Legendary Broadway producer and director Harold Prince, who produced the likes of Fiddler on the Roof and directed The Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running show in Broadway history, passed away at 91 on July 31, 2019. Over the span of his career, Prince collected 21 Tony Awards, including a Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2006.
Members of the theatre community share tributes to Prince:
Hal was a friend and partner. I was honoured to produce his extraordinary productions in London, from A FUNNY THING, via SHE LOVES ME, FIDDLER, COMPANY, CABARET to A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. His astonishingly original work transformed Broadway, but also changed musical theatre in London forever. Only after Hal could the British musical phenomena, under Cameron Mackintosh, emerge.
He was the consummate professional, always pushing those around him to aim higher. As his lighting designer on ZORBA, then his massive SHOW BOAT, his team did hit new heights.
Hal cared passionately. He was constantly original. He was a tremendously loyal friend. His influence will continue for generations. —Richard Pilbrow
My relationship with Hal Prince began in 1997 when I called him, pretty much out of the blue, and said I wanted to meet with him. I explained I was very interested in expanding my work into set design and his shows resonated with me emotionally and visually far more than anyone else's shows. He was gracious and inspiring. That turned in a 20-year friendship that eventually led to me having the extraordinary experience of working with Hal and creating a purpose-built theater in Las Vegas for The Phantom of the Opera. His boundless curiosity, passion, energy, and generosity of spirit are unmatched, and I miss him already and always will. —David Rockwell, The Rockwell Group
Hal would say that luck was having just one person who you respected tell you you had something to offer. He did that for a hell of a lot of us, and much more. He first did it for me in this letter, right after I got out of school. And he introduced me to Daisy Prince and Jason Robert Brown which changed my life. And he was my boss, and teacher, and colleague, and friend, and surrogate parent for the past fifteen years doing shows together. Good night sweet Prince, I'm going to miss you so goddamn much.—Beowulf Boritt
Boritt shares correspondence with Prince:
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