Prince, Harold 1928–

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Prince, Harold 1928–

(H. Smith Prince, Hal Prince, Harold S. Prince, Harold Smith Prince)

PERSONAL

Full name, Harold Smith Prince; born January 30, 1928, in New York, NY; son of Milton A. (a stockbroker) and Blanche (maiden name, Stern) Prince; married Judith "Judy" Chaplin (a concert pianist), October 26, 1962; children: Charles (a composer and conductor), Daisy (an actress and director). Education: University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1948. Avocational Interests: Traveling, reading nonfiction.

Addresses:

Office—10 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020.

Career:

Producer and director. New Phoenix Repertory Company, co-artistic director, beginning 1972; narrator of a revue for the Festival of American Arts and Humanities. National Endowment for the Arts (member of the National Council for the Arts). Performing Arts Library, New York City, chairperson; New York Public Library (trustee); public speaker at various venues; worked in various capacities for the director George Abbott; also associated with various benefits, including work as a chairperson. Also known as H. Smith Prince. Military service: U.S. Army, 1950-52, served in artillery.

Member:

League of New York Theatres (president, 1963-65), National Institute for Music Theatre (chairperson), Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Dramatists Guild, Players Club, Coffee House Club.

Awards, Honors:

Antoinette Perry Award, best producer of a musical, 1955, for The Pajama Game; Antoinette Perry awards, best producer of a musical and (with oth- ers) best musical, both 1956, for Damn Yankees; Antoinette Perry Award nomination (with others), best musical, 1958, for West Side Story; Antoinette Perry Award nomination (with others), best musical, 1958, New Girl in Town; Pulitzer Prize for drama, Antoinette Perry awards, best producer of a musical and (with others) best musical, and New York Drama Critics Circle Award (with others), best musical production, all 1960, for Fiorello!; Antoinette Perry awards, best producer of a musical and (with others) best musical, both 1963, for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Antoinette Perry Award nominations, best director of a musical, best producer of a musical, and (with others) best musical, all 1964, for She Loves Me; Antoinette Perry awards, best producer of a musical and (with others) best musical, and New York Drama Critics Circle Award (with others), best musical production, all 1965, for Fiddler on the Roof; Antoinette Perry awards, best director of a musical and (with others) best musical, and New York Drama Critics Circle Award (with others), best musical production, all 1967, for Cabaret; Antoinette Perry Award nominations, best director of a musical and (with others) best musical, both 1969, for Zorba!; Shubert Foundation Award, 1969; Drama Desk Award, outstanding director, Variety-New York Drama Critics Poll Award, best director, and New York Drama Critics Circle Award (with others), best musical production, all 1970, and Antoinette Perry awards, best director of a musical, best producer of a musical, and (with others) best musical, all 1971, all for Company; honorary D.F.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1971; honorary Litt.D., Emerson College, 1971; Drama Desk Award, outstanding director, 1971, New York Drama Critics Circle Award (with others), best musical production, 1971, Antoinette Perry Award (with Michael Bennett), best director of a musical, 1972, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination (with others), best musical, 1972, all for Follies; Antoinette Perry Award, special award, 1972; Drama Desk Award, outstanding director, 1973, for The Great God Brown; Antoinette Perry Award (with others), best musical, Drama Desk Award, outstanding director, New York Drama Critics Circle Award (with others), best musical production, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best director of a musical, all 1973, for A Little Night Music; Drama Desk Award, outstanding director, 1974, for The Visit; Antoinette Perry Award, best direction of a musical, Antoinette Perry Award, special award, Drama Desk Award, outstanding director, Obie Award, distinguished direction, Village Voice, and New York Drama Critics Circle Award (with others), best musical, all 1974, for Candide; Antoinette Perry Award nominations, best director of a musical and (with others) best musical, and Drama Desk Award nominations, outstanding director of a musical and (with others) outstanding musical/book, all 1976, for Pacific Overtures; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best musical, and Drama Desk Award nomination, unique theatrical experience, both with others, 1977, for Side by Side by Sondheim; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best director of a musical, 1978, for On the Twentieth Century; London Theatre Critics Award, best director, Plays and Players, 1978, Antoinette Perry Award, best director of a musical, 1980, and Drama Desk Award, outstanding director of a musical, 1980, all for Evita; Antoinette Perry Award, best direction of a musical, and Drama Desk Award, outstanding director of a musical, both 1979, for Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Commonwealth Award for Public Service, dramatic arts category, Bank of Delaware, 1982; Antoinette Perry Award nominations, best director of a musical and (with others) best musical, both 1985, for Grind; Laurence Olivier Award (with others), musical of the year, Society of West End Theatre, 1986, London Evening Standard Award (with others), best musical, 1986, Antoinette Perry Award, best direction of a musical, 1988, and Drama Desk Award, outstanding director of a musical, 1988, all for The Phantom of the Opera; Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding director of a musical, 1988, for Cabaret; Dora Mavor Moore Award, outstanding direction of a revue or musical, Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best director of a musical, both 1993, for Kiss of the Spider Woman; Kennedy Center Honors, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 1994; Antoinette Perry Award, best direction of a musical, and Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award, both outstanding director of a musical, all 1995, for Show Boat; honorary doctorate of fine arts, University of Rochester, 1997; Edwin Booth Award, City University of New York Graduate School, 1998; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best direction of a musical, and Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding director of a musical, both 1999, for Parade; Prince and actress Linda Lavin were honored in a benefit for CAP 21 (a nonprofit educational organization), 1999; received a National Medal of the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, 2000, for his work in American musicals; the production 3hree was named best play of the 2000-01 season in a readers' poll, Downtown LA Weekly, 2001; Antoinette Perry Award, lifetime achievement, 2006; the Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia, PA was named in Prince's honor.

