William Finn, writer and composer of some of our most beloved contemporary musicals, has passed away at 73. His contributions to musical theatre include his Tony Award-winning score and book (co-written with James Lapine) for Falsettos and his Tony-nominated score for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Finn's quirky and charming wit, hallmarks of his work, revealed an incisive understanding of people and an earnest appreciation of their shortcomings.

Finn studied at Stephen Sondheim's alma mater Williams College, where he received the Hubbard Hutchinson Memorial Fellowship for his musical work. (Sondheim also received this fellowship during his time at Williams)

In New York City, Finn found a creative home at Playwrights Horizons, where March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland premiered. The two pieces ultimately became Falsettos, which included a book co-written by Finn and James Lapine. A story of complicated family ties and love during the beginning of the AIDS crisis, Falsettos opened on Broadway in April 1992 and was welcomed with critical acclaim and two Tony Awards.

After undergoing Gamma Knife surgery to remove an AVM in his brain stem, Finn worked with Lapine to create A New Brain, a musical based on his experience, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theater in 1998.

Among the works in Finn and Lapine's decades-long collaboration are The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Little Miss Sunshine, both exploring endearing misfits and their family dynamics.

Spelling Bee premiered Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre and swiftly transferred to Broadway in 2005, subsequently winning two Tony Awards. "In his lively lyrics Mr. Finn vividly captures the voices of his smart youngsters," wrote The New York Times. Since the musical gem closed in 2008, audiences and theatre makers flock to Spelling Bee for its songs that range from tenderly vulnerable to diabolically hysterical, a testiment to William Finn's genius.

In Little Miss Sunshine, Finn and Lapine brought the dysfunctional Hoover family and their quixotic road trip from the screen to the stage. The musical adaptation of the 2006 indie darling film premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2011. Little Miss Sunshine had its Off-Broadway debut at Second Stage Theatre in 2013. In 2019, the musical heralded its UK premiere at the Arcola Theatre.

Finn's catalog of songs are the basis for several revues, including Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn.

In 2006, Finn founded the Musical Theatre Lab at Barrington Stage Company, where Spelling Bee was workshopped and first premiered. "What seems effortless is only achieved through a painstaking, exacting developmental process," he wrote.

MTI President and CEO Drew Cohen remarks: "Bill Finn's incredible talents included the ability to keenly observe the quirks and complexities of the human condition and poke fun at them while at the same time embracing them. The fusion of his music and lyrics was a match made in heaven, whether in the form of a ballad, a novelty song, or a soliloquy that could move an audience to laughter and tears within a few measures. We are proud to represent the shows that form part of Bill's artistic legacy and will greatly miss the wonderful person who has entrusted us with his treasures."

To this day, the works of William Finn are performed worldwide and will continue to be a part of his enduring legacy.