American composer and lyricist, born in New York City. As a young man, he studied lyric writing with Oscar Hammerstein 2d, and early in his career he wrote lyrics for Leonard Bernstein’s WEST SIDE STORY (1957) and collaborated with Jule Styne in the writing of Gypsy (1959). Later he composed his own music and lyrics for such musicals as A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (1962), COMPANY (1970), FOLLIES (1971), A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (1973), PACIFIC OVERTURES (1976), SWEENEY TODD (1979) and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (1981). His later works include SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (1984; Pulitzer Prize), INTO THE WOODS (1987), PASSION (1994), ASSASSINS (1999), and BOUNCE (2003). Widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the American musical theater.
