Institute Fellowship
- 2007-2008 Dramatist Guild Fellowship
- 2007 Jonathan Larson Award (youngest winners in history)