{{Short description|American orchestrator, musical arranger and music producer}} {{Infobox person | name = Doug Besterman | birth_name = Douglas Besterman | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|2|3}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | style = Musical theatre | known_for = ''Fosse'', ''The Producers'', ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' | occupation = Orchestrator<br>Musical arranger<br>Music producer | awards = Tony Award for Best Orchestrations<br>Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations |education = University of Rochester (BM) }} '''Douglas Besterman''' (born February 3, 1965) is an American orchestrator, musical arranger and music producer. He is the recipient of three Tony Awards out of seven total nominations and two Drama Desk Awards out of six total nominations, and was a 2009 Grammy Award nominee.
== Personal life == Besterman currently resides in New York. Doug grew up in the New York suburb of Monsey. He attended Ramapo High School and the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Orchestration of a Tony Award Winner |url=http://www.rochester.edu/pr/Review/V64N2/feature6.html |work=Rochester Review|accessdate=22 April 2011}}</ref> His father (Kenny Besterman) was a child performer on The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour. Besterman married Alida Michal in 2021. He has three children from previous marriages.
== Career == Besterman found work in New York City in 1986 as a rehearsal pianist. In 1990, he met Danny Troob, who recommended Besterman to work on an Off-Broadway musical with Alan Menken.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview|url=http://www.dougbesterman.com/interview.htm|work=dougbesterman.com|accessdate=10 April 2011}}</ref> Besterman then began an extensive career in film with ''Lincoln'' (1992), subsequently orchestrating Disney's ''Pocahontas'' in 1995.
He made his Broadway debut with ''Damn Yankees'' (1994), for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations. Besterman was also nominated for the latter in 1997, with ''Big: the Musical''.<ref name="aw"/> He won his first Tony Award for Best Orchestrations in 1999, for orchestrating ''Fosse'' with Ralph Burns.
Besterman was nominated for the Tony Award for ''The Music Man'' in 2000, for which he also received his third Drama Desk Award nomination.<ref name="aw">{{cite web|title=Doug Besterman Awards|url=http://www.ibdb.com/awardperson.asp?id=12649|work=Internet Broadway Database|accessdate=10 April 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024091814/http://www.ibdb.com/awardperson.asp?id=12649|archivedate=24 October 2012}}</ref>
Besterman won his second Tony Award and his first Drama Desk Award for the Broadway and West End productions of ''The Producers'' (2001). In 2002, he shared these awards with Ralph Burns for the original Broadway production of ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'', starring Sutton Foster. Burns had died in November 2001<ref>{{cite news|url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/20073-homophobia-in-jazz|title=Homophobia in Jazz |publisher=Jazz Times|year=2001}}</ref> and Besterman accepted the awards.<ref name="aw"/> In his acceptance speech at the 2002 Tony Awards, Besterman was quoted as saying, "I'm sad to be here without him."<ref>Pogebin, Robin.[https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/02/arts/theater/03TONY.html?scp=4&sq=doug%20besterman&st=cse&gwh=47A953D8AC4A8A7A1A52F9CF2ACFA6C9 "At Tonys, 'Millie' Is Tops, but Its Book and Score Aren't"] ''New York Times'', June 6, 2002</ref> <!-- Deleted image removed: thumb|left|Besterman in 1985. -->
In 2001, Besterman orchestrated Rodgers and Hammerstein's score in the TV movie ''South Pacific''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kenrick|first=John|title=South Pacific|url=http://www.musicals101.com/sopacabc.htm|work=Musicals 101|publisher=ABC-TV|accessdate=10 April 2011|date=March 2001}}</ref> In 2002 he served as orchestrator for the Academy Award-winning film adaptation of ''Chicago''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/award_show/oscars/2003 |title=The 2003 Oscar Winners |work=Ropeofsilicon.com |accessdate=August 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806055127/http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/award_show/oscars/2003 |archivedate=August 6, 2009 }}</ref> Besterman also arranged music for the 2003 film ''Piglet's Big Movie''.
