"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" had its world premiere at Children's Theatre Company in 2016. /Tom Wallace
News on the stage version of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" has gone quiet since its run at Children's Theatre Company nearly two years ago but one of its creators may have revived interest by earning a major award this week.
Alan Schmuckler, who wrote the lyrics for the musical, was announced as one of three winners of the Kleban Prize. Named in honor of the lyricist of "A Chorus Line," Ed Kleban, the $100,000 prize honors promising musical theater writers (last year's recipient was Lisa Kron, who wrote the lyrics and book for "Fun Home"). The other two 2018 winners are Christian Duhamel and Amanda Yesnowitz.
As to the future of "Wimpy Kid," it's still being written.
"He's excited that CTC was part of this whole process and it's exciting that 'Wimpy Kid' is one of the reasons he's being celebrated," says CTC artistic director Peter Brosius, who exchanged emails with Schmuckler Tuesday, after the award was announced.
"Wimpy Kid" has not been staged since it was at CTC in spring 2016, but there has been a workshop production in New York, where Brosius reports "major" changes were made.
"We made a great show here but we all saw things we could deepen and enrich," says Brosius. "Now the producers are in conversation about: What's the next step? Is it a sit-down at a regional or another opportunity to test this new material?"
Whatever happens next with "Wimpy Kid," it would be a little bit of good news for CTC. Although the theater is no longer investing new money in the show, it will receive a small amount of royalties from future productions.
