The Westport Library is pleased to honor Justin Paul at the 2018 BOOKED for the evening. The Library's signature fundraising event honors an individual whose work reflects the purpose of the Library—to nurture the love of learning and to enhance our understanding of the world.
Justin Paul is the Oscar, Grammy, Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning songwriter best known for his work with collaborator Benj Pasek on Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land and The Greatest Showman. Their other credits include: Broadway - A Christmas Story, The Musical; Off-Broadway/Regional - Dogfight, James and the Giant Peach, Edges; Film - Trolls; Television - Smash, The Flash and A Christmas Story, Live! Upcoming projects include the live-action movie musicals Aladdin and Snow White at Disney, and original animated musical Foster at Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios. (Justin Paul photo credit Dirty Sugar Photography)
Paul was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised in Westport, Connecticut. From an early age, he played piano and drums and sang in church. Paul attended and starred in theater productions at Coleytown Middle School and Staples High School and went on to earn a B.F.A. in musical theater from the University of Michigan.
BOOKED for the evening is the Library's signature fundraising event. On this occasion, the Library honors an individual whose work reflects the purpose of the Library—to nurture the love of learning and to enhance our understanding of the world.
Previous award winners are Tom Brokaw, E.L. Doctorow, Calvin Trillin, Wendy Wasserstein, Pete Hamill, Martin Scorsese, Arthur Mitchell, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Halberstam, Oscar Hijuelos, Adam Gopnik, Will Shortz, Patti Smith, Barry Levinson, Jon Meacham, Nile Rodgers, Lynsey Addario, Ron Chernow and Alan Alda.