In 2004, Besterman orchestrated music for the original productions of ''Dracula, the Musical'' at the La Jolla Playhouse and Broadway's Belasco Theatre.<ref>[http://www.lajollaplayhouse.org/about-the-playhouse/playhouse-history/production-history#date-2000 "LaJolla History"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713083709/http://www.lajollaplayhouse.org/about-the-playhouse/playhouse-history/production-history#date-2000 |date=July 13, 2011 }} lajollaplayhouse.org, retrieved January 10, 2010</ref><ref name=ibdb>[http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=378388 ''Dracula'' listing] ibdb.com, retrieved January 10, 2010</ref>
Besterman provided orchestrations and arrangements for the 2005 West End production of ''Guys and Dolls''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guys and Dolls (2005)|url=http://broadwayworld.com/shows/backstage.php?showid=8028|work=broadwayworld.com|accessdate=10 April 2011}}</ref>
Also in 2005, Besterman reunited with ''The Producers'' composer Mel Brooks for the film version of the same name.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Producers (2005)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395251/|work=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=10 April 2011}}</ref> He again worked with Brooks on his 2007 musical adaptation of ''Young Frankenstein'', for which he was nominated for his sixth Drama Desk Award and first Grammy Award.<ref name="aw"/><ref>[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123936.html "Gypsy, In the Heights, Mermaid, Pacific and Frankenstein Are Grammy-Nominated"<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207060017/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123936.html |date=2008-12-07 }}, ''playbill.com'', December 3, 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite web | work = New Zealand Herald | title = Mel Brooks Thinks It Time for Frankenstein to Dance | date = April 10, 2006 | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=265&objectid=10376854 | accessdate = 2007-07-04 }}</ref>
Besterman worked with writer Debra Fordham and composers Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez for a musical episode of ''Scrubs'', titled "My Musical", which aired in 2007.<ref name="blog1">{{cite video |people= Debra Fordham, Stephanie D'Abruzzo |date= January 13, 2007 |title= Scrubs Blog: My Musical - Part 1 |url= http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/2007/01/13/scrubs-blog-my-musical-part-1/ |format= mov |publisher= Quick Stop Entertainment |accessdate= 2007-07-06 |url-status= usurped |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071012034529/http://quickstopentertainment.com/2007/01/13/scrubs-blog-my-musical-part-1/ |archivedate= October 12, 2007 }}</ref> Some {{Who|date=June 2011}} described initial misgivings that the musical concept would make the episode seem gimmicky, but these fears were, for the most part, put to rest by the fact that the episode was "logically insane."<ref name="IGN">{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Iverson |title=Scrubs: 'My Musical' Review |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/756/756780p1.html |publisher=IGN |date=2007-01-19 |accessdate=2007-07-09}}</ref>
In 2008, Besterman orchestrated songs for the Houston, Texas, premiere of ''The Gershwins' An American In Paris'', a musical adaptation of the 1951 film of the same name. It played from April 29, 2008, to June 22, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=An American in Paris (2008)|work=broadwayworld.com|url=http://broadwayworld.com/bwidb/productions/The_Gershwins'_An_American_In_Paris_311656/|accessdate=10 April 2011}}</ref>
In concerts, Besterman has orchestrated performances for Mel Brooks and Chita Rivera at the Kennedy Center Honors, Beyoncé Knowles' 2002 benefit concert, and the "Stephen Sondheim 75th Birthday Celebration" with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In addition, he has worked with the Boston Pops Orchestra and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.<ref>{{cite web|title=Orchestrations (Concerts)|url=http://www.dougbesterman.com/credits_orchestrator_concert.htm|work=dougbesterman.com|accessdate=10 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Disc Recordings|url=http://www.dougbesterman.com/disc_recordings.htm|work=dougbesterman.com|accessdate=10 April 2011}}</ref>
