Benj Pasek American theatre and television composer and lyricist Date of Birth: 09.06.1985 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Partnership with Justin Paul
3. Early Success
4. Musical Collaborations
5. Collaboration on Films
6. Recent Projects

Early Life and Education

Benj Pasek was born into a Jewish family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother's background as a teacher and songwriter ignited his passion for music. As a child, Pasek sang with the Philadelphia Boys Choir and the choir at his synagogue. He went on to earn a B.F.A. in musical theater from the University of Michigan. It was there that he met his songwriting partner, Justin Paul.

Partnership with Justin Paul

Inspired by their unsatisfying roles in college shows, Pasek and Paul decided to create their own work. One of their first collaborative projects, "Edges," was developed while they were still in school.

Early Success

In 2007, Pasek and Paul won a Jonathan Larson Grant. They went on to co-write and co-compose the musical "Dogfight," which opened Off-Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre in July 2012.

Musical Collaborations

The pair continued their songwriting partnership, creating the music and lyrics for "James and the Giant Peach," "A Christmas Story: The Musical," "Dear Evan Hansen," and "The Greatest Showman."

Collaboration on Films

Beyond their work in theater, Pasek and Paul also collaborated on the lyrics for the film "La La Land" (music by Justin Hurwitz). They have also written songs for the television shows "Smash" and "The Flash."

Recent Projects

More recently, the duo wrote original songs for the Apple Original Films movie "Spirited," starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds.