O'Keefe Receives 2004 Kleban Award

Laurence O'Keefe

ASCAP composer/lyricist Laurence O'Keefe has been named a recipient of the 2004 Kleban Awards, which celebrates excellence in musical theatre writing. The award is given annually by the Kleban Foundation, established in 1988 under the will of composer Edward L. Kleban, who is best known for writing the lyrics to A Chorus Line. O'Keefe will receive $100,000 payable over two years.

In addition to the Off-Broadway rock musical "Bat Boy," O'Keefe's credits include the scores to a version of Molière's The Imaginary Invalid, Euphoria, Mice - the first of a trio of musicals known as 3hree, Sarah, Plain and Tall, as well as contributing songs and scores to several films, including The Cat in the Hat, The Daily Show, and Every Night and Twice On Sundays.

O'Keefe is currently creating Drop Everything: A Clown Show with Fool Moon co-star David Shiner, and has recently been selected as one of the writers for Legally Blonde - The Musical.

He is a recipient of the 2001 ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizon Award, and the 2001 Jonathan Larson Foundation Award.