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Steven Levenson

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Steven Levenson
Levenson at BookExpo America in 2018
Levenson at BookExpo America in 2018
BornMay 1984 (age 40)
OccupationPlaywright, television writer
Alma materBrown University
Notable worksDear Evan Hansen
Notable awardsTony Award for Best Book of a Musical
SpouseWhitney May
Children1

Steven Levenson (born May 1984)[1] is an American playwright and television writer. He won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Dear Evan Hansen.

Early life

Levenson was raised in Bethesda, Maryland. He was raised in a Reform Jewish family. [2][3]He attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School and Brown University. He originally studied theater and English but then turned to playwriting. In discussing his interests in writing, he said: "...it does seem that a lot of my work tends to move in that [family] direction. I do find the dynamics in the family to be fascinating and endlessly variable. Family is, obviously, among the most universal experiences."[4] Although he writes for television as well as the stage, he said: "Theater will always be my first love."[4]

Career

Stage

Levenson wrote the book for the musical Dear Evan Hansen which opened on Broadway in December 2016, after premiering at the Arena Stage in Washington, DC in 2015.

His stage playwriting credits include The Language of Trees (2008, Roundabout Theatre Company Black Box Theatre) and Seven Minutes in Heaven (2009).[5][6]

The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin was produced Off-Broadway by the Roundabout Theatre Company at the Laura Pels Theatre, opening in June 2013. The play was produced under the Roundabout Theatre's New Play Initiative.[7][8]

His play If I Forget opened Off-Broadway at the Laura Pels Theatre on February 22, 2017 and closed on April 30, 2017. Directed by Daniel Sullivan the cast featured Jeremy Shamos, Kate Walsh and Maria Dizzia.[9]

His play Days of Rage opened at the Off-Broadway Second Stage Theater's Tony Kiser Theatre on October 2, 2018 with direction by Trip Cullman. The play concerns activists in the late 1960s.[10] Days of Rage was earlier presented at the Hartford Stage Brand New Play Festival in a reading in November 2011, directed by Darko Tresnjak.[11][12]

Television

He was a writer for the Showtime series Masters of Sex, which ran for four seasons, from 2013 to 2016.[13]

He served as showrunner for the FX biographical miniseries Fosse/Verdon about the lives of director-choreographer Bob Fosse and actor-singer Gwen Verdon. The series premiered in 2019.

Film

Steven Levenson Screenplays
Year Title Directed by Notes
2021 Dear Evan Hansen Stephen Chbosky based on his and Pasek & Paul's musical, also executive producer
tick, tick... BOOM! Lin Manuel Miranda released to Netflix & select theaters, also executive producer
TBA Fiddler on the Roof[14] Thomas Kail[15]

Personal life

Levenson is married to Whitney May, who has worked in art history and design history. They have a daughter, born in 2015.[1]

Awards and nominations

Year Work Award Category Result Ref.
2014
 The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin Outer Critics Circle Awards John Gassner Award Won
[16]
2016
 Dear Evan Hansen Obie Awards Musical Theatre Won
[17]
Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) Won
2017
 Tony Awards Best Book of a Musical Won
[18]
If I Forget Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Play Nominated
[9]
Drama League Awards Outstanding Production of a Play Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play Won
2019
 Fosse/Verdon Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Limited Series Nominated
[19]
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special Nominated
2021
 tick, tick ... BOOM! HCA Film Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
[20]
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
[21]

References

  1. ^ a b Klug, Lisa. "This nice Jewish boy just nabbed 9 Tony nominations" Times of Israel, May 3, 2017
  2. ^ Klug, Lisa. "This nice Jewish boy just nabbed 9 Tony nominations". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  3. ^ Traiger, Lisa (2015-07-29). "Questions & answers with … Steven Levenson". Washington Jewish Week. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  4. ^ a b Traiger, Lisa."Questions & answers with … Steven Levenson" washingtonjewishweek, July 29, 2015
  5. ^ Amatenstein, Sherry (March 24, 2017). "Steven Levenson on Writing 'Dear Evan Hansen' and 'If I Forget'" Paste Magazine. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  6. ^ Bacalzo, Dan. "Review. 'The Language of Trees'" theatermania.com, October 29, 2008
  7. ^ "Roundabout Opens 'The Unavoidable Disappearance Of Tom Durnin' Tonight" broadwayworld.com, June 26, 2013
  8. ^ The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin broadwayworld.com, retrieved May 7, 2018
  9. ^ a b If I Forget lortel.org, retrieved May 7, 2018
  10. ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Kate Baldwin and Bryce Pinkham to Star in World Premiere of Tom Kitt and John Logan’s 'Superhero' for Second Stage" Playbill, May 9, 2018
  11. ^ Days of Rage adamwgreen.com, retrieved May 9, 2018
  12. ^ "Hartford Stage's Brand:NEW 2011 Runs 11/3-6" broadwayworld.com, November 3, 2011
  13. ^ Gelman, Vlada (November 30, 2016). "Masters of Sex Is Done at Showtime". TVLine. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  14. ^ "Tony Award-Winning Musical 'Dear Evan Hansen' Will be Universal Pictures, Marc Platt Film; 'Wonder's Stephen Chbosky May Direct". 29 November 2018.
  15. ^ "MGM Taps 'Hamilton' Director Thomas Kail for Movie Adaptation of Iconic 'Fiddler on the Roof'". 28 May 2020.
  16. ^ The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin lortel.org, retrieved May 7, 2018
  17. ^ 2016 Winners Obie Awards
  18. ^ " 'Dear Evan Hansen' 's Steven Levenson Wins 2017 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical" broadwayworld.com, June 11, 2017
  19. ^ "71st Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  20. ^ Hollywood Critics Association [@HCAcritics] (December 2, 2021). "The nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay are: Jane Campion, #ThePowerofTheDog Maggie Gyllenhaal, #TheLostDaughter Rebecca Hall, #PassingNetflix Siân Heder, #CODAfilm Steven Levenson, #ticktickBOOMmovie #HCAFilmAwards #BestAdaptedScreenplay https://t.co/7ChHx1Un0e" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Twitter.
  21. ^ "WGA Awards: 'King Richard,' 'CODA,' 'Dune' Among Nominees in the Screenplay Categories". The Hollywood Reporter. 27 January 2022.
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