Michael Stewart (playwright)

Michael Stewart
Born Michael Stuart Rubin
(1924-08-01)August 1, 1924
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died September 20, 1987(1987-09-20) (aged 63)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Playwright, librettist
Education City University of New York, Queens (BA)
Yale University (MFA)
Period 1955–1985
Genre Musical theatre
Notable works
Notable awards
Relatives Francine Pascal (sister)
John Pascal (brother-in-law)

Michael Stewart (August 1, 1924 – September 20, 1987) was an American playwright and librettist for the stage.

Life and career

Born Myron[1] Stuart Rubin in Manhattan, Stewart attended Queens College, and graduated from the Yale School of Drama with a Master of Fine Arts in 1953.[2][3]

His early work was writing sketches for the revues The Shoestring Revue (1955),[4] The Littlest Revue (1956),[5] and Shoestring '57 (1956, Barbizon-Plaza, New York).[6] He then joined the staff writers of Sid Caesar's television program, Caesar's Hour.[2]

He met Charles Strouse and Lee Adams in 1954, and several years after collaborated with them and Gower Champion on the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie.[2] He worked again with Champion and Jerry Herman, with their musical Hello, Dolly! opening on Broadway in 1964.[2]

Stewart died on September 20, 1987 in New York City. Jule Styne said of him: "He was an extremely talented and knowledgeable man of the theater. He was one of the great musical-theater writers, and his string of hits showed that."[2] Stewart's sister was writer Francine Pascal and brother Burt Rubin.[2][7]

Theatre credits

Notes

  1. ↑ Mitchell Loebel, 1st cousin
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gerard, Jeremy. "Michael Stewart Is Dead 63; Author of Broadway Musicals" The New York Times, September 21, 1987, Section B, p.16
  3. ↑ His name should be shown as "Myron Rubin" — edited by Mitchell Loebel, first cousin.
  4. ↑ The Shoestring Revue. BroadWayWorld.com, accessed January 3, 2011
  5. ↑ The Littlest Revue. BroadWayWorld.com, accessed January 3, 2011
  6. ↑ Funke, Lewis. "Theatre: 'Shoestring '57': New Revue Arrives at the Barbizon-Plaza", The New York Times, November 6, 1956, p.31
  7. ↑ Burt Rubin, son of William and Kate Rubin and brother to Michael Stewart. "Michael Stewart Is Dead 63; Author of Broadway Musicals", The New York Times, September 21, 1987, Section B, p.16
  8. ↑ Rich, Frank."Stage:'Harrigan 'n Hart' Opens at the Longacre" The New York Times, February 1, 1985
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