Editing Adam Guettel (section)

== Career ==
=== 1987–1999: Early work and ''Floyd Collins'' ===
After graduating from Yale University in 1987, Guettel's first major project was the score of ''The Legend of Oedipus'', a retelling of the story of [[Oedipus]] directed by [[Nikos Psacharopoulos]], head of the [[Williamstown Theatre Festival|Williamstown Theater Festival]]. Guettel and Landau collaborated on an adaptation of ''[[A Christmas Carol]]'' produced by [[Trinity Repertory Company]] in Providence, Rhode Island 1989. According to Guettel, the production was a difficult experience. He recalls breaking his pencil point "about 45 times" during a run-through, taking notes on his problems with the way his score was being done. When Guettel told the musical director they needed more rehearsal time, they replied that there was no time. Guettel was "furious" and started punching a wall in the back of the theater, breaking his hand and wrist in three places.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/article/A-moment-with-Adam-Guettel-musical-composer-1116687.php|title=A moment with ... Adam Guettel, musical composer|date=June 9, 2003}}</ref> Guettel said this experience taught him that he must "let go" to be a strong collaborator. Marjoree Samoff, producing director of the [[American Music Theater Festival]] saw the show and commissioned Guettel and Landau to write a new piece together.<ref name="latimes.com"/>

Landau began to search for a subject for the two to work on. "The Spark" came when Landau and Guettel discovered a 1976 ''[[American Heritage (magazine)|American Heritage]]'' article titled "Dark Carnival", a recounting of the story of [[Floyd Collins]]. Guettel claims his fascination with Collins' story came from a personal link. "This is right when I'm starting my career in musical theatre with Richard Rodgers as my Grandfather... I think I was writing it, on some level, to process the likelihood that I wouldn't match his career, to answer if there's nobility in failing at something noble" <ref>{{Cite web|title=Floyd Collins' Upcoming Broadway Debut Isn't About Why Now—It's Why Always |url=https://playbill.com/article/floyd-collins-upcoming-broadway-debut-isnt-about-why-now-its-why-always|author=Logan Culwell-Block|date=
February 6, 2025}}</ref> Guettel adds that his confidence in the idea came from his mentor Stephen Sondheim believing it was good idea for a musical. Sondheim was a fan of [[Ace in the Hole (1951 film)|''Ace in the Hole'']], a film loosely based on Collins' story and said it's a "fun idea for a show". ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' was originally staged at the [[American Music Theater Festival]] in Philadelphia, in 1994, in a workshop where Guettel not only wrote the music and lyrics, but also starred as Floyd's brother, Homer.<ref>{{Cite news |title=THEATER;How a Media Circus In 1925 Wound Up As a Musical Today |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/25/theater/theater-how-a-media-circus-in-1925-wound-up-as-a-musical-today.html?searchResultPosition=3 |date=1996-02-25 |access-date=2024-10-04 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> On the subject of adapting the true story of Floyd Collins, Guettel stated "We're true to the spirit of the story, but we are circling it for the most dramatic angle". The musical opened at [[Playwrights Horizons]] on February 9, 1996. In ''[[The New York Times]]'' review of the show, critic [[Ben Brantley]] noted "Mr. Guettel establishes himself as a young composer of strength and sophistication, weaving strands from the Americana of [[Aaron Copland|Copland]] and the uneasy dissonance of Sondheim". Later, Guettel would say that it was his time working on ''Floyd'' which made him certain that he would spend his life writing music for the theatre.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=floyd collins reunion - Google Search |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=floyd+collins+reunion#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:fd6809f0,vid:X9cdRFAEEao,st:0 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.google.com}}</ref>

The second project he developed with Landau and Sperling was a song cycle titled ''Saturn Returns'' (recorded as ''[[Myths and Hymns]]''). The piece musicalizes pieces of mythology, including the stories of [[Hero and Leander]], [[Icarus]], [[Medusa]], as well as classic hymns. Discussing its genesis, Guettel stated "I had been writing these myths just because I was just starting out as a writer, and you don't know what to write. I did stuff that was tried and true. That was enough to keep me busy. Then I came across this book in an old antique shop... And it was just the words to a bunch of hymns... For some reason out of this Upper West Side Jew comes all of this music to these hymn lyrics". At first, Guettel was adapting the hymns and myths as separate projects, until Landau suggested they would work well together. "And we realized in some ways that the hymns are who we would have ourselves be, and the myths are basically who we are, and that they can kind of antiphonally talk to each other", said Guettel, in a 2021 ''New York Times'' interview on the online [[MasterVoices]] production of the piece.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barone |first=Joshua |date=2021-05-25 |title='Myths and Hymns,' a Theater Cult Favorite, Changes Shape Again |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/theater/myths-and-hymns-mastervoices.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230630191545/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/theater/myths-and-hymns-mastervoices.html |archive-date=2023-06-30 |access-date=2024-10-11 |work=The new York Times}}</ref> The piece was performed at [[The Public Theater]] and was later recorded by [[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch records]] with performances by [[Billy Porter]], [[Mandy Patinkin]], [[Kristin Chenoweth]], and Guettel himself.

