Songwriters Hall of Fame (SongHall) is excited to announce the premiere of Words About Music, a new series of conversations and music providing a unique look at some of America’s most admired songwriters, lyricists and composers. The first Words About Music event will shine the spotlight on Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik – the 2007 Tony Award winners for Best Musical Spring Awakening. The story of their careers and the making of Spring Awakening will come to life on the stage accompanied by a 6-piece string ensemble with piano and vocals. The evening will be hosted by Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke.
“The Words About Music series will offer an extraordinary and intimate view of the creative processes of some of our most prolific and well-known songwriters,” commented SongHall Chairman/CEO and songwriter extraordinaire Hal David. “It is highly fitting that we begin with Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik who represent a pioneering spirit in musical theater.”
Sheik and Sater are the creators of the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening, which playwright (and poet) Steven Sater based on the controversial 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind and deals with the yearnings and frustrations of young adulthood. Sater met Grammy nominated alternative rock singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik in 1999, and so began their remarkable partnership. Steven Sater says of his collaboration with Duncan Sheik: “I said we should create a theatrical piece together and gave him a copy of ‘Spring Awakening.’ He said that if we did it, he wanted the music to be as relevant as the songs people listen to outside the theater.” Their ensuing achievement has been hailed universally.