Orchestrations for ballets include ''Take Five (More Or Less)'' (Pacific Northwest Ballet), ''Double Feature'' (New York City Ballet), and ''But Not For Me'' (Martha Graham Dance Company); all of these were choreographed by Susan Stroman.<ref>{{cite web|title=Orchestrations (Ballet)|url=http://www.dougbesterman.com/credits_orchestrator_ballet.htm|work=dougbesterman.com|accessdate=10 April 2011}}</ref>
He wrote orchestrations to the La Jolla Playhouse's 2010 production of ''Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin''. He orchestrated songs for a musical adaptation, titled ''Elf the Musical'', of the 2003 film ''Elf'',<ref>Healy, Patrick. [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/musical-version-of-elf-heading-to-broadway/?scp=1&sq=elf%20the%20musical&st=cse "Musical Version of ‘Elf’ Heading to Broadway"]. ''The New York Times'', June 11, 2010.</ref> which played at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Broadway in winter 2010.<ref>Broadway News Report. [http://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/news/jun10/elf556027.htm "Elf: new family musical for the winter holidays"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714180319/http://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/news/jun10/elf556027.htm |date=2011-07-14 }}. ''New York Theatre Guide'', June 10, 2011.</ref>
Besterman was the orchestrator for Rob Ashford's 2011 Broadway revival of Frank Loesser's ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'', starring Daniel Radcliffe, for which he has been nominated for his fifth Tony Award for Best Orchestrations.<ref>[http://broadwayworld.com/article/2011-Tony-Nominations-Announced-THE-BOOK-OF-MORMON-Leads-With-14-20110503 "2011 Tony Nominations Announced"], broadwayworld.com, May 3, 2011.</ref><ref>Hetrick, Adam.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/144147-John-Larroquette-Will-Join-Daniel-Radcliffe-in-How-to-Succeed-Broadway-Revival "John Larroquette Will Join Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed Broadway Revival"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124011552/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/144147-John-Larroquette-Will-Join-Daniel-Radcliffe-in-How-to-Succeed-Broadway-Revival |date=2010-11-24 }} playbill.com, October 20, 2010</ref> For this production, Besterman scaled down the orchestra: "Music director David Chase and orchestrator Doug Besterman explored ways to honor the contributions of the original music team (music director Elliot Lawrence and orchestrator Robert Ginzler) while capitalizing on the assets of a streamlined 14-member orchestra."<ref name="refa">''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'', 2011 Revival Cast Recording, CD Booklet</ref> When describing Besterman's approach for these new orchestrations, producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron wrote: {{blockquote|They decided to not use strings (other than a harp) and to think in terms of a muscular jazz ensemble rather than a symphonic sound. Jo Sullivan Loesser (Frank Loesser’s widow and a renowned performer in her own right) was very excited to go down this new path with the score. Inspiration came from the work of 1950s arranger Marty Paich, whose Dek-Tette recordings (most famously with Mel Tormé) found fresh and versatile sounds from a 10-member ensemble (5 brass, 3 saxes, bass and drums). Added to our mix were guitar (muted guitar vamp figures were a favorite of Ginzler’s, as in "Gotta Stop That Man"), percussion (for the Latin sounds so popular at the time as exemplified by "Coffee Break"), piano (you can’t do this show without a nod to Grieg), and harp (for over-the-top romanticism in "Rosemary").<ref name="refa"/>}}
He also provided orchestrations for the London, Broadway, and Hamburg productions of the musical ''Sister Act''. These productions opened on June 2, 2009 (London),<ref>Gans, Andrew.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123328.html "Habit Forming: Whoopi Goldberg to Produce London Premiere of Sister Act"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107170939/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123328.html |date=2009-01-07 }}, playbill.com, November 13, 2008</ref> December 2, 2010 (Hamburg),<ref>[http://www.stage-entertainment.de/musicals/sister-act/backstage/willkommen-schwestern.html ''Sister Act''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119092500/http://www.stage-entertainment.de/musicals/sister-act/backstage/willkommen-schwestern.html |date=2011-01-19 }}, official website, Hamburg, Germany.</ref> and April 20, 2011 (Broadway).<ref>Hetrick, Adam. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/143635-Sister-Act-The-Musical-Will-Open-at-the-Broadway-Theatre-in-April-2011 "'Sister Act The Musical' Will Open at the Broadway Theatre in April 2011"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216081155/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/143635-Sister-Act-The-Musical-Will-Open-at-the-Broadway-Theatre-in-April-2011 |date=2010-12-16 }} playbill.com, October 5, 2010</ref>
