Jason Robert Brown, born June 20, 1970, in the suburbs of New York City, is an American composer known for his work in musical theatre. He began his career as a pianist, arranger and conductor in New York City. His breakthrough came with Songs for a New World, an off-Broadway revue directed by Daisy Prince, which featured his pop-rock-influenced music and included the song "Stars and the Moon." Brown's work on Parade, a Broadway musical based on the trial of Leo Frank, earned him the 1999 Tony Award for Best Original Score. He also wrote the book and songs for The Last Five Years. His musical adaptation of Robert James Waller’s novel, Bridges of Madison County, premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2013 and won him Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations.
