Lynne Shankel is a composer, lyricist, orchestrator, arranger and educator. Lynne and Sara Cooper won the 2022 Richard Rodgers Award for their musical PERPETUAL SUNSHINE & THE GHOST GIRLS. It was also featured in the fall 2022 NAMT Festival of New Musicals. Other works include HoT (Goodspeed Festival of New Works 2022, Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove 2020, New York Theatre Barn New Works Series 2020, Dixon Place 2019); POSTCARD AMERICAN TOWN (World Premiere, San Diego State University 2022, Winner of SDSU New Musicals Initiative 2020, New York Theatre Barn New Works Series 2019, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat 2018) and bare: The Musical (Off-Bway 2012).

Her composition has also been featured in the original musical MAYA which was commissioned by Teach For India. The show’s mission is to empower young girls in India and has been performed all over that country. In 2017, Lynne released her critically acclaimed double album Bare Naked on Yellow Sound Label.

Lynne was music supervisor/arranger/orchestrator for ALLEGIANCE starring Lea Salonga and George Takei and was the first woman to solely orchestrate a new musical on Broadway. Her diverse musical background has led her to write orchestrations and arrangements for everyone from Chita Rivera, the New York Pops and Raul Esparza to Tony Award winner/Bon Jovi member David Bryan and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. She was music director/arranger for the B’way production of CRY-BABY, as well as the resident music supervisor for the Tony-award winning revival of COMPANY, for which she conducted the Grammy-nominated cast album. She was music director/arranger for the Off-Broadway hit ALTAR BOYZ, for which she received a Drama Desk nomination for orchestrations. Lynne received a second Drama Desk nomination for THE EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY (by Paul Loesel and Scott Burkell). In 2012, she received the Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Orchestrations in San Diego for her work on ALLEGIANCE. Other NY credits as orchestrator and/or arranger include SUMMER OF ’42, VANITIES, THE MEMORY SHOW and Fall For Dance at City Center (2021).

Other regional credits as orchestrator/arranger include CHASING THE SONG (music by David Bryan, book by Joe DiPietro, La Jolla Playhouse); LIFE AFTER (Toronto world premiere, The Old Globe U.S. premiere); SNOW CHILD (Arena Stage); BREATHE (2020 album and film). Lynne was the music director for the the acclaimed Kennedy Center production of TOMMY in 2019.

Lynne teaches Musical Theatre Composition at the University of Michigan, is a member of Maestra Music in NYC and is a voting member of the Recording Academy.