View source for LGBTQ Lyricists and Composers for Theatre and Film

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The entertainment industry is a welcoming professions for the LGBTQ community, and nowhere so than on stage and in film.  This is particularly the case for musicals.  It is no surprise, then, to find a large number of successful lyricists and composers for theatre and film who identify as LGBTQ.  

These individuals have written for many productions that are classics in the genre.  Many of these productions have LGBTQ content at the core of their plots, and LGBTQ characters associated with them.  Such hits include:
* Little Shop of Horrors
* Avenue Q
* Hairspray
* Kiss of the Spider Woman
* Ragtime
* Oliver
* Blithe Spirit
* Kinky Boots
* Sweeney Todd
* Cabaret
* Rent
* Dreamgirls
* The Lion King
* Easter Parade
* On The Town
* Dear Evan Hansen
* Annie Get Your Gun
* La Cage Aux Folles

It has been argued that many of these plays and musical films have literally changed Society, including its perception of homosexuality and the community.  

As a result of these hit productions, LGBTQ lyricists and musical composers have won Tony Awards, Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, Academy Awards and Pulitzer Prizes for their work.  Several of the individuals are household names, such as [[Elton John]], [[Sir Noel Coward]], or [[Harvey Fierstein]].  Several of the individuals have music lyricist awards named afer them, such as the [[Ivor Novello]] Awards.  

Regrettably, accomplished LGBTQ lyricists and composers for film and theatre are centred on Great Britain and the United States. We have identified the following individuals - simply click on their names to read their fascinating biographies.   


'''Great Britain'''

* [[Lionel Bart]]
* [[Sir Noel Coward]]
* [[Elton John]]
* [[Toby Marlow]]
* [[Ivor Novello]]
* [[Louie Spence]]

'''United States'''

* [[Howard Ashman]]
* [[Chad Beguelin]]
* [[Fred Ebb]]
* [[Roger Edens]]
* [[Harvey Fierstein]]
* [[William Finn]]
* [[George Forrest]]
* [[Michael Friedman]]
* [[Lorenz Hart]]
* [[Jerry Herman]]
* [[Michael R. Jackson]]
* [[Henry Krieger]]
* [[Jonathan Larson]]
* [[Jeff Marx]]
* [[Griffin Matthews]]
* [[Terrence McNally]]
* [[Benj Pasek]]
* [[Robert Patrick]]
* [[Justin Paul]]
* [[Toshi Reagon]]
* [[Marc Shaiman]]
* [[Stephen Sondheim]]
* [[Elizabeth Swados]]
* [[Stephen Trask]]
* [[Max Vernon]]
* [[Jeff Whitty]]
* [[Scott Wittman]]
* [[Robert Wright]]

==See Also==

* [[Notable LGBTQ Playwrights]]
* [[LGBTQ Classical Music Composers]]
* [[Notable LGBTQ Dance Choreographers]]
* [[Celebrated LGBTQ Pianists]]
* [[Prominent Theatre and Film Critics Who Identify as LGBTQ]]
* [[Notable LGBTQ Artistic Directors in the Arts and Entertainment World]]
* [[Creative LGBTQ Management of Symphony Orchestras]]

==Further Reading/Research==

* https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/theater/2015/06/05/15-lgbt-themed-plays-and-musicals-changed-society
* http://www.playbill.com/article/5-songs-from-broadway-musicals-that-broke-ground-for-lgbtq-people