A Conversation with Marc Shaiman

Join us on Wednesday, February 4, at 6 p.m. for a conversation with Marc Shaiman, the award-winning composer, lyricist, and music producer known for his work across film, television, and theater. He will share hilarious and heartfelt stories from showbiz from his new book, “Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner.” 

Each ticket costs $30 plus fees and includes a hardcover copy of Shaiman’s new book. Shaiman will sign copies of the book following the program.

In “Never Mind the Happy,” Shaiman looks back on five decades of Broadway triumphs, Hollywood hijinks, and unforgettable collaborations – from “Hairspray” and “Sister Act” to “Mary Poppins Returns” and “Smash.” Along the way, he charts the personal highs and heartbreaks that have shaped him – spending his teenage years in community theater, starting a decades-long collaboration with Bette Midler in the '70s, surviving the AIDS crisis of the '80s, his award-winning film music career in the Hollywood of the '90s, right up to the highs (and lows) of creating Broadway musicals from 2000 on.

Candid, hilarious, and deeply human, Shaiman's story is a tribute to the power of music, the pull of the spotlight, and the beat that never stops. 

ASL interpretation is available during our events.

This program is presented by the Clinton Foundation in partnership with the Arkansas Cinema Society, Arkansas Repertory Theater, and Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

More about the speaker:

Marc Shaiman is a renowned American composer, lyricist, arranger, and music producer known for his work across film, television, and theater. Shaiman began his career as a musical director and arranger for Bette Midler before expanding into film scoring. He gained prominence with his work on films such as “When Harry Met Sally,” 
“The Addams Family,” “Sister Act,” “City Slickers,” “A Few Good Men,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “The American President,” and “South Park,” on television with “SNL,” and on his recordings with Harry Connick Jr. and Mariah Carey. Shaiman earned widespread acclaim for co-writing the Broadway musical Hairspray alongside his longtime co-lyricist Scott Wittman. The duo has also co-created the musicals “Catch Me If You Can,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Some Like It Hot,” and “Smash.” He has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and has won a Tony, two Emmys, and two Grammys. Marc Shaiman is celebrated for his versatile, emotionally resonant music and his ability to blend classic musical theater sensibilities with modern storytelling. Born and raised in New Jersey, he currently lives in New York with his husband, Lieutenant Commander (ret) Lou Mirabal.

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