Tom Jones, who wrote the book and lyrics for the musical The Fantasticks, the longest-running musical in theater history, has died. He was 95.
He died Friday at his home in Sharon, Connecticut, following a battle with cancer, his son Michael told The New York Times.
Born Feb. 17, 1928, in Littlefield, Texas, Jones studied drama at the University of Texas in 1945 and met his longtime collaborator, Harvey Schmidt. After getting a master’s degree several years later, he and Schmidt were drafted during the Korean War.
Following his time in the service, Jones moved to New York to begin his career in theater. One of his first opportunities included working with composer John Donald Robb. He and Robb also developed the musical Joy Comes to Deadhorse, loosely based on Edmond Rostand’s 1894 play Les Romanesques. But the two ended up going their separate ways due to creative differences, and Jones continued to work on the musical.
He died Friday at his home in Sharon, Connecticut, following a battle with cancer, his son Michael told The New York Times.
Born Feb. 17, 1928, in Littlefield, Texas, Jones studied drama at the University of Texas in 1945 and met his longtime collaborator, Harvey Schmidt. After getting a master’s degree several years later, he and Schmidt were drafted during the Korean War.
Following his time in the service, Jones moved to New York to begin his career in theater. One of his first opportunities included working with composer John Donald Robb. He and Robb also developed the musical Joy Comes to Deadhorse, loosely based on Edmond Rostand’s 1894 play Les Romanesques. But the two ended up going their separate ways due to creative differences, and Jones continued to work on the musical.
- 8/13/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tom Jones, who wrote the book and lyrics for the musical “The Fantasticks” that ran for 42 years, died on Friday at his home in Sharon, Conn. He was 95 and passed from cancer, his son said.
The Fantasticks opened in 1960 in Greenwich Village and is best remembered for its opening song, “Try to Remember.”
Jones started his theater career in New York writing for the revues being staged by the impresario Julius Monk, working with another composer, John Donald Robb.
Jones and Robb called that show “Joy Comes to Deadhorse,” and in 1956, they staged it at the University of New Mexico, where Robb was a dean. The two had a falling out over what worked and what didn’t in the production, and Jones turned to collaborating with friend Harvey Schmidt.
Jones kept working on the piece with Schmidt that was originally devised with Robb. In 1959, when a friend was looking...
The Fantasticks opened in 1960 in Greenwich Village and is best remembered for its opening song, “Try to Remember.”
Jones started his theater career in New York writing for the revues being staged by the impresario Julius Monk, working with another composer, John Donald Robb.
Jones and Robb called that show “Joy Comes to Deadhorse,” and in 1956, they staged it at the University of New Mexico, where Robb was a dean. The two had a falling out over what worked and what didn’t in the production, and Jones turned to collaborating with friend Harvey Schmidt.
Jones kept working on the piece with Schmidt that was originally devised with Robb. In 1959, when a friend was looking...
- 8/12/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
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