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Steve Cuden

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Steve Cuden
Born
Steven D. Cuden

(1955-09-25) September 25, 1955 (age 69)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
NationalityAmerican
Education
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, Director, Producer, Librettist/Lyricist, Playwright, Author, Theater Lighting Designer, Artist, Teacher
Years active1978-present

Steve Cuden (born September 25, 1955, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American screenwriter, director, lyricist, playwright, author, theater lighting designer, artist, and teacher. He is best known for his work on the Broadway musical, Jekyll & Hyde,[1] as well as his writing for numerous television series.

Biography

The eldest son of Dr. Charles L. Cuden and Helen M. Cuden, he graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in 1973. Cuden attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1973-1976 and the University of Southern California from 1976-1978, from where he graduated with a B.A. in Theater. Upon graduation from USC, he became the USC School of Theater's Master Electrician. Cuden was married to Lisa Ann Kranz from 1993-1996, but the marriage ended in divorce. Cuden received an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television in 2010. He began teaching Screenwriting at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2011.[2]

Career

It was while Cuden was working as the Master Electrician at USC's School of Theatre on a musical called Christopher, written by composer Frank Wildhorn, that the two met, struck up a friendship, and began to collaborate on writing musicals.[3] Their first effort was a song cycle based on the life of Julius Caesar called The High and Mighty Caesar. They also collaborated on a musical based on the lives of Nicholas and Alexandra called The Last Tsar. In 1980, Cuden and Wildhorn wrote the first two versions that they would create of a musical based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.[4] The second version that they wrote, which Cuden then titled, Jekyll & Hyde, was completed in 1986. The musical was nearly produced on Broadway in 1988, with Terrence Mann set to star, but the production never came to fruition due to the financial backers withdrawing funding prior to rehearsals.[5][6] Leslie Bricusse replaced Cuden in 1988 as the musical's librettist. Cuden still retains both co-conceptual and co-lyrics credits on the show. Jekyll & Hyde ran on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre from April 1997 through January 2001 for a total of 1543 performances. Its first revival on Broadway opened in April 2013, and closed after thirty performances.[7]

Cuden and Wildhorn also co-conceived a musical based on the story of Rudolf, the last Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his death at his hunting lodge, Mayerling.[8] Originally called Vienna, the musical was not completed prior to Cuden and Wildhorn parting ways. Wildhorn later revived the idea, first with Nan Knighton, and later with Jack Murphy. They retitled it, Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling. The musical has been produced in Hungary, Austria, Japan, and Korea. Cuden still retains co-conceptual credits and co-lyrics credits.

Cuden is well known for writing episodes of television animation for popular shows as: The Batman, X-Men, Iron Man, Loonatics Unleashed, Xiaolin Showdown, Goof Troop, The Mask, Bonkers, Quack Pack, Gargoyles, Beetlejuice, The Pink Panther, Savage Dragon, RoboCop, Stargate Infinity, Exosquad, Skeleton Warriors, and Mummies Alive.[9]

Cuden is also known for directing Lucky, an independently produced, multiple award-winning horror-comedy feature that was released by MTI Home Video in 2004.[10]

In the 1980s, Cuden won numerous awards for designing lighting of stage productions in Los Angeles, including 3 Plays of Love and Hate, for director John Cassavetes, Playing for Time, for director Mimi Leder, Piece de Resistance, for director Abraham Polonsky, and Dinner and Drinks, for director Monte Markham. Cuden was Supervisor of Ride and Show Lighting at Universal Studios Florida from 1989-1990.[11]

In 2013, Cuden published a book titled, Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations.[12]

In 2015, as a companion book to Beating Broadway, Cuden published, Beating Hollywood: Tips for Creating Unforgettable Screenplays.[13]

In 2017, Cuden launched a new podcast, StoryBeat: Storytellers on Storytelling, which he produces and hosts. Shows focus on in-depth interviews with artists from all disciplines regarding their creative process.[14]

Works

Podcasts

  • StoryBeat: Storytellers on Storytelling[15]

Books

  • Beating Hollywood: Tips for Creating Unforgettable Screenplays, 2015, Cudwerks Productions[16]
  • Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations, 2013, Cudwerks Productions[17]

Musicals

  • Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical, Co-Conceived for the Stage, and Co-Lyrics[18]
    • Tours: U.S., 1995-1996, 1999-2000, 2001–2002, 2012-2013
    • Broadway: The Plymouth Theatre, 1997-2001, The Marquis Theatre, 2013
    • Translated into more than twenty languages and produced in multiple venues around the world
  • Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling, Co-Conceived for the Stage, and Co-Lyrics[19]
    • Productions in Hungary, Vienna, Japan, and Korea

Feature films

Television - Development - Animation

Television - Staff Writer - Animation

Television - Writer - Sit-Com

Television - Writer - Animation

Teaching

Awards

Feature films

Lucky (Director/Co-Producer)

Lighting design

Dramalogue Drama Critics Awards

L.A. Weekly LAWEE Awards

  • In Trousers, 1984
  • Livin' Dolls, 1984
  • 3 Plays of Love and Hate: Knives, Love Streams, The Third Day Comes, 1981

L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards

Memberships

Boards of directors

References

  1. ^ Jekyll & Hyde Official Website - Creative Team
  2. ^ Point Park University Faculty Page
  3. ^ USC News - Pop Goes the Theatre
  4. ^ Anne Carlini Exclusive Magazine - Interview with Steve Cuden
  5. ^ Chicago Tribune - New Zealanders Lay Money On U.S. Stage
  6. ^ New York Times - On Stage
  7. ^ Jekyll & Hyde IBDb Page
  8. ^ Music Theatre International - Steve Cuden Biography
  9. ^ Steve Cuden IMDb Page
  10. ^ "Lucky" - IMDb Page
  11. ^ Steve Cuden Official Website - Theater Lighting Credits[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ Broadway World Books - Beating Broadway Release Archived 2013-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ [1]
  14. ^ [2]
  15. ^ StoryBeat Official Website
  16. ^ Beating Hollywood Official Website
  17. ^ Beating Broadway Official Website
  18. ^ Musical Theatre International - Jekyll & Hyde Information Page
  19. ^ Frank Wildhorn Website - Rudolf the Musical
  20. ^ Fandango - Steve Cuden - Lucky
  21. ^ Bonkers IMDb Page - Cartoon Cornered
  22. ^ Goof Troop IMDb Page - Rally Round the Goof
  23. ^ Quack Pack IMDb Page - The Boy Who Cried Ghost
  24. ^ Steve Cuden IMDb Complete Filmography
  25. ^ Jekyll & Hyde Official Website - Creative Team - Steve Cuden Biography
  26. ^ Steve Cuden Official Website - Bio and Writing Credits
  27. ^ Point Park University - Steve Cuden Faculty Interview
  28. ^ Nodance Film Festival 2002 Program
  29. ^ New York City Horror Film Festival Official Website - Past Festivals and Winners
  30. ^ MicroCineFest - Past Festivals and Winners Archived 2013-10-12 at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ Shriekfest Official Website - Past Winners (2004) Archived 2013-07-23 at archive.today
  32. ^ Los Angeles Times - Critics Pick Best Drama Candidates
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