Jeanine Tesori is a composer and musical arranger. She is the most prolific and honored female theatrical composer in history, with five Broadway musicals and five Tony Award nominations. She won the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play for Nicholas Hytner's production of Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center, the 2004 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music for Caroline, or Change, and the 2015 Tony Award for Best Original Score for Fun Home (shared with Lisa Kron), making them the first female writing team to win that award. Her major works include Fun Home, Shrek The Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mulan II, and Violet.
Listen in to this week’s podcast to hear how she got to write her shows, as well as . . .
- Why her collaborations could make a helluva bat mitzvah.
- What googling baby armadillos has to do with how she writes a song.
- Why story is more important than plot when deciding to write a musical.
- Why her favorite song was one she didn’t think would last longer than a few previews.
- Her perspective on being a woman Writer on Broadway and how to encourage more to get in the game.
Oh, and during this podcast, you’ll hear some great stories about the preview period of Thoroughly Modern Millie. After you’re done listening to Jeanine, make sure you tune in to hear Producer Hal Luftig and Producer Kristin Caskey (who’s also behind Fun Home) tell their versions of the same dramatic tale.
Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway