Maury Yeston

Maury Yeston is a Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist, and writer who has made a significant impact on the world of musical theater. Born on October 23, 1945, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Yeston was raised in a musical family and began studying piano at a young age. He attended Yale University, where he earned a degree in music theory and composition, and later earned a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Cambridge.

Yeston's first major success in musical theater came in 1982 with the debut of his show Nine. Based on Federico Fellini's film "8½," Nine tells the story of a famous film director struggling to find inspiration for his next project. The show was a critical and commercial success, earning Yeston two Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. The show was later adapted into a film in 2009, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Penélope Cruz, and Marion Cotillard.

In 1989, Yeston wrote the music and lyrics for Grand Hotel, which was based on the novel by Vicki Baum and the subsequent film adaptation. Set in a luxurious Berlin hotel during the 1920s, Grand Hotel features a large ensemble cast and explores the lives of the guests and staff over the course of a single weekend. The show earned Yeston another Tony nomination for Best Original Score.