Richard Maltby, Jr.

Richard Eldridge Maltby Jr.

Maltby and David Shire started working together as students at Yale University (where he was a member of Manuscript Society); their first Broadway credit was in 1968, when their song "The Girl of the Minute" was used in the revue New Faces of 1968. In 1977 the Manhattan Theatre Club produced a revue of their earlier songs, written for other works, finally titled Starting Here, Starting Now. With composer Shire, Maltby was the director and lyricist for Baby (1983, book by Sybille Pearson), director and lyricist for Closer Than Ever (1989), and lyricist for Big (1996, book by John Weidman). Also with Shire, he conceived and wrote the lyrics for Take Flight (book by John Weidman), which had its world premiere in July 2007 at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. About Time (a sequel to Starting Here, Starting Now and Closer Than Ever), with music by Shire and lyrics and direction by Maltby, premiered in May 2025 at Goodspeed Musicals Norma Terris Theatre , and was subsequently produced at 54 Below in November 2025.

He was director/co-lyricist for the American version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance, (1986) starring Bernadette Peters. He was co-lyricist for Miss Saigon (Evening Standard Award 1990; Tony nomination: Best Score, 1991).

He also conceived and directed Ring of Fire, a musical about Johnny Cash, which ran on Broadway in 2006. He is co-bookwriter/lyricist for The Pirate Queen (2007). He was most recently represented on Broadway as the director of the new, original musical The Story of My Life by composer/lyricist Neil Bartram and book writer Brian Hill. That musical had a brief run at the Booth Theatre in February 2009. and received a 2009 Drama Desk Award nomination for outstanding production of a musical.

Since 1976 he has constructed the monthly cryptic crossword puzzles for Harper's Magazine, formerly in collaboration with E. R. Galli. He constructed cryptic crosswords for New York Magazine in the late 1960s.

Personal life

Maltby married twice: first to Barbara Black Sudler on June 5, 1965 (they had two children, Nicholas and David), and second, in 1987, to Janet Brenner (they had three children, Jordan, Emily, and Charlotte). He now has seven grandchildren: Liam, Owen, Matt, Aidan, Emma, Lionel, and Jesse Maltby.

Work Broadway Ain't Misbehavin', 1978 (Director/Co-lyricist) Baby, 1983 (Director/Lyricist) Blood Knot, 1985 (Producer) Song and Dance, 1986 (Director/Co-lyricist) Miss Saigon, 1989 (Lyricist) Nick & Nora, 1991 (Lyricist) Big, 1996 (Lyricist) Fosse, 1999 (Director) Bea Arthur on Broadway, 2002 (Production Consultant) Ring of Fire, 2006 (Creator/Director) The Pirate Queen, 2007 (Writer/Lyricist)

Off-Broadway Closer Than Ever, (1989, two Outer Critics Circle Awards: Best Musical, Best Score) with David Shire Starting Here, Starting Now, director/lyricist (1977 Grammy nomination) with David Shire

Regional Love Match, lyricist (1968, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles) The 60's Project, director, (2006, Goodspeed Opera House) Waterfall, book and lyrics; David Shire music (2015), Pasadena Playhouse Sousatzka, lyricist (2017), Elgin Theatre, Toronto About Time, lyricist and director, David Shire music, (2025, Norma Terris Theatre at Goodspeed Opera House, CT)

Film Miss Potter, (2007), Screenplay, starring Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor (Christopher Award, best screenplay)

Awards and nominations Awards 1978 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – Ain't Misbehavin''' 1990 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Score – Closer Than Ever2001 Laurence Olivier Award – FosseNominations