David Zippel’s lyrics have won him the Tony award, the Olivier award, the Evening Standard award, two Oscar nominations, two Grammy award nominations, and three Golden Globe award nominations.  His songs appear on over twenty-five million CDs around the world, and have been recorded by many great singers including Stevie Wonder, Christine Aguilera, Mel Torme, Ricky Martin, Cleo Laine, Elaine Paige, Barbara Cook, Sarah Brightman and Nancy LaMott.

Theatre: David Zippel made his Broadway debut with City of Angels (music by Cy Coleman, book by Larry Gelbart), he also wrote the lyrics for the Broadway musical The Goodbye Girl (music by Marvin Hamlisch, book by Neil Simon).  He has contributed lyrics to the revues A...My Name Is Alice ,Diamonds and, with composer Doug Katsaros, wrote the musical comedy Just So .  With Wally Harper he has written numerous songs for Barbara Cook including It’s Better With A Band and the original songs for her Broadway and West End show Barbara Cook, A Concert For the Theatre .  Her acclaimed revue showcasing David Zippel’s lyrics entitled It’s Better With A Band , played Off-Broadway and at the Donmar Warehouse.

Film: In collaboration with Alan Menken, the songs for Disney’s feature film Hercules ; with Matthew Wilder, the songs for Disney’s animated feature Mulan ; with Marvin Hamlisch, the theme song for Frankie and Johnny ; with Mervyn Warren the end title for the Jennifer Lopez movie The Wedding Planner ; lyrics for The Swan Princess , an animated feature with music by Lex De Azevedo.

Recording: Go the Distance from the soundtrack of Hercules recorded by Michael Bolton which reached Number One in the charts and was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe; Reflection recorded by Christine Aguilera from the soundtrack of Mulan ;We’re A Miracle written with Todd Chapman and again recorded by Christine Aguilera from the Number One soundtrack recording of Pokemon: The First Movie ;True To Your Heart recorded by Stevie Wonder and 98< which was nominated for a Grammy; Shooting Star recorded by Boyzone also from the soundtrack of Hercules , which reached Number Two in the UK charts.

Awards: Olivier award, Evening Standard award, Tony award, New York Drama Critics’ Circle award and Drama Desk award for City of Angels ; Outer Critics’ Circle award nomination for lyrics for The Goodbye Girl ; Oscar nominations for lyrics on Disney’s Hercules and Mulan ; Golden Globe award nominations for lyrics for Hercules ,Mulan and The Swan Princess .

Forthcoming Projects: Princesses , his own adaptation of the classic children's novel A Little Princess which he will also direct (music by Matthew Wilder, book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner); Buzz!!, a musical extravaganza about the life of Busby Berkeley (music by Alan Menken, book by Larry Gelbart); Pamela's First Musical , based on Wendy Wasserstein's children's book (music by Cy Coleman, book by Wendy Wasserstein); N, the story of Emperor Napoleon and Josephine (music by Cy Coleman, book by Larry Gelbart); Lysistrata: Sex and the City State (adaptation by Larry Gelbart, music by Alan Menken).

A graduate of Harvard Law School, David Zippel is delighted not to practice law.

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