David Thompson (born September 29, 1956) is an American writer, playwright, and producer. His notable theater productions include

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, Scottsboro Boys, The Prince of Broadway, and the upcoming production of

New York, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. Thompson was born in

La Grange, IL ''(the barn)'' , nickname = , motto = ''Tradition & Pride – Moving Forward'' , anthem = ''My La Grange'' by Jimmy Dunne , image_map = File:Cook County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas La Grange Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 2 ...

, and attended

Lyons Township High School Lyons Township High School (often referred to as LTHS or simply LT) is a public high school located in Western Springs, Illinois (South Campus), and also in La Grange, Illinois (North Campus). Lyons Township is a co-educational high school and ...

. Thompson is a graduate from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Thompson is a resident of

Millburn, New Jersey Millburn is a suburban township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 20,149, reflecting an increase of 384 (+1.9%) from the 19,765 counted in the 2000 Census, which had ...

Early Years

The son of two school teachers, Thompson was first introduced to theater through his family’s summer theater company, The Troupe (now known as Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre) in

Grand Lake, Colorado The Town of Grand Lake is a statutory town located in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 410 at the 2020 United States Census. History Established in 1881, Grand Lake sits at an elevation of and derives its name f ...

. Started in the early 1960s by Thompson’s father, David L. Thompson, The Troupe presented musicals and straight shows in repertory. Thompson and his five siblings were involved in all aspects of production. After graduating from

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Chart ...

, Thompson lived in Chicago and worked at St. Nicholas Theatre and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. He then moved to New York, where he started his career at Circle Repertory Theater.

Career

BROADWAY AND WEST END: Librettos for: - 2023: ''

,'' Music and Lyrics by

John Kander John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927) is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb (with lyricist Fred Ebb), Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including '' ...

and

Fred Ebb Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004) was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita R ...

, Additional Lyrics by

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals '' Hamilton'' (2015) and ''In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animat ...

, Co-Written by Sharon Washington, Directed and Choreographed by

Susan Stroman Susan P. Stroman (born October 17, 1954) is an American theatre director, choreographer, film director and performer. Her notable theater productions include '' The Producers'', '' Crazy for You'', '' Contact'', and '' The Scottsboro Boys''. She i ...

St. James Theater The St. James Theatre, originally Erlanger's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 246 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, it was designed by Warren and Wetmore in a neo-Georgian sty ...

- 2020: ''

Rags Rag, rags, RAG or The Rag may refer to: Common uses * Rag, a piece of old cloth * Rags, tattered clothes * Rag (newspaper), a publication engaging in tabloid journalism * Rag paper, or cotton paper Arts and entertainment Film * ''Rags'' (1915 ...

, '' Music by Charles Strousse, Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, London’s Park Theatre (New libretto) - 2017: ''

Prince of Broadway ''Prince of Broadway'' is a musical revue showcasing the producing career of Harold Prince. Prince himself directed the production, his final Broadway credit. The show features a book by two-time Tony Award nominee David Thompson and is co-dir ...

'', Directed by

Hal Prince Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre. One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...

, Choreographed by

, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (Conceiver) - 2014: '' Scottsboro Boys,'' Music and Lyrics by

and

, Directed and Choreographed by

, winner of London’s Critic Circle Award, Evening Standard Award,

Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ...

and the

Young Vic Theatre The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut, near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop in 1970. Kwame Kwei-Armah has been Artistic Director since February 2018 ...

- 2011: '' Scottsboro Boys,'' 12 Tony nominations including “Best Book,” Drama Desk Nomination, Outer Critics and Lucille Lortel Awards for “Best Musical,”

Hull-Warriner Award The Hull-Warriner Award is an award bestowed by the Dramatists Guild of America. The award is unique in that it is given by dramatists to dramatists. It is presented annually by the Dramatists Guild Council to an author, or team of authors, in recog ...

, Lyceum Theater and the

Vineyard Theatre The Vineyard Theatre is an Off-Broadway non-profit theatre company, located at 108 East 15th Street in Manhattan, New York City, near Union Square. Its first production was in 1981. It is best known for its productions of the Tony award-winnin ...

- 2001: '' Thou Shalt Not,'' Music and Lyrics by

Harry Connick, Jr Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and television host. He has sold over 28million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling male artists in the Uni ...

., Directed and Choreographed by

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

- 1997: ''

Steel Pier The Steel Pier is a 1,000-foot-long () amusement park built on a pier of the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, across from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City (formerly the Trump Taj Mahal). Begun in 1898, it was one of the most p ...

,'' Music and Lyrics by

and

, Directed by

Scott Ellis Scott Ellis (born April 19, 1957) is an American stage director, actor, and television director. Biography Ellis graduated from Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now at DePaul University) in Chicago.

, Choreographed by

. 11 Tony Nominations including “Best Book.” Richard Rodgers Theater - 1997: C''hicago'''','' Music and Lyrics by

and

, Directed by

Walter Bobbie Walter Bobbie (born November 18, 1945) is an American theatre director, choreography, choreographer, and occasional actor and dancer. Bobbie has directed both musicals and plays on Broadway theatre, Broadway and Off-Broadway, and was the Artistic ...

, Choreographed by Anne Reinking. Tony Award, Best Musical Revival, longest running American musical (Script Adaptation) OFF-BROADWAY/ REGIONAL: Librettos for: - 2018: ''The Beast in the Jungle,''

, Music by

, directed and choreographed by

. Outer Critics nomination - 1991 – 2019: '' A Christmas Carol,''

McCarter Theater McCarter Theatre Center is a not-for-profit, professional company on the campus of Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. The institution is currently led by Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen and Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg. ...

-1991 – 1992: '' And the World Goes ‘Round,'' Westside Theater (Co-Conceiver), Winner of New York Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Outer Critics Circle Award - 1990: '' 70, Girls, 70,'' Chichester Festival, (New libretto) -1988: '' Flora, the Red Menace, '' Vineyard Theater, Drama Desk nomination, (New libretto) TELEVISION credits for PBS include: - 2018: ''

Harold Prince Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre. One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...

– the Director’s Life'' (Co-Producer, Writer) - 1998: ''Razzle Dazzle, The Music of

Kander and Ebb Kander and Ebb were a highly successful American songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander (born March 18, 1927) and lyricist Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004). Known primarily for their stage musicals, which include '' ...

'' (Writer) - 1992: ''Sondheim – A Celebration at Carnegie Hall '' (Writer) CONCERT credits at Carnegie Hall include: - 2011: ''“

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, hav ...

’s ‘Perspective Series’”'' (Producer, Writer) - 1999: ''“My Favorite Broadway/The Leading Ladies”'' (Writer)

Awards and nominations

* 1988: Drama Desk Nomination, '' Flora, the Red Menace'' * 1992: Winner of New York Drama Desk Award, '' And the World Goes 'Round'' * 1992: Winner

Lucille Lortel Award The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...

, Outer Critics Circle Award, '' And the World Goes 'Round'' * 1992: Outer Critics Circle Award, '' And the World Goes 'Round'' * 1997: Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical,

Steel Pier (musical) ''Steel Pier'' is a musical written by the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb from the original book by David Thompson. Productions Directed by Scott Ellis with choreography by Susan Stroman, the musical opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers ...

* 2010: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical, The Scottsboro Boys * 2011: Tony Awards nomination for Best Book of a Musical, The Scottsboro Boys * 2011:

for Best Musical, The Scottsboro Boys * 2014: London’s Critic Circle Award, The Scottsboro Boys

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, David American dramatists and playwrights Living people Medill School of Journalism alumni Year of birth missing (living people)