Dogfight music and lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul and a book by Peter Duchan.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's friendship started in the most unlikely of places: a ballet class at the University of Michigan. Their partnership began when they decided to write a musical during their sophomore year. The musical they wrote together went on to become their song cycle Edges. As they wrote together they realized that they weren't meant to act in musical theater, but rather to write for it. Their collective work includes Season two of SMASH, A Christmas Story: The Musical, James and the Giant Peach: A Musical for the Holidays, and their newest musical Dear Evan Hansen that just finished a run in Washington, D.C.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's friendship started in the most unlikely of places: a ballet class at the University of Michigan. Their partnership began when they decided to write a musical during their sophomore year. The musical they wrote together went on to become their song cycle Edges. As they wrote together they realized that they weren't meant to act in musical theater, but rather to write for it. Their collective work includes Season two of SMASH, A Christmas Story: The Musical, James and the Giant Peach: A Musical for the Holidays, and their newest musical Dear Evan Hansen that just finished a run in Washington, D.C.
The idea of adapting Dogfight the musical into a stage musical was brought up by Peter Dunchan. He didn't feel that Pasek and Paul's ideas were heading in the direction they needed. After he showed the pair the movie they immediately got on board. Dogfight was written by Bob Comfort and directed in 1991 by Nancy Savoca. The film grossed $394,631, but its stars River Phoenix and Lili Taylor and has become a cult classsic. While there are differences that arise when moving a story from screen to stage Duncan, Pasek, and Paul maintain the importance of the crass prospect of the dogfight while allowing a love story, as the original movie poster suggests, to arise between Eddie and Rose.
Dogfight Awards
2013 Lucille Lortel Awards
Winner of Outstanding Musical
Winner of Outstanding Choreography
2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards
Nominated for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
Nominated for Outstanding Book of a Musical (Peter Duchan)
Nominated for Outstanding Score of a Musical (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul)
Nominated for Outstanding Lighting Design (Paul Gallo)
Nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Lindsay Mendez)
2013 Drama League Awards
Nominated for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
Nominated for Distinguished Performance Award (Lindsay Mendez)
2014 Evening Standard Awards
Nominated for Best Musical
Winner of Emerging Talent Award (Laura Jane Matthewson)
2013 Lucille Lortel Awards
Winner of Outstanding Musical
Winner of Outstanding Choreography
2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards
Nominated for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
Nominated for Outstanding Book of a Musical (Peter Duchan)
Nominated for Outstanding Score of a Musical (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul)
Nominated for Outstanding Lighting Design (Paul Gallo)
Nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Lindsay Mendez)
2013 Drama League Awards
Nominated for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
Nominated for Distinguished Performance Award (Lindsay Mendez)
2014 Evening Standard Awards
Nominated for Best Musical
Winner of Emerging Talent Award (Laura Jane Matthewson)