Besterman provided orchestrations for the 2011 film remake of ''Winnie the Pooh'', with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, with contributions by The Sherman Brothers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gans|first=Andrew|title=Book of Mormon's Robert Lopez Is Co-Writer of Songs for Disney's New "Winnie the Pooh"|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149312-Book-of-Mormons-Robert-Lopez-Is-Co-Writer-of-Songs-for-Disneys-New-Winnie-the-Pooh|work=Playbill|accessdate=10 April 2011|date=March 30, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404015146/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149312-Book-of-Mormons-Robert-Lopez-Is-Co-Writer-of-Songs-for-Disneys-New-Winnie-the-Pooh|archivedate=4 April 2011}}</ref>
Besterman orchestrated, with Michael Starobin, the Roundabout Theatre Company's musical ''The People in the Picture'' (2011), concerning a grandmother recalling her life in the Yiddish theater and the Holocaust.<ref>Jones, Kenneth.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149382-People-in-the-Picture-With-Donna-Murphy-Living-Two-Lives-Comes-Into-Focus-on-Broadway-April-1 " 'People in the Picture', With Donna Murphy Living Two Lives, Comes Into Focus on Broadway April 1"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608152143/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149382-People-in-the-Picture-With-Donna-Murphy-Living-Two-Lives-Comes-Into-Focus-on-Broadway-April-1 |date=2011-06-08 }} playbill.com, April 1, 2011</ref> Besterman will also provide orchestrations for the upcoming MCC Theater revival of the 1988 musical ''Carrie''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gans|first=Andrew|title=MCC Theater to Produce Infamous Broadway Flop Carrie|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/143652-MCC-Theater-to-Produce-Infamous-Broadway-Flop-Carrie|work=Playbill|accessdate=10 April 2011|date=October 25, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211184559/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/143652-MCC-Theater-to-Produce-Infamous-Broadway-Flop-Carrie|archivedate=11 December 2010}}</ref>
== Discography == *'' All credits as music producer.'' {|class="wikitable" !width="400"|'''Title''' !width="400"|'''Performer''' !width="400"|'''Label''' |- |{{center|''A Love Like Ours''}} |{{center|Barbra Streisand}} |{{center|Sony/Columbia Records}} |- |{{center|''Timeless: Live in Concert''}} |{{center|Barbra Streisand}} |{{center|Sony/Columbia Records}} |- |{{center|''Manilow Sings Sinatra''}} |{{center|Barry Manilow}} |{{center|Arista Records}} |- |{{center|''Oscar and Steve''}} |{{center|Mandy Patinkin}} |{{center|Nonesuch Records}} |- |{{center|''Mamaloschen''}} |{{center|Mandy Patinkin}} |{{center|Nonesuch Records}} |- |{{center|''Kidults''}} |{{center|Mandy Patinkin}} |{{center|Nonesuch Records}} |- |{{center|''Experiment''}} |{{center|Mandy Patinkin}} |{{center|Nonesuch Records}} |- |{{center|''Standing Room Only''}} |{{center|Jerry Hadley}} |{{center|Bertelsmann Music Group}} |- |{{center|''Here’s To The Ladies''}} |{{center|Christine Andreas}} |{{n/a}} |}
