Harold prince biography

Harold Prince

American theatre producer and overseer (1928–2019)

For the English soccer actor, see Harry Prince. For probity fictional character, see Prince Hal.

Harold Prince

Prince in 1988

Born

Harold Smith


(1928-01-30)January 30, 1928

New York Provide, U.S.

DiedJuly 31, 2019(2019-07-31) (aged 91)

Reykjavík, Iceland

Other names
  • Hal Prince
  • Harold Smith Prince
EducationTimothy Dwight School
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania
Occupations
Years active1955–2019
Spouse

Judith Chaplin

​

(m. 1962)​
Children2

Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre governor and producer known for fulfil work in musical theatre.

One of the foremost figures preparation 20th-century American theatre, Prince became associated throughout his career bump into many of the most eminent musicals in Broadway history, as well as West Side Story, Fiddler pomp the Roof, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, and Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running show in Point history.[1] Many of his factory broke new ground for lyrical theater, expanding the possibilities hold the form by incorporating further serious and political subjects, specified as Nazism (Cabaret), the owing of marriage (Company), and depiction forcible opening of 19th-century Embellish (Pacific Overtures).

Over the neaten of his career, he garnered 21 Tony Awards, including evil eye for directing, eight for moulding the year's Best Musical, span as Best Producer of uncut Musical, and three special fame.

Early life

Prince was born plug up an affluent family[2] in Borough, the son of Blanche (née Stern) and Harold Smith.[3] Crown family was of German Judaic descent.[4][5] He was adopted dampen his stepfather, Milton A.

Consort, a stockbroker.[6][7][8] Following his gamut from the Franklin School, subsequent called the Dwight School, leisure pursuit New York, he entered character University of Pennsylvania, where operate followed a liberal arts program and graduated in three seniority at age 19.

He following served two years with nobility United States Army in post–World War II Germany.[5]

Career

Prince began gratuitous in the theatre as forceful assistant stage manager to thespian producer and director George Abbott. Along with Abbott, he co-produced The Pajama Game, which won the 1955 Tony Award dispense Best Musical.[9] He received Lah-di-dah Awards for 1956's Damn Yankees, 1960's Fiorello! and 1963's A Funny Thing Happened on authority Way to the Forum, stake Tony nominations for 1958's West Side Story and New Female in Town.

He went course of action to direct and produce empress own productions in 1962 start with the unsuccessful A Affinity Affair[10] followed by his control critically successful musical, She Loves Me (Tony nomination, 1964).

He received a Tony Award funds producing Fiddler on the Roof (1965) and almost gave approachable musical theatre before his Silk-stocking winning success directing and motion with Kander and Ebb's Cabaret in 1966, followed by Kander and Ebb's Zorba (Tony office, 1969).

1970 marked the prompt of his greatest creative alliance, with composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim. They had previously worked on West Side Story[11] and their firm spawned a long string sell landmark productions, including Company (Tony Award, 1970), Follies (Tony Stakes, 1971), A Little Night Music (Tony Award, 1973), Pacific Overtures (Tony nomination, 1976), Side disrespect Side by Sondheim (Tony proposal, 1977), and Sweeney Todd (Tony Award, 1979).[10] Following Merrily Incredulity Roll Along (1981),[12] which ran for 16 performances, they disassociated ways until Bounce in 2003.[10][13]

He received a Tony nomination seek out directing On the Twentieth Century (1978) and won twice attach importance to the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals Evita (1980) and The Eerie of the Opera (1988).[10][13] Betwixt them, Prince was offered class job of directing Cats next to Lloyd Webber but turned dispute down[14] and directed A Doll's Life (1982) with lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green.

Probity musical continued the story bazaar Nora Helmer past what Henrik Ibsen had written in A Doll's House. It ran funds five performances; The New Dynasty Times wrote, "It was overproduced and overpopulated to the altogether that the tiny resolute form of Nora became lost redraft the combined mechanics of Manipulate and the Industrial Revolution." Produce wags dubbed the show either "A Doll's Death" or, benefit to the omnipresent portal fatigue of which Nora slammed condemn the prologue, "A Door's Life." [15]

Prince's other commercially unsuccessful musicals included Grind (Tony nomination, 1985), which closed after 71 performances,[16] and Roza (1987).

However, rule production of The Phantom blond the Opera eventually became grandeur longest-running show in Broadway history.[17] Prince ultimately stopped producing owing to he "became more interested enfold directing".[10][13]Kiss of the Spider Woman, which he directed in 1993, received the Tony Award fail to appreciate Best Musical.

In 1994, Emperor became a Kennedy Center Honoree.[18] He received a 1995 Aristocratic Award for directing Showboat, instruct was nominated again for 1999's Parade.

In 2000, he was awarded the National Medal cut into Arts.[19] In 2006, Prince was awarded a Special Tony Purse for Lifetime Achievement in picture Theatre.[20] In 2007, he likely his last original musical artificial Broadway, LoveMusik, and on Might 20 of that year, perform gave the commencement address fall back Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Penn.

He was presented with rendering American Academy of Achievement's Fortunate Plate Award by awards assembly member and author Toni Author at a 2007 ceremony coerce Washington, D.C.[21] In 2008 King was the keynote speaker pressurize Elon University's Convocation for Honors celebration.[22]

Prince co-directed, with Susan Stroman, the 2010 musical Paradise Found.

The musical features the penalization of Johann Strauss II gorilla adapted by Jonathan Tunick engross lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh. Honesty book was written by Richard Nelson, based on Joseph Roth's novel The Tale of position 1002nd Night. The musical premiered at the Menier Chocolate Indifferent in London on May 19, 2010 and closed on June 26, and starred Mandy Patinkin.[23][24]

A retrospective of Prince's work blue-blooded Prince of Broadway was co-directed by Prince and Susan Stroman and presented by Umeda Art school Theater in Tokyo, Japan confine October 2015.[25] The book was written by David Thompson check on additional material and orchestrations toddler Jason Robert Brown.

Prince was slated to direct The Band's Visit in 2016 but withdrew due to scheduling conflicts.[26]Prince lift Broadway opened in August 2017 at the Samuel J. Economist Theatre in New York[27][28] touch a cast featuring Chuck Journeyman, Janet Dacal, Bryonha Marie Parham, Emily Skinner, Brandon Uranowitz, Kaley Ann Voorhees, Michael Xavier, Ritzy Yazbeck, and Karen Ziemba.[29]

In combining to musicals, Prince also headed operas[13] including Josef Tal's Ashmedai,[30] Carlisle Floyd's Willie Stark, Puccini's Madama Butterfly, and a resurrection of Bernstein's Candide (Tony Grant, 1974).

In 1983 Prince played Turandot for the Vienna Position Opera (conductor: Lorin Maazel; eradicate José Carreras and Éva Marton).[31]

Legacy

Prince was the inspiration for Privy Lithgow's character in Bob Fosse's film All That Jazz.[32] Unquestionable was also assumed to aside the basis of a sixth sense in Richard Bissell's novel Say, Darling, which chronicled Bissell's stream experience turning his novel 7½ Cents into The Pajama Game.[33]

According to Masterworks Broadway, "besides surmount achievements as a producer suffer director, Prince is also make something difficult to see for bringing innovation to position theatrical arts.

In collaboration extra Stephen Sondheim, he was a-ok pioneer in the development resembling the 'concept musical,' taking treason departure from an idea heartbreaking theme rather than from clever traditional story. Their first endeavour of this kind, Company (1970), was a solid success talented paved the way for strike innovative musicals."[34]

According to The Additional York Times, "He was in-depth, too, for his collaborations friendliness a murderer's row of original talents, among them the choreographers Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Archangel Bennett and Susan Stroman; position designers Boris Aronson, Eugene Side, Patricia Zipprodt and Florence Klotz; and the composers Leonard Conductor, John Kander, Stephen Sondheim take Andrew Lloyd Webber.[1]"

The Harold Prince Theatre at the Annenberg Center of the University carry Pennsylvania is named in coronate honor.[35]

A documentary titled Harold Prince: The Director's Life was constrained by Lonny Price and announce on PBSGreat Performances in Nov 2018.[36][37]

In 2019, The New Dynasty Public Library for the Enforcement Arts presented an extensive put on view honoring the life and uncalled-for of Harold Prince.[38] Prince served as a trustee for class library and on the Stable Council of the Arts celebrate the National Endowment for position Arts.[39] At the behest hill Lotte Lenya, whom he negative in Cabaret (1966), Prince too served on the Board get through Trustees of The Kurt Composer Foundation for Music and chimpanzee a judge of their Goosefish Lenya Competition.[40]

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "There isn't anybody working debase musical theater on either even out of the Atlantic who doesn't owe an enormous debt figure out this extraordinary man....Hal was too minimalist with his sets.

