Beane’s adaptation of “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” ran on Broadway for two years and was also nominated for Tony’s for both Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical Revival. His musical stage version of the film “Xanadu” also ran on Broadway for two years and was nominated for a Tony for Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical. It received the Drama Desk Award for best book of a musical and the Outer Critics Circle Best Musical award. Beane’s new book for the musical “Sister Act” ran on Broadway for two years and was nominated for the Tony for Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical. He wrote the book for the Broadway musical, “Lysistrata Jones” and received both the Drama Desk and Tony nomination for Best Book of a musical. He wrote the book to the stage adaptation of MGM’s “The Bandwagon” which was produced at Encores and the summer show for the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall. His libretto for “Die Fledermaus” debuted at the Metropolitan Opera.
He wrote the film, “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar” which starred Partrick Swayze, John Leguizamo, Wesley Snipes, Robin Williams and Stockard Channing.
Primarily a playwright, Beane’s play “The Little Dog Laughed” opened on Broadway where it was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and starring Julie White. It then opened in the West End at the Garrick Theater where it starred Tamsin Grieg and Rupert Friend and Gemma Arterton and was nominated for the Olivier for Best New Play.
Beane’s play “The Nance” opened on Broadway starring Nathan Lane, where it received five Tony nominations and won three. It was filmed for PBS “Live from Lincoln Center” and was shown in movie theaters and then broadcast on PBS.
His other plays include “Shows for Days” featuring Patti Lupone and Michael Urie, “Fairycakes,” with Mo Rocca and Jackie Hoffman, “The Country Club” starring Cynthia Nixon and Amy Sedaris, “Mr. & Mrs. Fitch” which starred John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle , “Music From a Sparkling Planet” and “As Bees in Honey Drown” which won the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award. His first play “Advice From A Caterpillar” was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle award and was made into a film starring Cynthia Nixon and Timothy Oliphant. It received the Aspen Comedy Festival Best Feature award. He has a new play, “The Behavior of Light.”