CREDITS

Stage Producer:

(With Frederick Brisson and Robert E. Griffith) The Pajama Game (musical), St. James Theatre, New York City, 1954-56.

(With Brisson and Griffith) Damn Yankees (musical), 46th Street Theatre, New York City, 1955-57, Adelphi Theatre, New York City, 1957.

(With Brisson and Griffith) New Girl in Town (musical), 46th Street Theatre, 1957-58.

(With Griffith) West Side Story (musical), Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1957-59, then Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 1958, also Winter Garden Theatre and Alvin Theatre, New York City, both 1960.

(With Richard Kollmar and Albert W. Selden) The Body Beautiful (musical), Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1958.

(With Griffith) A Swim in the Sea, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1958.

(With Griffith and H. M. Tennent) Two for the Seesaw, Haymarket Theatre Royal, London, 1958.

(With Griffith) Fiorello! (musical), Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1959-61, Broadway Theatre, 1961.

(With Griffith) Tenderloin (musical), 46th Street Theatre, 1960-61.

(With Griffith) A Call on Kuprin, Broadhurst Theatre, 1961.

Take Her, She's Mine, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1961-62.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical), Alvin Theatre, 1962-64, Strand Theatre, London, 1963, Mark Hellinger Theatre and Majestic Theatre, both New York City, 1964.

(With Sidney Gordon and Howard Erskine) She Didn't Say Yes (later known as A Place for Polly), Falmouth Theatre, Coonamessett, MA, 1963.

(With Lawrence N. Kasha and Phillip C. McKenna) She Loves Me (musical), Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1963-64, then Lyric Theatre, London, 1964.

(With Michael Codron and others) Poor Bitos, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1964.

Fiddler on the Roof (musical), Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1964-67, then Majestic Theatre, 1967-70, later Broadway Theatre, 1970-72, also (with Richard Pilbrow) Her Majesty's Theatre, beginning 1967.

Flora, the Red Menace (musical), Alvin Theatre, 1965.

(With Ruth Mitchell) It's a Bird … It's a Plane … It's Superman! (musical), Alvin Theatre, 1966.

(With Mitchell) Cabaret (musical), Broadhurst Theatre, 1966-67, then Imperial Theatre, 1967-68, later Broadway Theatre, 1968-69, also (with Pilbrow) Palace Theatre, London, 1968.

(With Pilbrow) The Beggar's Opera (ballad opera), Apollo Theatre, London, 1968.

(With Mitchell) Zorba! (musical), Imperial Theatre, 1968-69.

(With Mitchell) Company (musical), Alvin Theatre, 1970-72, then (with Pilbrow) Her Majesty's Theatre, 1972.

(With Mitchell) Follies (musical), Winter Garden Theatre, 1971-72.

Don Juan, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1972.

The Great God Brown, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Lyceum Theatre, 1972.

"A Meeting by the River," Phoenix Theatre Sideshows, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Edison Theatre, New York City, 1972.

"The Government Inspector," Phoenix Theatre Sideshows, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Edison Theatre, 1973.

"Strike Heaven on the Face!" and "Games and after Liverpool" (double-bill), Phoenix Theatre Sideshows, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Edison Theatre, 1973.

Chemin de Fer, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1973-74.

Holiday, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 1973-74.

The Visit, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 1973-74.

