Jeanine Tesori

Jeanine Tesori has written a diverse catalog for musical theatre, opera, film, and television. Her musicals include Fun Home (2015 Tony Award Winner, Pulitzer finalist), Soft Power (Pulitzer finalist), Caroline, or Change (Olivier award), Violet, Shrek the Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Kimberly Akimbo. Along with Missy Mazzoli, Tesori is one of the first women to be commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera. Her operas include A Blizzard on Marblehead Neck (libretto by Tony Kushner), The Lion, The Unicorn and Me (libretto by J.D. McClatchy), Blue (libretto by Tazewell Thompson), and Grounded (libretto by George Brant). In addition to her work as a composer, Tesori was the founding Artistic Director of Encores! Off-Center at New York City Center, for which she helmed seasons joined by artists such as Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Randy Newman, William Finn, Alan Menken, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sutton Foster, and Jonathan Groff. After producing four seasons of Off-Center, she took one of those concerts, Sunday in the Park with George (starring Jake Gyllenhaal) to Broadway. She was also the founding Creative Director of the non-profit A BroaderWay, an arts empowerment program for young women. Tesori currently teaches in the music department at Yale University.

DNO: Blue

Last update: 12 October 2022