The iconic Harold Smith Prince, director of some of the most mesmerizing musicals like ‘West Side Story’ took his last breath on July 31, 2019. Post a brief illness, at the age of 91, the legend, departed this life in Iceland.
With a career spanning for more than sixty years, ‘Hal’ as he was popularly called, produced enchanting musicals on Broadway and abroad.
In 1955, he won his first Tony award for ‘The Pajama Game’ in the category of best musical. The saga continued, as he achieved as many as twenty-one Tony awards throughout his career. In 2006, he was rightly awarded the ‘lifetime achievement’.
The Broadway League has said that the Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of its New York theatres for a minute on Wednesday, at 7:45 pm (according to U.S. time) to commemorate the life of Hal Prince.
Thomas Schumacher, the current chairperson of The Broadway League, was quoted saying as a tribute to the icon, “To be both, a genius and a gentleman is extraordinary”.
The King of musicals produced and/or directed some of the greatest, unforgettable and all-time favorite classics, from Damn Yankees, Show Boat, Evita, A Little Night Music, Sweeny Todd to The Phantom of Opera; the list is endless. His achievements reflect his charm and influence. His work has been detrimental in shaping and evolving modern American theater. He has collaborated with great composers like John Kander, Fred Ebb, Jason Robert Brow, Leonard Bernstein and particularly, Stephen Sondheim. From vintage musical comedies to teenage gang warfare, Prince left no stone unturned in presenting the most creatively subjected musicals.
The illustrious ‘Prince’, now, resides in the hearts of his wife, Judy Chaplin, his daughter, Daisy Prince, his son, Charles Prince and all his fans. He has given the world, the treasure, the route to experience heaven on Earth. As per his wishes, no funeral will be held.