Photos: Benjamin Velez & Madeline Myers Honored with 2025 Kleban Prize

Just yesterday, ASCAP and BMI honored the winners of the 35th Annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theater lyricist and librettist. The 2025 Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist was awarded to Benjamin Velez. The 2025 Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist was awarded to Madeline Myers. The ceremony featured musical performances from work by this year's prize recipients, the event was hosted by Tony Award winners and Kleban board members Richard Maltby, Jr. and Maury Yeston. BroadwayWorld was there for the big day and you can check out photos from inside the celebration below.

Since its inception, Kleban Prize winners have been selected by judging panels comprised of the theatre's most respected artists and administrators. The trio of celebrated judges making the final determination this year were choreographer Raja Feather Kelly (We're Gonna Die, A Strange Loop), Tony Award-winning designer Clint Ramos (Eclipsed, Slave Play), and Tony Award-winning producer Rachel Sussman (Suffs, Just For Us).

The Kleban Foundation was established in 1988 under the will of Edward L. Kleban, best known as the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist of the musical A Chorus Line. Kleban's will made provisions for annual prizes, which in recent years have totaled $100,000 each, payable over two years, to be given to the most promising lyricist and librettist in American musical theatre. For 35 years, the Kleban Prize has recognized and honored some of the American musical theatre's brightest developing talents. 

Over more than three decades, the annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre has awarded over $6,000,000 to 85 artists who collectively have garnered nine Tony Awards (with nearly 30 Tony nominations), 59 Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards, 11 Drama Desk Awards, 11 Outer Critic Circle Awards, five Obie Awards, two Olivier Awards, and two Pulitzer Prizes. 

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski