Tim Federle | |
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| Born | Timothy Michael Federle (1980-03-24)March 24, 1980 (age 45) Foster City, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, director, actor |
| Genre | Humor, Children's |
| Notable awards | Golden Kite Award 2014Lambda Literary Award 2015Odyssey Award 2014 and 2015 |
| Website | |
| www | |
Timothy Michael Federle[1] (born March 24, 1980) is an American author,[2] theaterlibrettist, director and screenwriter[3] whose best-known works include the novelBetter Nate Than Ever,[4] the cocktail recipe book Tequila Mockingbird,[5] theGolden Globe Award andAcademy Awards nominee (for Best Animated Feature)Ferdinand,[6][7] and Disney'sHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
Federle wrote the middle-grade novelBetter Nate Than Ever and its two sequels[8] and the cocktail recipe bookTequila Mockingbird and its two follow-ups,[9] and was co-writer of the book for the Broadway musical adaptation ofTuck Everlasting,[10] also titledTuck Everlasting.[11]
Federle was born inFoster City, California, on March 24, 1980,[12] and raised inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[13] the setting for much of his fiction.[14] Prior to his writing career, Federle appeared in the original casts ofThe Little Mermaid andGypsy (2003Bernadette Peters revival), as an actor, dancer and singer. He worked on the resident choreographic staff ofBilly Elliot the Musical, serving as dance captain.[15]
Better Nate Than Ever (2013,Simon & Schuster[16]): Federle's debut novel for middle graders, Better Nate Than Ever, tells the story of 13-year-old Nate, who sneaks away from his home in Pennsylvania to audition forE.T: The Musical on Broadway.[17][18] In aCNN article about the book, Federle said: "I think so often when you're a kid, we mellow out those more interesting edges in order to coast through middle school quietly. By the time you get to high school, you're left asking,who the heck am I? I would encourage kids to try and figure out the thing that sets you apart, not publicly but that you're passionate about internally."[19]Nate was published to critical acclaim[20] and has gone into multiple printings since its release.[21] Described by theHuffington Post as "Judy Blume as seen through aStephen Sondheim lens,"[22] andThe New York Times as "inspired and inspiring,"[23] Better Nate Than Ever has been celebrated as unique for being a "book where teenage sexuality is treated with a light touch".[24] The novel was anAmazon Best Book of 2013,[25] aNew York Times Notable Book of 2013,[26] aStonewall Book Award Honor Book,[27] and aLambda Literary Award finalist.[28] The audio book was anOdyssey Award Honor Book,[29] and was narrated by Federle. In 2021,Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures announced a film adaptation of the book with Federle himself serving as both writer and director for the film.[30] It was later announced thatBetter Nate Than Ever would debut onDisney+ in the spring of 2022.[31]
Five, Six, Seven, Nate! (2014, Simon & Schuster):In December 2013,Entertainment Weekly ran an excerpt ofFive, Six, Seven, Nate!, Federle's follow-up toBetter Nate Than Ever.[32] The sequel charts Nate's continued adventures in New York City as he navigates his role in the creation of a major Broadway musical.[33] AKirkus Reviews starred review called the novel an "Encore performance that will leave them standing in the aisles."[34]Five, Six, Seven, Nate! was chosen as aJunior Library Guild selection,[35] an Amazon Best Book of 2014, and anAmerican Booksellers Association Best Book for Children.[36] Federle won his second Odyssey Honor Book award[29] for the audio book edition. Five, Six, Seven, Nate! was also a 2015 LGBT Children's/Young Adult LAMBDA Literary Award Winner.[2]
Summer Days and Summer Nights (2016,St. Martin's Press):On March 3, 2015young adult fiction authorStephanie Perkins announced on Twitter[37] that she will be editing a forthcoming YA anthology,Summer Days and Summer Nights, featuring twelve new stories from bestselling authors Leigh Bardugo,Francesca Lia Block,Libba Bray,Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle,Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins,Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, andJennifer E. Smith. According to aPublishers Weekly announcement,[38] St. Martins Press is set to release the collection in summer 2016. The anthology is a follow-up to Perkins'My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories, published to acclaim[39] in 2014.
The Great American Whatever (2016, Simon & Schuster):In June 2015Huffington Post revealed the cover of Federle's forthcoming young adult novel,The Great American Whatever.[40] Federle's first title for young adults is about Quinn Roberts, "a sixteen-year-old smart aleck",[41] who dreams of Hollywood and becoming a professional screenwriter. The novel is receiving advance praise from authors and critics alike, withVeronica Mars'Rob Thomas calling it "original, authentic, engaging".[42] It has also received starred reviews from the publishing trade journalsSchool Library Journal,Booklist,[43] andKirkus Reviews, who called it "a Holden Caulfield for a new generation."[44] AHuffington Post article about the creation of the book stated that "Federle had a mature audience in mind when he began writing the book, originally titledQuinn, Victorious, five years ago, basing the plot on his personal experiences as seen through characters in their mid-20s."[40] Following the novel's publishing, theHuffington Post calledThe Great American Whatever "the gay young adult novel you've been waiting for."[45] In November 2016, The Great American Whatever was named a New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2016.[46] The Great American Whatever is one of Kirkus' Best Teen Books of 2016.[47]
Nate Expectations (2018, Simon & Schuster):On January 11, 2018, theHuffington Post exclusively revealed the title and cover of the third novel in Federle's "Nate" series,Nate Expectations.[48] The latest installment follows teenage Nate after he moves back to his Pennsylvania hometown following his Broadway debut, wrapping up the trilogy with what Federle calls the third step in a Broadway journey, "Dealing with life when the show closes or gets crappy reviews."[48]Nate Expectations features a cover designed by Rex Bonomelli; the previous two entries in the series, Better Nate Than Ever and Five, Six, Seven, Nate! also received Bonomelli cover refreshes once Nate Expectations hit shelves.
Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist (2013,Perseus Books):[49] Federle's first novelty cocktail recipe book,Tequila Mockingbird won theGoodreads Best Cookbook of 2013 Award,[50] and was featured as a clue onJeopardy! in October 2014.[51] Federle has said the inspiration for the book was his own mother's book club, which "would dissolve into opening wine".[52] In an April 2014 interview withSchool Library Journal, Federle was quoted as saying, "Tequila Mockingbird came out of a silly one line email to my agent, Brenda Bowen—'Hey, do you think theUrban Outfitters crowd would go for a literary cocktail guide?' I truly wrote the proposal on a whim."[53] The book went on to be sold at Urban Outfitters[54] andModCloth,[55] among other specialty retailers, and was cited as one of Perseus Book Publisher's leading titles, along withFriday Night Lights andBlack Mass, in a September 2015Wall Street Journal article.[56] According to a December 2014 article inThe Atlantic,Tequila Mockingbird has thus far sold over 100,000 copies.[21]
Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist (2014, Perseus Books):The second installment in Federle's cocktail book series,Hickory Daiquiri Dock features twists on popular nursery rhymes, such as "Jack and Coke (and Jill)," "Baa, Baa, Black Russian," and "Old MacDonald Had a Flask."The Tampa Bay Times called it "More fun at a baby shower than a Diaper Genie"[52] and The Atlantic called it "naughty, but never crass," and compared its irreverent take on parenting to the viral phenomenonGo the Fuck to Sleep.[21]
Gone with the Gin: Cocktails with a Hollywood Twist (2015, Perseus Books):Gone with the Gin, published in October 2015, features drinks including "A Sidecar Named Desire," "No Country for Old Fashioneds," and "Bonnie and Mudslide." LikeTequila Mockingbird,Gone with the Gin includes recipes for bar bites and ideas for drinking games.[57][58][59]
Life is Like a Musical: How to Live, Love, and Lead Like a Star (2017, Hachette Book Group):In May 2017,Entertainment Weekly announced and revealed the cover for Federle's first self-help book for adults, based on his experiences as a performer prior to becoming a professional writer.[60] Due in October 2017, Federle confirmed the book via his Twitter, describing it as "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff with jazz hands."[61]
Federle made his debut as a musical theater co-librettist in 2016 with theBroadway adaptation ofNatalie Babbitt'sTuck Everlasting, also titledTuck Everlasting. Following a pre-Broadway tryout at theAlliance Theatre in Atlanta, the musical began its Broadway engagement at theBroadhurst Theatre in March 2016. The Broadway iteration was nominated for two Drama League Awards, and threeOuter Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding Musical for both.[62][63]
The book and themusical version tell the story of Winnie Foster, an 11-year old who stumbles upon a family that has discovered the secret to immortality.Andrew Keenan-Bolger andSarah Charles Lewis star as Jesse Tuck and Winnie Foster, respectively. The artistic team is led by director-choreographerCasey Nicholaw, with music and lyrics by Chris Miller andNathan Tysen. Federle is co-writing the musical's libretto withClaudia Shear.[64]
Ferderle is the book writer of the upcoming stage musical adaptation ofThe Greatest Showman, based on the2017 film with songs byPasek and Paul and produced byDisney Theatrical Productions, which will premiere at theBristol Hippodrome in spring 2026.
Ferdinand (2017,20th Century Fox/Blue Sky Studios): Federle co-wrote the screenplay forFerdinand,[65] the 2017 animated film based onMunro Leaf's children's book,The Story of Ferdinand. Both the book and the film center around a bull who "would rather smell flowers than fight in bullfights." Ferdinand starsJohn Cena in the titular role, along withKate McKinnon,Bobby Cannavale,David Tennant,Gina Rodriguez, andDaveed Diggs. The film was released on December 15, 2017. Ferdinand was a 2018Golden Globe Award andAcademy Awards nominee for Best Animated Film.[66][7]
Federle is the writer and executive producer of theDisney+ seriesHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The series' first season became available on the streaming service in the winter of 2019–2020 and the second season became available spring of 2021. It was announced that third season would be released in 2022.[67]
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