Lynn Ahrens
Birth Place: New York, New York, USA
DAMN YANKEES To Return To Broadway In 2027; Casting Begins In May (Apr 15, 2026)
Video: Brandon Uranowitz, Shaina Taub & More Record 'Success' From the RAGTIME Album (Apr 15, 2026)
Elvira Tortora Will Bring THE BOOKMAKER'S DAUGHTER To Josephine’s Cabaret at Club Café in May (Apr 13, 2026)
BIO
Lynn Ahrens' writing spans the Broadway stage, feature film and network television. She won the Tony Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards and received two Grammy nominations as lyricist of the
Broadway musical Ragtime; in the same year, she received two Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Gold Record for Twentieth Century Fox's animated feature film Anastasia. She wrote book and lyrics for Seussical (Grammy nomination, one of the most performed shows in America); Once On This Island (London Olivier Award, Best Musical, Tony nominations for Best Book and Score); Lincoln Center Theater's The Glorious Ones (five Drama Desk nominations); Dessa Rose (Audelco Award, Best Musical, Outer Critics Circle nomination); A Christmas Carol (ten years at Madison Square Garden) and Lucky Stiff (Helen Hayes Award, Best Musical). She provided lyrics for My Favorite Year, A Man Of No Importance (Outer Critics Circle Award, Best Musical) and Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, as well as lyrics for the feature film Camp. For television, she wrote the musical teleplay of A Christmas Carol (Hallmark Entertainment Special, NBC) and is a mainstay songwriter/ singer for the famed series Schoolhouse Rock (ABC-TV) and others. She has received the Emmy Award and four Emmy nominations. Her short stories
and essays have appeared nationally and have been nominated for the Best American Essays and Pushcart anthologies. She serves on the Dramatists Guild Council of America, co-chairs the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program, and is a member of AMPAS. 2008 marks her twenty-fifth year of collaboration with composer Stephen Flaherty.
Photos
STAGE CREDITS
Productions
Writing
Composer
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Conceiver
Bookwriter
Conceiver
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Awards and Nominations
Lynn AhrensAnastasia
Lynn Ahrens, The Glorious Ones
winner
Lynn Ahrens, A Man of No Importance
winner
Lynn Ahrens, Ragtime
winner
Lynn Ahrens, Ragtime
Lynn Ahrens, Ragtime
winner
Lynn Ahrens, Ragtime
Lynn Ahrens , Once on this Island
Lynn Ahrens , Once on this Island
Videos
Video: RAGTIME Stars Perform in the Union Square Subway Station
by Michael Major - 2026-04-10 17:00:04
Video: Watch the Cast of RAGTIME Record 'New Music' For Their Cast Album
by Michael Major - 2026-04-03 14:00:15
Video: Joshua Henry and RAGTIME Cast Perform 'Gettin' Ready Rag'
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-03-03 11:33:52
Video: Joshua Henry Performs 'Make Them Hear You' From RAGTIME on THE VIEW
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-02-16 14:10:05
Video: Joshua Henry, Shaina Taub, & Ben Levi Ross Record 'He Wanted to Say' From RAGTIME
by Michael Major - 2026-02-06 12:30:02
Video: Jordan Donica Sings 'Goodbye, Old Girl' from DAMN YANKEES
by Joshua Wright - 2025-10-28 16:56:06
Exclusive: Rob McClure Sings 'Those Were The Good Old Days' from DAMN YANKEES
by Joshua Wright - 2025-10-28 14:18:06
Video: Cast of DAMN YANKEES Performs 'Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO'
by Joshua Wright - 2025-10-24 10:48:54
Video: SEUSSICAL Original Broadway Cast Reunites For 54 Below Concert Rehearsals
by Michael Major - 2025-10-20 13:35:45
Joshua Henry Receives Emotional Note From Brian Stokes Mitchell on RAGTIME Opening
by Michael Major - 2025-10-20 11:28:25
Video: Ana Villafañe & Jordan Donica of DAMN YANKEES Perform 'Two Lost Souls' at Arena Stage
by Joshua Wright - 2025-10-07 10:01:16
Video: Watch Joshua Henry & Nichelle Lewis Perform 'Wheels of a Dream' From RAGTIME
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-09-30 10:08:13
Video: Go Inside the First Performance of RAGTIME on Broadway
by Michael Major - 2025-09-29 10:27:25
Video: Watch Caissie Levy & Brandon Uranowitz Rehearse 'Our Children' From RAGTIME
by Michael Major - 2025-09-25 15:26:28
Video: Joshua Henry & RAGTIME Cast Rehearse 'Gettin’ Ready Rag'
by Michael Major - 2025-09-19 10:52:52
Video: Sergio Trujillo On Reimagining DAMN YANKEES At Arena Stage
by A.A. Cristi - 2025-09-09 21:57:07
Video: DAMN YANKEES Star Quentin Earl Darrington Performs National Anthem At Nationals Park
by A.A. Cristi - 2025-08-22 16:33:57
Video: Watch the RAGTIME Cast Perform the Title Song at Lincoln Center
by Michael Major - 2025-05-28 10:45:40
News
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 15, 2026
A Broadway revival of DAMN YANKEES, directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, is aiming for a spring 2027 opening, with rehearsals expected to begin in January 2027.
