Trivia

Younger brother of chess/shogi champion and Japanese translator, Richard Sams, who lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Has one son with actress Maria Friedman.

Son of late Shakespeare scholar and musicologist Eric Sams (died Sept. 13, 2004).

Was nominted for Two Tony awards in 2003 for his adaptation of the musical, Amour. He adapted it from French to English.

He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2000 (1999 season) for Best Director for Spend, Spend, Spend production at the Piccadilly Theatre.

He adapted the movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, into a London West End Musical perforemd at the London Palladium in 2002. It was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for the Hilton Award for Best New Musical.

In 2003, was nominated for two Tony awards for "Amour": as Best Book (Musical), with collaborator Didier Van Cauwelaert, and as Best Original Musical Score, his adaptation from French to English with music by Michel Legrand and lyrics by Van Cauwelaert.