By James Lomuscio
Oscar, Tony, and Golden Globes winner and longtime Westporter Justin Paul, 33, was overwhelmed tonight when he accepted the Westport Library’s 20th annual BOOKED for the Evening Award held at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton.
“Not too many people have their grandmother at a lifetime achievement award,” said Justin Paul, 33, to laughter from 500 persons at the sold out event. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
In fact, he seemed more in disbelief than when he and best friend and collaborator Beni Pasek won the Academy Award for “City of Stars” from “La La Land.”
Tongue tied at first, he beamed, gesticulated and self-deprecatingly joked about hearing all of the accolades, “the retrospective of a 33-year-old.”
He even quipped concern about it being a lifetime achievement award, and that it would be all downhill from here.
“Not too many people have their grandmother at a lifetime achievement award,” he said to laughter from 500 persons at the sold out event.
Paul, an evangelical Christian, brought the house down when he said, “It’s finally come to pass; this is my bar mitzvah, isn’t it?”
Alice Lipson, former Staples High School choral director, gets a big hug tonight from Justin Paul. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Humor aside, Paul seemed deeply touched by the award, which over the years has celebrated such luminaries as: E.L. Doctorow, Martin Scorsese, Tom Brokaw, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Paul’s fellow Westporter and Staples High school alumna, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario.
Paul was also incredulous after watching a congratulatory video of producer Mark Platt, who said that Paul had inspired him to fund a recording studio in the Westport Library, now undergoing a major renovation.
“We can’t wait to see what you do next, and we are sure it will be as hopeful as it is beautiful,” Bill Harmer, Westport Library director, said as he presented the award.
Born in Missouri and raised in Westport where he attended Long Lots Elementary School, Coleytown Middle School and Staples, Paul credited his teachers, both in the school system and private tutors, for shaping his creativity and talents, oftentimes having to rein in his enthusiasm, acting “like bumpers in a bowling alley.”
A sellout crowd of 500 attended tonight’s event in Wilton. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
On stage and prior to Paul’s talk, Westport students and alumni performed songs written by Paul and Pasek. The two teamed up freshman year at the University of Michigan and their careers began to take flight.
He and Pasek co-wrote “Edges.” They were songwriters “Johnny and the Sprites” on the Disney Channel. They composed the musicals “Dogfight” and “James and the Giant Peach.”
They also wrote the score for “Dear Evan Hansen,” a musical about isolation and search for purpose in the digital age.
Chris Coogan, who had been Paul’s piano teacher, led the band that accompanied the Westport students who performed Paul’s work.
Paul spoke fondly of Coogan, recalling, “He said, ‘I will teach you what you want to learn.’”
He also shared warm memories of the Westport Library were he spent time as a young boy poring over scores and myriad books that piqued his curiosities and passions.
Justin Paul gets together tonight with former drama teachers David Roth (c) and Ben Frimmer at BOOKED for the Evening. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com
In addition, Paul praised his Westport teachers who had encouraged him to think and pursue his craft.
“It’s very exciting,” Harmer said before the event began. “I can’t think of a more appropriate honoree than Westport’s Justin Paul.
“This is going to be a love letter from the town to Justin Paul,” he added.