by Michael Major - Apr 15, 2026
New video footage has been released of Brandon Uranowitz, Shaina Taub, Rodd Cyrus, John Rapson, and the ensemble of Ragtime recording 'Success' for the 2025 Broadway Cast Recording of the beloved musical.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 13, 2026
Elvira Tortora will bring her Bistro Award-winning and MAC Award-nominated show The Bookmaker's Daughter to Josephine's Cabaret at Club Café in Boston.
by Jade Kops - Apr 12, 2026
ANASTASIA is Stephen Flaherty (Music), Lynn Ahrens (Lyrics) and Terrence McNally’s (Book) musical theatre fairytale imagining of the last Romanov, inspired by 20th Century Fox Animation’s 1997 movie of the same name.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 10, 2026
Oklahoma City University's Bass School of Music will present Anastasia at the Kirkpatrick mainstage, featuring a 31-member cast and original costumes. Tickets are on sale now.
by Michael Major - Apr 10, 2026
Watch videos of Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowtiz, Shaina Taub, and Ben Levi Ross performing “The Night That Goldman Spoke at Union Square,” “Our Children,” and “Make Them Hear You' from Ragtime in the subway station.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 10, 2026
Ragtime will host a special post-show panel, titled “The Black Experience in RAGTIME” next week. Producer Lamar Richardson will moderate the conversation, featuring original RAGTIME stars Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell.
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 9, 2026
RAGTIME, SiriusXM’s On Broadway, and Concord Theatricals Recordings will present a SiriusXM Front Row event and cast album signing at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center on Thursday, April 23.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 8, 2026
Duluth Playhouse Youth Theatre will present SEUSSICAL JR. April 24–26, 2026 at the NorShor Theatre, featuring a cast of 30 young performers in the musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 7, 2026
The Broadway musical ANASTASIA opens at Sydney Lyric Theatre in April 2026, starring Georgina Hopson, Rhonda Burchmore, and Nancye Hayes, following a acclaimed Melbourne run.
by Michael Major - Apr 5, 2026
As Ragtime celebrates another extension on Broadway, buy merch from the acclaimed revival! The production is offering pins, magnets, and a mug for fans who want to own a memento from the show.
by Michael Major - Apr 3, 2026
Concord Recordings has released footage of Joshua Henry, Colin Donnell, Caissie Levy, Ben Levi Ross, Nichelle Lewis, and the RAGTIME ensemble recording “New Music” for their recently released cast album. Watch the video!
by Stephen Sorokoff - Apr 2, 2026
The Broadway veteran brought his comedy, music and stories to 54 Below and his show-biz friends and fans filled the club on April 1. See photos of the evening.
by Charles Kirsch - Mar 27, 2026
Any theater lover should be well acquainted with the meteoric rise of Tony nominee Lear DeBessonet: from founding the Public Works program at the Public Theater to spearheading the Encores! series at New York City Center to her current role as artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater.
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 25, 2026
LTM will host a free Lunchtime Lecture for Once on This Island at Cheney Hall. The event will feature a discussion with the cast and creative team. Registration is requested.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 25, 2026
Anna Grace Barlow will take her final bow as Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime on Broadway on June 14, as confirmed on Barlow's Instagram story. Replacement casting has not been announced at this time.
by Elliot Lanes - Mar 23, 2026
Besides being the premiere theatre for musicals in the DMV, Signature Theatre also has a highly successful cabaret series. For many years the series has highlighted all genres of music featuring top flight talent.
by BWW Special Offer - Mar 23, 2026
Flint Repertory Theatre and University of Michigan-Flint’s Program of Theatre & Dance are combining forces for this first-ever co-production, featuring a cast composed of both professional and student actors along with a professional creative team of University of Michigan-Flint faculty and Flint Rep artists.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 23, 2026
Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of Ragtime, directed by Kewsong Lee Artistic Director Lear deBessonet, announced that its limited engagement has been extended by popular demand for a second time.
by Gregory Fletcher - Mar 20, 2026
Mitchell sent the audience out into the night uplifted, restored, and indeed, full of hope and joy with his 3/19 show, performing a wide range of songs from his Broadway roles in RAGTIME and MAN OF LA MANCHA to contemporary works.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Lynn Ahrens has written 17 shows including Lucky Stiff (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Once On This Island (Bookwriter), My Favorite Year (Lyricist), A Christmas Carol (Lyricist), Ragtime (Lyricist), Patti LuPone: Matters of the Heart (Lyricist), Seussical (Conceiver), A Man of No Importance (Lyricist), Dessa Rose (Lyricist), Chef's Theater: A Musical Feast (Songs), Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (Lyricist), The Glorious Ones (Lyricist), Rocky (Lyricist), In Your Arms (Title Song Lyrics), Anastasia (Lyricist), Marie, Dancing Still (Bookwriter & Lyricist), Knoxville (Lyricist).
Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Anastasia, Outstanding Lyrics (Drama Desk Awards) for The Glorious Ones, Outstanding Lyrics (Drama Desk Awards) for A Man of No Importance, Outstanding Lyrics (Drama Desk Awards) for Ragtime, Outstanding Lyrics (Drama Desk Awards) for Ragtime, Best Musical (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for Ragtime, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Ragtime, Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Once on this Island and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Once on this Island.
Lynn Ahrens has won several awards, including Outstanding Lyrics at the Drama Desk Awards for A Man of No Importance and for Ragtime. Additionally, she received the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre for Ragtime.
Videos