=== 2000–2020: ''The Light at the Piazza'' and other work ===
In addition to writing music and lyrics for musical theatre, Guettel has written [[incidental music]] for plays such as ''Lydie Breeze'' (2000), as well as film scores. In summer 2007, Guettel composed incidental music for a production of [[Anton Chekhov]]'s play ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'' at the [[Intiman Playhouse]] in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Ernio |date=2007-06-12 |title=Samantha Mathis Stars in Lucas' New ''Uncle Vanya'' — with Music by Guettel — Beginning June 12 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/samantha-mathis-stars-in-lucas-new-uncle-vanya-with-music-by-guettel-beginning-june-12-com-141426 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=[[Playbill]]}}</ref>

Guettel has written bespoke songs, including several songs throughout [[Audra McDonald]]'s discography. Her 1998 album ''Way Back to Paradise'' includes his songs "Come to Jesus" (from ''[[Myths and Hymns]]''), "A Tragic Story", "Baby Moon" and "The Allure of Silence". Her [[How Glory Goes|2000 album]]'s namesake is the closing number of ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'', "How Glory Goes", and also includes "Was That You". Her 2006 album is named after his song "Build a Bridge" and also includes "Dividing Day" (from ''The Light in the Piazza''). Her 2018 album, ''Sing Happy'' includes "March is a Windy Month" (from ''Millions''). In 2003, it was announced that Guettel would be writing a new piece for McDonald which would have opened [[Carnegie Hall]]'s [[Zankel Hall]],<ref>{{Cite news |title=Audra McDonald Sings New Guettel Work at Carnegie Hall in 2004 |url=https://playbill.com/article/audra-mcdonald-sings-new-guettel-work-at-carnegie-hall-in-2004-com-112465|author=Andrew Gans|date=April 4, 2003}}</ref> but this piece never came to fruition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tommasini |first=Anthony |date=2004-06-04 |title=MUSIC REVIEW; Catching a Broadway Star On a Fast Concert Furlough |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/04/movies/music-review-catching-a-broadway-star-on-a-fast-concert-furlough.html |access-date=2025-03-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In 1999, Guettel performed a concert evening of his own work at New York's [[Town Hall]] with guests such as [[Kristin Chenoweth]], Audra McDonald, [[Billy Porter]], [[Jubilant Sykes]] and Theresa McCarthy. At first, Guettel resisted doing this concert at all, believing that his work had been heard enough in New York City, and he wanted to focus on writing something new, rather than having songs he had already written performed. It was Robert Hurwitz, the president of [[Nonesuch Records]] at the time, who insisted Guettel do the concert. Guettel has also contributed original scores to several documentary films, including ''Arguing the World'' and ''Jack: The Last Kennedy Film''. In 2004, Guettel contributed vocals to [[Jessica Molaskey]]'s [[P.S. Classics]] album ''[[Make Believe (Molaskey)|Make Believe]]'', dueting with Molaskey on his grandfather's song "Glad To Be Unhappy".

After ''Floyd Collins,'' Guettel reportedly hoped to work on a love story. [[Mary Rodgers|His mother]] suggested an adaptation that she had once pitched to [[Richard Rodgers|her father]], ''[[The Light in the Piazza (novel)|The Light in the Piazza]]'' by [[Elizabeth Spencer (writer)|Elizabeth Spencer]]. After six years working on the project,<ref name="comp" /> [[The Light in the Piazza (musical)|Guettel's musical ''The Light in the Piazza'']] opened on Broadway in 2005.  The show, which starred [[Victoria Clark]] and [[Kelli O'Hara]], met with mixed critical notices, but on June 5, 2005, Adam Guettel won the [[Tony Award for Best Original Score]] and the [[Tony Award for Best Orchestrations]]. He spent much of the period from 2005 to 2007 working on a musical adaptation of ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]'' with original screenwriter [[William Goldman]].  As of January 2007, Guettel had written the music for ten songs for the project.  An orchestral suite from the score was performed at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2006, and [[Lincoln Center]] conducted a workshop of ''Bride'' in January 2007.  The project was abandoned when Goldman reportedly demanded 75 percent of the author's share, even though Guettel was writing both the music and the lyrics.<ref>{{cite news |last=Riedel |first=Michael |url= https://nypost.com/2007/02/16/bride-not-to-be/ |title='Bride' Not to Be While Broderick Balks at 'Producers' | work = The [[New York Post]] |date=2007-02-16 |access-date= 2015-06-03}}</ref>

