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Steve Cuden

{{Short description|American writer}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Steve Cuden

| image = SteveCuden.jpg

| caption =

| birth_name = Steven D. Cuden

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|9|25}}

| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

| nationality = American

| education =

| occupation = Screenwriter, Director, Producer, Librettist/Lyricist, Playwright, Author, Theater Lighting Designer, Artist, Teacher

| years_active = 1978-present

}}

Steve Cuden (born September 25, 1955, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American screenwriter, director, lyricist, playwright, author, theater lighting designer, artist, and teacher. He is best known for his work on the Broadway musical, Jekyll & Hyde,{{Cite web |url=http://www.jekyllandhydemusical.com/company/creative/ |title=Jekyll & Hyde Official Website - Creative Team |access-date=2013-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527132630/http://www.jekyllandhydemusical.com/company/creative |archive-date=2013-05-27 |url-status=dead }} as well as his writing for numerous television series.

Biography

The eldest son of Dr. Charles L. Cuden and Helen M. Cuden, he graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in 1973. Cuden attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1973–1976 and the University of Southern California from 1976–1978, from where he graduated with a B.A. in Theater. Upon graduation from USC, he became the USC School of Theater's Master Electrician. Cuden was married to Lisa Ann Kranz from 1993–1996, but the marriage ended in divorce. Cuden received an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television in 2010. He began teaching Screenwriting at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2011.{{Cite web |url=http://www.pointpark.edu/Academics/Schools/COPA/COPADeptsMajors/CinemaandDigitalArts/Faculty/SteveCuden/ |title=Point Park University Faculty Page |access-date=2013-07-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712183646/http://pointpark.edu/Academics/Schools/COPA/COPADeptsMajors/CinemaandDigitalArts/Faculty/SteveCuden |archive-date=2014-07-12 |url-status=dead }}

Career

It was while Cuden was working as the Master Electrician at USC's School of Theatre on a musical called Christopher, written by composer Frank Wildhorn, that the two met, struck up a friendship, and began to collaborate on writing musicals.[http://news.usc.edu/#!/article/25699/Pop-Goes-the-Theatre/ USC News - Pop Goes the Theatre] Their first effort was a song cycle based on the life of Julius Caesar called The High and Mighty Caesar. They also collaborated on a musical based on the lives of Nicholas and Alexandra called The Last Tsar. In 1980, Cuden and Wildhorn wrote the first two versions that they would create of a musical based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.[http://www.annecarlini.com/ex_interviews.php?id=268/ Anne Carlini Exclusive Magazine - Interview with Steve Cuden] The second version that they wrote, which Cuden then titled, Jekyll & Hyde, was completed in 1986. The musical was nearly produced on Broadway in 1988, with Terrence Mann set to star, but the production never came to fruition due to the financial backers withdrawing funding prior to rehearsals.[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/11/26/new-zealanders-lay-money-on-us-stage/ Chicago Tribune - New Zealanders Lay Money On U.S. Stage][https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/20/theater/on-stage.html/ New York Times - On Stage] Leslie Bricusse replaced Cuden in 1988 as the musical's librettist. Cuden still retains both co-conceptual and co-lyrics credits on the show. Jekyll & Hyde ran on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre from April 1997 through January 2001 for a total of 1543 performances. Its first revival on Broadway opened in April 2013, and closed after thirty performances.[http://ibdb.com/show.php?id=4863/ Jekyll & Hyde IBDb Page]

Cuden and Wildhorn also co-conceived a musical based on the story of Rudolf, the last Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his death at his hunting lodge, Mayerling.[http://www.mtishows.com/biography.asp?writerid=3528/ Music Theatre International - Steve Cuden Biography] Originally called Vienna, the musical was not completed prior to Cuden and Wildhorn parting ways. Wildhorn later revived the idea, first with Nan Knighton, and later with Jack Murphy. They retitled it, Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling. The musical has been produced in Hungary, Austria, Japan, and Korea. Cuden still retains co-conceptual credits and co-lyrics credits.

Cuden is well known for writing episodes of television animation for popular shows as: The Batman, X-Men, Iron Man, Loonatics Unleashed, Xiaolin Showdown, Goof Troop, The Mask, Bonkers, Quack Pack, Gargoyles, Beetlejuice, The Pink Panther, Savage Dragon, RoboCop, Stargate Infinity, Exosquad, Skeleton Warriors, and Mummies Alive.[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0191036/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1/ Steve Cuden IMDb Page]

Cuden is also known for directing Lucky, an independently produced, multiple award-winning horror-comedy feature that was released by MTI Home Video in 2004.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299014/ "Lucky" - IMDb Page]

In the 1980s, Cuden won numerous awards for designing lighting of stage productions in Los Angeles, including 3 Plays of Love and Hate, for director John Cassavetes, Playing for Time, for director Mimi Leder, Piece de Resistance, for director Abraham Polonsky, and Dinner and Drinks, for director Monte Markham. Cuden was Supervisor of Ride and Show Lighting at Universal Studios Florida from 1989-1990.[http://cudwerks.weebly.com/theater-lighting-credits.html/ Steve Cuden Official Website - Theater Lighting Credits]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}

In 2013, Cuden published a book titled, Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations.[http://books.broadwayworld.com/article/Steve-Cuden-Releases-BEATING-BROADWAY-How-to-Create-Stories-for-Musicals-That-Get-Standing-Ovations-20130513/ Broadway World Books - Beating Broadway Release] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706033723/http://books.broadwayworld.com/article/Steve-Cuden-Releases-BEATING-BROADWAY-How-to-Create-Stories-for-Musicals-That-Get-Standing-Ovations-20130513 |date=2013-07-06 }}