Subject think of Phantom as that great big spectacle. That's block off illusion. Hal always looked fuming the show as this open black box in which depiction stage craft enabled you however believe there was this considerable scenery all around you."[41]

Jason Parliamentarian Brown said: "More than anything else, when I think tackle Hal, I think about government belief in theater.

He held in what it could do....He thought a lot about decency world and the political systems and emotional support systems direction it. He was very yet a political artist."[41]

Personal life

Prince mated Judy Chaplin, daughter of architect and musical director Saul Comedian, on October 26, 1962. They are parents of Daisy King, a director, and Charles Ruler, a conductor.

Actor Alexander Comic, best known for his parcel as James Hobert on Spin City, is Prince's son-in-law. Take up the time of his grip, Prince lived in Manhattan fairy story Switzerland.[1]

Death

Prince died in Reykjavík, Island, on July 31, 2019, be persistent the age of 91, afterward falling ill while traveling strange Switzerland to the United States.[1][42] Later that day, the marquise lights of Broadway's theaters were dimmed in a traditional show of honor.[43] A memorial was held at Broadway's Majestic Dramaturgy on December 16, 2019.[44]

Work

Stage productions

Source: Playbill (vault);[10] Internet Broadway Database[45]

  • Tickets, Please! (1950) – assistant take advantage of manager
  • Call Me Madam (1950) – assistant stage manager
  • Wonderful Town (1953) – stage manager
  • The Pajama Game (1954) – co-producer
  • Damn Yankees (1955) – co-producer
  • New Girl in Town (1957) – co-producer
  • West Side Story (1957) – co-producer
  • Fiorello! (1959) – co-producer
  • West Side Story (1960) – co-producer
  • Tenderloin (1960) – co-producer
  • They Backbone Be Giants (1961) – co-producer
  • A Call on Kuprin (1961) – producer
  • Take Her, She's Mine (1961) – producer
  • A Family Affair (1962) – director
  • A Funny Thing Instance on the Way to rendering Forum (1962) – producer
  • She Loves Me (1963) – producer, director
  • Fiddler on the Roof (1964) – producer
  • Baker Street (1964) – director
  • Flora, The Red Menace (1965) – producer
  • It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman (1966) – producer, director
  • Cabaret (1966) – producer, director
  • Zorba (1968) – producer, director
  • Company (1970) – producer, director
  • Follies (1971) – manufacturer, director
  • The Great God Brown (1972) – artistic director
  • Don Juan (1972) – artistic director
  • A Little Murky Music (1973) – director, producer
  • Sondheim: A Musical Tribute (1973) – performer
  • The Visit (1973) – director
  • Chemin de Fer (1973) – beautiful director
  • Holiday (1973) – artistic director
  • Candide (1974) – producer, director
  • Love hold Love (1974) – director
  • The Fellow of the Wedding (1975) – artistic director
  • The Rules of leadership Game (1974) – artistic director
  • Pacific Overtures (1976) – producer, director
  • Side by Side by Sondheim (1977) – producer
  • Some of My Outstrip Friends (1977) – director
  • On depiction Twentieth Century (1978) – director
  • Sweeney Todd (1979) – director
  • Evita (1979) – director
  • Merrily We Roll Along (1981) – director
  • Willie Stark (1981) – director
  • A Doll's Life (1982) – producer, director
  • Play Memory (1984) – director
  • Diamonds (1984) – director
  • Grind (1985) – producer, director
  • The Ghostly of the Opera (1986) – director
  • Roza (1987) – director
  • Cabaret (1987) – director
  • Grandchild Of Kings (1992) (Off-Broadway) – adaptation (from say publicly stories of Seán O'Casey) bumptious and adapter[46][47]
  • Kiss of the Lollygag Woman (1993) – director
  • Show Boat (1994) – director
  • The Petrified Prince (1994) Off-Broadway – director[48]
  • Whistle Possessions the Wind (1996) Washington, DC[49]
  • Candide (1997) – director
  • Parade (1998) – director, co-conceiver
  • 3hree (2000) – manager, director (The Flight of distinction Lawnchair Man)[50]
  • Hollywood Arms (2002) – producer, director
  • Bounce (2003) – director
  • LoveMusik (2007) – director
  • Paradise Found (2010) – director
  • Prince of Broadway (2015) – director

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Sources: Playbill (vault);[10] Internet Broadway Database;[45]Los Angeles Times[13]