In July 2009, the [[Signature Theatre (Arlington, Virginia)|Signature Theatre]] of [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington, Virginia]], commissioned Guettel to write a new musical for their 2011–2012 season, under the auspices of their American Musical Voices Project.<ref>{{Citation | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101128061522/http://sig-online.org/press_releases/2009/Guettel_AMVP_7-17-09.pdf | archive-date = 2010-11-28 | url = http://sig-online.org/press_releases/2009/Guettel_AMVP_7-17-09.pdf | title = Signature theatre announces three new musical commissions and two awards as part of "American musical voices project" | publisher = Sig}}</ref> This would reportedly be a musical adaptation of the [[Danny Boyle]] film [[Millions (2004 film)|''Millions'']]. Other projects in development included an opera based on the short stories of [[Washington Irving]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Seeking the Human Spirit : Houston Grand Opera |url=https://www.houstongrandopera.org/you-at-the-opera/Musings/HGO-Announces-Six-Year-Initiative/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210044455/https://www.houstongrandopera.org/you-at-the-opera/Musings/HGO-Announces-Six-Year-Initiative/ |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |access-date=2019-02-09 |website=Houstongrandopera.org}}</ref>

Guettel wrote the original score for the original Broadway production of the play ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird (2018 play)|To Kill a Mockingbird]]'' (2018), for which he received a [[Tony Award]] nomination.

Another major aspect of Guettel's career is his work as a teacher. Since 1995, he has taught masterclasses and seminars in musical theatre performance and songwriting, considering this to be an important complement to his work as a composer. He has led such classes at [[DePauw University]], [[DePaul University]], [[New York University]], [[Pace University]], [[Harvard University]], [[Yale University]], [[Princeton University]], [[Emerson College]], [[Elon University]], [[The Boston Conservatory]], [[Southern Methodist University]], [[Syracuse University]], [[Wagner College]] and many others.

Guettel received an honorary doctorate from [[Lehman College]] in 2007, and was made an honorary member of the [[Royal Academy of Music]] in 2019.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.adamguettel.com/about-4 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=Adam Guettel |language=en}}</ref> He is a founding board member of Vermonters for a Clean Environment.

=== 2020–present: Return to musicals ===
In January 2023, [[Atlantic Theater Company]] announced an eight-week world premiere production of [[Days of Wine and Roses (musical)|Guettel's adaptation]] of ''[[Days of Wine and Roses (film)|Days of Wine and Roses]],'' with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Guettel, book by Craig Lucas (Guettel's collaborator on ''The Light in the Piazza,'' almost 20 years previously), and direction by [[Michael Greif]]. The production starred [[Kelli O'Hara]] and [[Brian d'Arcy James|Brian D'Arcy James]] and was the first full production of a new musical by Guettel since ''Piazza.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Days of Wine and Roses |url=https://atlantictheater.org/production/days-of-wine-and-roses/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Atlantic Theater Company |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Part-time Vermont resident Adam Guettel brings 'Days of Wine and Roses' to Broadway |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/arts/2024/01/05/days-of-wine-and-roses-vermont-adam-guettel-broadway-musical/72088182007/ |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=Burlington Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Days of Wine and Roses'' moved to Broadway, premiering on January 6, 2024, for a 16-week run.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collins-Hughes |first=Laura |date=28 January 2024 |title='Days of Wine and Roses' Review: Romance on the Rocks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/28/theater/days-of-wine-and-roses-review-broadway.html |website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES Will Transfer to Broadway January 2024 |url=https://www.theatrely.com/post/days-of-wine-and-roses-will-transfer-to-broadway-january-2024#:~:text=Days%20of%20Wine%20and%20Roses,%20adapted%20from%20the%201962%20film,28,%202024%20at%20Studio%2054. |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=www.theatrely.com |language=en}}</ref>

Shortly after ''Days of Wine and Roses'' closed on Broadway, it was announced that Guettel's musical ''[[Millions (musical)|Millions]]'' would make its world premiere at the [[Alliance Theatre|Alliance Theater]]. The production will be directed by Guettel's longtime collaborator, [[Bartlett Sher]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Culwell-Block |first=Logan |date=April 25, 2024 |title=Adam Guettel Musical Millions Sets World Premiere at Atlanta's Alliance |url=https://playbill.com/article/adam-guettel-musical-millions-sets-world-premiere-at-atlantas-alliance |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Playbill}}</ref>

In June 2024, it was announced that ''[[Floyd Collins (musical)|Floyd Collins]]'' would come to Broadway as a part of [[Vivian Beaumont Theater|Lincoln Center Theater]]'s 40th Anniversary season.