The American Theatre Wing has announced the recipients of the prestigious 2019 Jonathan Larson ‘82 grants: Julia Gytri and Avi Amon (book, music and lyrics), Emily Gardner Xu Hall (book, music and lyrics), Andy Roninson (music and lyrics) and Ben Wexler (music and lyrics). All will receive grants of $10,000, as well as additional support in the form of residences, concerts and recording grants, valued at over $50,000.
Three of this year’s recipients, Roninson, Gytri and Amon, will be honored at Adelphi’s Performing Arts Center with an evening of performance featuring their works as part of the Larson Legacy Concert Series. The series celebrates the next generation of creative artists at Larson’s college home to carry on his legacy.
On Sunday, March 24 at 3 p.m., Jonathan Larson Grant winners Zoe Sarnak and Emily Kaczmarek will present songs and scenes from their musicals “Afterwords” and “Afloat,” as well as never-before-seen works in process, at Adelphi’s Performing Arts Center. This past fall, another 2018 Larson grant winner, singer and songwriter Jay Adana performed a concert of pieces from the new musical, “The Loophole,” with her original music and lyrics, based on the book by Zeniba Britt.
The Jonathan Larson grants are given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers to help continue Tony Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson’s dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.
Past recipients of the Larson Grants include Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Greatest Showman”), Dave Malloy (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”), Amanda Green (“Hands on a Hardbody”), Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (“Next to Normal”), Joe Iconis (“Be More Chill”), Matt Gould (“Witness Uganda”), Michael Korie (“War Paint,” “Grey Gardens”), Shaina Taub (“Twelfth Night”), Max Vernon (“KPOP,” “The View UpStairs”) and Michael R. Jackson (“A Strange Loop”).
See more about Larson on Adelphi’s web. For more information about this year’s Jonathan Larson Grants, see an American Theatre Wing story.