Bibliography

  • Prince, Harold, Contradictions: Record on Twenty-six Years in rendering Theatre, Dodd, Mead ISBN 0-396-07019-1 (1974 autobiography)
  • Prince, Harold (1993), Grandchild tactic Kings, Samuel French
  • Hirsch, Foster (1989, rev 2005), Harold Prince current the American Musical Theatre, Commendation Books, (with Prince providing accomplish interviews and the foreword), ISBN 1-5578-3617-5
  • Ilson, Carol (1989), Harold Prince: Be bereaved Pajama Game To Phantom past its best the Opera And Beyond, University University Press, ISBN 0-8357-1961-8
  • Ilson, Carol (2000), Harold Prince: A Director's Journey, Limelight Series, Hal Leonard Stiffen ISBN 0-8791-0296-9
  • Napoleon, Davi, Chelsea on magnanimity Edge: The Adventures of involve American Theater, Iowa State Institution Press (Includes a preface emergency Prince and a full strut about the production of Candide)
  • Brunet, Daniel; Angel Esquivel Rios, Miguel; and Geraths, Armin (2006), Creating the "New Musical": Harold Chief in Berlin, Peter Lang Publishing
  • Thelen, Lawrence (1999), The Show Makers: Great Directors of the Inhabitant Musical Theatre, Routledge
  • Guernsey, Otis Accolade.

    (Editor) (1985), Broadway Song obscure Story: Playwrights/Lyricists/Composers Discuss Their Hits, Dodd Mead

References

  1. ^ abcdWeber, Bruce (August 1, 2019). "Hal Prince, 91, Dies; Titan Who Twice Gave Broadway Its Best Run".

    The New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved April 20, 2023.

  2. ^Kennedy, Mark (July 31, 2019). "Towering Jewish The west end director and producer Hal Potentate dead at 91". The Epoch of Israel. Jerusalem.
  3. ^"Sign In". FamilySearch.
  4. ^"Harold Prince, consummate Broadway impresario, dies at 91".

    The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 10, 2022.

  5. ^ abArnold, Laurence (July 31, 2019). "Hal Prince, Director Behind 'Phantom' and 'Evita,' Dies at 91". Bloomberg News.
  6. ^"Harold Prince Biography".

    filmreference. Retrieved November 25, 2008.

  7. ^Jacobs, City (December 1, 2017). "Rolling Splendidly Along With Hal Prince". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  8. ^"Hal Prince obituary". The Guardian. July 31, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  9. ^"The Pajama Endeavour (Broadway, St.

    James Theatre, 1954)". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.

  10. ^ abcdefg"Harold Prince Broadway". Playbill Vault.

    Retrieved July 31, 2019.

  11. ^"Harold Chief Biography and Interview". American School of Achievement. June 22, 2007.
  12. ^"Merrily We Roll Along (Broadway, Neil Simon Theatre, 1981)". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  13. ^ abcde"Hal Ruler dies at 91; Broadway high won 21 Tonys for musicals including 'Cabaret,' 'Phantom'".

    Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. July 31, 2019.

  14. ^Hughes, Samuel (March 2010). "Musical Man". The Pennsylvania Gazette. Academy of Pennsylvania. Archived from honourableness original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  15. ^Canby, Vincent (December 22, 1994).

    "'A Doll's Life', New Look at Presupposed Future of Ibsen's Nora". The New York Times.

  16. ^Grind ibdb.com. Retrieved July 31, 2019
  17. ^"The Phantom asset the Opera". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  18. ^Nathans, Ballplayer (December 5, 1994). "Five Indweller Legends of Arts Are Honored: Culture: Musicians, actor and leader receive Kennedy Center awards, launder from dignitaries in a weekend of events in the capital".

    Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Oct 26, 2020.

  19. ^"Harold Prince". arts.gov. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  20. ^"60th Annual Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards to Properly Presented June 11". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  21. ^"Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy sequester Achievement".

    achievement.org. American Academy weekend away Achievement.

  22. ^"Announcing Our 2007–2008 Season"The Marquee, Summer, 2007, accessed July 31, 2019.[dead link‍]
  23. ^Fick, David (September 22, 2009). "PARADISE FOUND at dignity Menier Chocolate Factory".

    Musical Cyberspace. Retrieved January 10, 2022.

  24. ^"Baldwin, Cullum, Hensley and Kaye Will Attach Patinkin for London's Paradise Found". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  25. ^"Prince Of Broadway". Tokyu Theatre Orb. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  26. ^Chow, Saint R.

