In Memoriam: Author Steven Lutvak

In Memoriam: Author Steven Lutvak

Tony Award winning MTI author Steven Lutvak, co-author of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, passed away on October 9, 2023. He was 64 years old.

Steven Lutvak made his Broadway debut with his score to A Gentleman's Guide to Love And Murder, for which he supplied the music, and co-wrote the lyrics with Robert L. Freedman. A Gentleman's Guide won the Drama League, the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama Desk and the Tony Awards for Best Musical of 2014. Since its successful run of over two years on Broadway, there have been two National Tours, and productions mounted in Sweden, Japan, and China. The show will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Broadway opening in November.

A Gentleman's Guide was originally developed at the Sundance Theater Lab and premiered as a co-production at the Hartford Stage and the Old Globe in San Diego. Mr. Lutvak and Freedman won the Kleban and Fred Ebb Songwriting Awards for their songs for the show.

As a singer/songwriter, Mr. Lutvak performed his songs across the country, including at such prestigious New York venues as Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hall, Rainbow and Stars, and The Russian Tea Room.

Among the multitude of awards won for his achievements in musical theatre, Mr. Lutvak received the Johnny Mercer Emerging American Songwriting Award, the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Awards, and is the only two-time recipient of the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Grant.

"Steven was an incredible talent, a wonderful teacher, and a devoted husband, father and friend.", said MTI CEO Drew Cohen. "He loved working with artists and took great pleasure in seeing his work performed by groups of all kinds, ranging from amateurs to professionals. His premature passing is a shock and a loss to the entire Theatre Community. We will miss him dearly."

Steven is survived by his husband, choreographer Michael McGowan, and their 7 year old daughter, Eliot Rose Lutvak-McGowan.