==Stage credits== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Venue ! class="unsortable" |Ref. |- |1994 |''Damn Yankees'' |rowspan=16|Orchestrations |Broadway, Marquis Theatre |rowspan=35|<ref>{{cite web |title=Doug Besterman |url=https://playbill.com/person/doug-besterman-vault-0000011289 |website=Playbill}}</ref> |- |1995 |''Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' |Broadway, Lyceum Theatre |- |1996 |''Big'' |Broadway, Shubert Theatre |- |1997 |''King David'' |Broadway, New Amsterdam Theatre |- |1999 |''Fosse'' |Broadway, Broadhurst Theatre |- |rowspan=2|2000 |''The Music Man'' |Broadway, Neil Simon Theatre |- |''Seussical'' |Broadway, Richard Rodgers Theatre |- |2001 |''The Producers'' |Broadway, St. James Theatre |- |2002 |''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' |Broadway, Marquis Theatre |- |2004 |''Dracula the Musical'' |Broadway, Belasco Theatre |- |2006 |''Tarzan'' |Broadway, Richard Rodgers Theatre |- |2007 |''Young Frankenstein'' |Broadway, Hilton Theatre |- |2010 |''Elf'' |rowspan=2|Broadway, Al Hirschfeld Theatre |- |rowspan=3|2011 |''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' |- |''Sister Act'' |Broadway, Broadway Theatre |- |''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' |Broadway, St. James Theatre |- |rowspan=2|2012 |''Annie'' |Additional orchestrations |Broadway, Palace Theatre |- |''Elf'' |Orchestrations |Broadway, Al Hirschfeld Theatre |- |2013 |''Cinderella'' |Additional orchestrations |Broadway, Broadway Theatre |- |rowspan=3|2014 |''Rocky'' |Orchestrations |Broadway, Winter Garden Theatre |- |''Aladdin'' |Additional orchestrations |Broadway, New Amsterdam Theatre |- |''Bullets Over Broadway'' |rowspan=10|Orchestrations |Broadway, St. James Theatre |- |2015 |''It Shoulda Been You'' |Broadway, Brooks Atkinson Theatre |- |2016 |''A Bronx Tale'' |Broadway, Longacre Theatre |- |rowspan=2|2017 |''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' |Broadway, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre |- |''Anastasia'' |Broadway, Broadhurst Theatre |- |rowspan=2|2024 |''Elf'' |Broadway, Marquis Theatre |- |''Death Becomes Her'' |Broadway, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre |- |rowspan=2|2025 |''Boop! The Musical'' |Broadway, Broadhurst Theatre |- |''Smash'' |Broadway, Imperial Theatre |- |2026 |''Schmigadoon!'' |Broadway, Nederlander Theatre |}
== Awards and nominations == {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Award !Category !Work !Result !Ref. |- |1999 |rowspan=2|Tony Award |rowspan=2|Best Orchestrations |''Fosse'' |{{Won}} |rowspan=20|<ref>{{cite web |title=Doug Besterman |url=https://playbill.com/person/doug-besterman-vault-0000011289 |website=Playbill}}</ref> |- |2001 |rowspan=2|''The Producers'' |{{Won}} |- |2001 |Drama Desk Award |Outstanding Orchestrations |{{Won}} |- |2002 |Tony Award |Best Orchestrations |rowspan=2|''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' |{{Won}} |- |2002 |rowspan=3|Drama Desk Award |rowspan=3|Outstanding Orchestrations |{{Won}} |- |1994 |''Damn Yankees'' |{{nom}} |- |1997 |''Big'' |{{nom}} |- |2000 |Tony Award |Best Orchestrations |rowspan=2|''The Music Man'' |{{nom}} |- |2000 |rowspan=2|Drama Desk Award |rowspan=2|Outstanding Orchestrations |{{nom}} |- |2008 |rowspan=2|''Young Frankenstein'' |{{nom}} |- |2009 |Grammy Award |Best Musical Theater Album |{{nom}} |- |2011 |rowspan=2|Tony Award |rowspan=2|Best Orchestrations |''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' |{{nom}} |- |2014 |''Bullets Over Broadway'' |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|2017 |Outer Critics Circle Award |Outstanding Orchestrations |rowspan=2|''Anastasia'' |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|Drama Desk Award |rowspan=2|Outstanding Orchestrations |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|2025 |''Boop! The Musical'' |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|Outer Critics Circle Award |rowspan=2|Outstanding Orchestrations |''Death Becomes Her'' |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|2026 |rowspan=2|''Schmigadoon!'' |{{won}} |- |Tony Award |Best Orchestrations |{{pending}} |}
== References == {{reflist|2}}
== External links == *[http://www.dougbesterman.com/ Official website, ''dougbesterman.com''] *{{IBDB name|12649}} *{{IMDb name|0079041}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20121012030118/http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=people&first=Douglas&middle=&last=Besterman Doug Besterman] at the Lortel Archives/Internet Off-Broadway Database
{{Navboxes | title = Awards for Doug Besterman | list = {{DramaDesk Orchestrations 2001–2025}} {{TonyAward Orchestrations}} }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Besterman, Doug}} Category:21st-century American composers Category:Living people Category:Tony Award winners Category:Drama Desk Award winners Category:Record producers from New York (state) Category:American music arrangers Category:1965 births Category:21st-century American male composers