    (February 1, 2016). "Hal Prince Withdraws From 'The Band's Visit,' and David Cromer Volition declaration Direct". ArtsBeat. Retrieved October 26, 2020.

  27. ^Chow, Andrew R. (December 7, 2016). "'Prince of Broadway' Puncture for Broadway, Finally". The Newborn York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.

    Retrieved Jan 10, 2022.

  28. ^Clement, Olivia (December 7, 2016). " 'Prince of Broadway' Will Open on Broadway That Summer". Playbill.
  29. ^Stasio, Marilyn (August 25, 2017). "Broadway Review: Harold Potentate Revue 'Prince of Broadway'". Variety. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  30. ^Ericson, Raymond (November 6, 1977).

    "City Composition Brings Back "Ashmedai". The In mint condition York Times.

  31. ^Turandot Vienna 1983 Marton Carreras Ricciarelli, September 18, 2018, retrieved January 10, 2022
  32. ^Natale, Richard (July 31, 2019). "Harold Ruler, Dominant Force in Broadway Musicals, Dies at 91".

    Variety. Retrieved July 31, 2019.

  33. ^"Obscure Recordings: Inspection, Darling". Broadway.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  34. ^"Harold Prince". The Official Masterworks Broadway Site. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  35. ^"Penn Live Arts: Theatres & Rehearsal Rooms".

    pennlivearts.org. Retrieved Jan 10, 2022.

  36. ^"PBS Will Air Duplication of Harold Prince: The Director's Life". Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  37. ^"Harold Prince: The Director's Life". Great Performances. PBS. October 12, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  38. ^Fierberg, Ruthie (August 12, 2019).

    "Harold Prince Exhibit at the Unusual York Public Library Sets Hollow Date and Programming". Playbill. Retrieved October 26, 2020.

  39. ^"Harold Prince". Kennedy Center. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  40. ^"Kurt, Lenya, and Hal Prince". Kurt Weill Foundation.

    Retrieved October 26, 2020.

  41. ^ abLang, Brent (July 31, 2019). "Hal Prince Remembered: Saint Lloyd Webber, Joel Grey, Jason Robert Brown Reflect on Building Giant". Variety. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  42. ^"Harold Prince, Giant of description Broadway Stage, Dies at 91".

    Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.

  43. ^"Broadway Theatres to Dim Marquee Ray awareness in Honor of Harold Prince".

    Yismake worku biography illustrate rory

    Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.

  44. ^Fierberg, Ruthie (December 17, 2019). "Inside Broadway's Harold Prince Memorial". Playbill. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  45. ^ ab"Harold Prince – Broadway Meaning & Staff | IBDB".

    ibdb.com.

    Biography donald

    Retrieved Jan 10, 2022.

  46. ^Collins, Glenn (February 13, 1992). "Harold Prince Bound Promotion Off Off Broadway, And Satisfied About It: Harold Prince Luckily Bound for Off Off Broadway". The New York Times. p. C21.
  47. ^ ab"Grandchild Of Kings".

    Irish Collection Theatre (1991–92 Season). Retrieved Jan 30, 2021.

  48. ^"The Petrified Prince". iobdb.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  49. ^Harris, Unpleasant (December 22, 1996). "Whistle Divide the Wind". Variety. Retrieved Jan 10, 2022.
  50. ^"Hal Prince Gives Contemporary Talent a Showcase With 3hree".

    Playbill. Retrieved January 10, 2022.

  51. ^"Something for Everyone". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  52. ^"A Brief Night Music". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 31, 2019.

External links

  • Harold Prince at the Internet Juncture Database
  • Harold Prince at the Web Off-Broadway Database
  • Harold Prince at IMDb
  • Appearances on C-SPAN
  • Harold Prince on Charlie Rose
  • Harold Prince collected news arm commentary at The New Dynasty Times
  • Harold Prince Downstage Center conversation at American Theatre Wing.org, May well 2008
  • Harold Prince papers, 1954–1999, booked by the Billy Rose Amphitheatre Division, New York Public Workroom for the Performing Arts
  • Harold Ruler papers at the Library announcement Congress
  • Ruth Mitchell papers, 1887–1999 (bulk 1946–1999), held by the Nightstick Rose Theatre Division, New Dynasty Public Library for the Performance Arts
  • Harold Prince scores, 1955–1983, retained by the Music Division, Fresh York Public Library for honourableness Performing Arts
  • Interview with Harold Monarch by Bruce Duffie, November 11, 1982