In 2015, as a companion book to Beating Broadway, Cuden published, Beating Hollywood: Tips for Creating Unforgettable Screenplays.{{cite web |url=http://www.beatinghollywood.com/ |title=Home |website=beatinghollywood.com}}

In 2017, Cuden launched a new podcast, StoryBeat: Storytellers on Storytelling, which he produces and hosts. Shows focus on in-depth interviews with artists from all disciplines regarding their creative process.{{cite web |url=http://www.storybeat.net/ |title=Home |website=storybeat.net}}

Works

= Podcasts =

  • StoryBeat with Steve Cuden[http://www.storybeat.net/%20StoryBeat%20Official%20Website http://www.storybeat.net/ StoryBeat Official Website]

= Books =

  • Beating Hollywood: Tips for Creating Unforgettable Screenplays, 2015, Cudwerks Productions[http://www.beatinghollywood.com/ Beating Hollywood Official Website]
  • Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations, 2013, Cudwerks Productions[http://www.beatingbroadway.com/ Beating Broadway Official Website]

= Musicals =

  • Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical, Co-Conceived for the Stage, and Co-Lyrics[https://archive.today/20130723014033/http://www.mtishows.com/show_detail.asp?showid=000181/ Musical Theatre International - Jekyll & Hyde Information Page]
  • Tours: U.S., 1995-1996, 1999-2000, 2001–2002, 2012-2013
  • Broadway: The Plymouth Theatre, 1997-2001, The Marquis Theatre, 2013
  • Translated into more than twenty languages and produced in multiple venues around the world
  • Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling, Co-Conceived for the Stage, and Co-Lyrics[http://www.frankwildhorn.com/projects/Rudolf.php/ Frank Wildhorn Website - Rudolf the Musical]
  • Productions in Hungary, Vienna, Japan, and Korea

= Feature films =

  • Lucky, Muddfilms/MTI Home Video, released 2004, director/co-producer[http://www.fandango.com/stevecuden/overview/p381244/ Fandango - Steve Cuden - Lucky]

= Television - Staff Writer - Animation =

  • Bonkers (1993-1994): Synd/Disney TV Animation[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0911176/combined/ Bonkers IMDb Page - Cartoon Cornered]
  • Goof Troop (1992): Synd/Disney TV Animation[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0911729/combined/ Goof Troop IMDb Page - Rally Round the Goof]
  • Quack Pack (1996): Synd/Disney TV Animation[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0987552/combined/ Quack Pack IMDb Page - The Boy Who Cried Ghost]

= Television - Writer - Animation =

= Teaching =

  • Point Park University, Assistant Professor, Screenwriting, 2011–2020{{Cite web |url=http://www.pointpark.edu/Academics/Schools/COPA/COPADeptsMajors/CinemaandDigitalArts/Faculty/news.aspx?id=338%2F |title=Point Park University - Steve Cuden Faculty Interview |access-date=2019-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055733/http://www.pointpark.edu/Academics/Schools/COPA/COPADeptsMajors/CinemaandDigitalArts/Faculty/news.aspx?id=338%2F |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}

Awards

= Feature films =

Lucky (Director/Co-Producer)

  • Winner - Best Director - Nodance Film Festival, 2002[http://www.nodance.com/nd5Archive/hprogram.htm/ Nodance Film Festival 2002 Program]
  • Winner - Best Feature - New York City Horror Film Festival, 2002[http://nychorrorfest.com/past-festivals/10/ New York City Horror Film Festival Official Website - Past Festivals and Winners]
  • Winner - Best Feature - MicroCineFest, Baltimore, 2002[http://microcinefest.org/MCF2002/MCF2002.html/ MicroCineFest - Past Festivals and Winners] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012094113/http://microcinefest.org/MCF2002/MCF2002.html |date=2013-10-12 }}
  • Winner - Best Feature - Shriekfest Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2003[http://www.shriekfest.com/winners.php?id=2003/ Shriekfest Official Website - Past Winners (2004)] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130723014053/http://www.shriekfest.com/winners.php?id=2003/ |date=2013-07-23 }}
  • Winner - Fan Favorite - Shriekfest Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2003
  • Winner - Best Feature - Weekend of Fear, Nuremberg, Germany, 2003

= Lighting design =

Dramalogue Drama Critics Awards

L.A. Weekly LAWEE Awards

  • In Trousers, 1984
  • Livin' Dolls, 1984
  • 3 Plays of Love and Hate: Knives, Love Streams, The Third Day Comes, 1981

L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards

  • In Trousers - Nomination, 1984[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-03-07-ca-34795-story.html Los Angeles Times - Critics Pick Best Drama Candidates]

Memberships

Boards of directors

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • [http://www.stevecuden.com/ Steve Cuden - Official Website]
  • [http://www.storybeat.net/ StoryBeat - Official Website]
  • [http://www.beatingbroadway.com/ Beating Broadway - Official Website]
  • [http://www.beatinghollywood.com/ Beating Hollywood - Official Website]
  • {{IMDb name|0191036}}
  • {{IBDB name|75120}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuden, Steve}}

Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:American male screenwriters

Category:American television writers

Category:American television producers

Category:American male television writers

Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni

Category:USC School of Dramatic Arts alumni

Category:UCLA Film School alumni

Category:Screenwriting instructors