(With Mitchell) A Little Night Music (musical), Shubert Theatre, New York City, then Majestic Theatre, both 1973, later (with Pilbrow) Adelphi Theatre, London, 1975.

Candide (opera), Chelsea Theatre Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York City, 1973, also (with Mitchell) Broadway Theatre, 1974-76.

Love for Love, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1974.

The Rules of the Game, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Helen Hayes Theatre, 1974.

"Pretzels," Phoenix Theatre Sideshows, Playhouse II, then Theatre Four, both New York City, 1974.

"The Removalists" and "In the Voodoo Parlor of Marie Leveau," Phoenix Theatre Sideshows, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Playhouse II, 1974.

"Dandelion Wine" and "Meeting Place," both Phoenix Theatre Sideshows, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Playhouse II, 1975.

Knuckle, New Phoenix Repertory Company, 1975.

The Member of the Wedding, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Helen Hayes Theatre, 1975.

(With Mitchell) Pacific Overtures (musical), Winter Garden Theatre, 1976.

(With Mitchell) Side by Side by Sondheim (musical), Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1977-78, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1978.

(With Lew Grade, Martin Starger, and Robert Fryer) Merrily We Roll Along (musical), Alvin Theatre, 1981.

A Doll's Life (musical), Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1982.

Grind (musical), Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1985.

The Petrified Prince (workshop of musical), Joseph Papp Public Theater, Martinson Hall, New York City, 1994-95.

Candide (opera), Civic Opera House, Chicago, IL, 1995.

Company (musical), Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1995.

3hree (three one-act musicals; also known as 3HREE; consisted of The Mice, Lavender Girl, and The Flight of the Lawnchair Man), Prince Music Theater, Philadelphia, PA, 2000, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 2001.

Hollywood Arms, Cort Theatre, 2002-2003.

(As Hal Prince) The Phantom of the Opera (musical), Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas, NV, beginning 2006.

Stage Director:

They Might Be Giants, London, 1961.

A Family Affair (musical), Billy Rose Theatre, New York City, 1962.

She Didn't Say Yes (later known as A Place for Polly), Falmouth Theatre, Coonamessett, MA, 1963.

She Loves Me (musical), Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1963-64, then Lyric Theatre, London, 1964.

Baker Street (musical), Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1965.

Cabaret (musical), Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1966-67, then Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1967-68, later Broadway Theatre, 1968-69, also Palace Theatre, London, 1968.

Zorba! (musical), Imperial Theatre, 1968-69.

Company (musical), Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1970-72, then Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 1972.

(With Michael Bennett) Follies (musical), Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1971-72.

The Great God Brown, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1972.

The Visit, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1973.

A Little Night Music (musical), Shubert Theatre and Majestic Theatre, both New York City, 1973, later (with Pilbrow) Adelphi Theatre, London, 1975.

Candide (opera), Chelsea Theatre Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York City, 1973, then (with Mitchell) Broadway Theatre, 1974-76.

Love for Love, New Phoenix Repertory Company, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1974.

Ashmedai (opera), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, State Theater, New York City, 1976.

Pacific Overtures (musical), Winter Garden Theatre, 1976.

Some of My Best Friends, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1977.

The Girl of the Golden West (opera), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1978, then San Francisco Opera, San Francisco, CA, 1979.

On the Twentieth Century (musical), St. James Theatre, New York City, 1978-79.

Evita (musical), Prince Edward Theatre, London, 1978, then Broadway Theatre, 1979-83.

Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (musical; also known as Sweeney Todd), Uris Theatre, New York City, 1979-80, also Drury Lane Theatre, London, 1980.

La fanciulla del West (opera), Lyric Opera of Chicago, 1980.

Silverlake (opera), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, State Theater, 1980.

Merrily We Roll Along (musical), Alvin Theatre, 1981.

Willie Stark (opera), Houston Grand Opera, Houston, TX, 1981.

Candide (opera), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, State Theater, 1982.

A Doll's Life (musical), Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1982.

Girl of the Golden West (opera), La Scala, Milan, Italy, 1983.

Turnadot (opera), Vienna Staatsoper, Vienna, Austria, 1983.

End of the World, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1984.

Play Memory, Longacre Theatre, 1984.

Diamonds (musical), Circle in the Square Downtown, New York City, 1984-85.

Grind (musical), Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1985.

Roza (musical), Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1986, then Royale Theatre, New York City, 1987.

The Phantom of the Opera (musical), Her Majesty's Theatre, 1986, then Majestic Theatre, beginning 1988, later Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1989-92, then John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1990-91.

Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (musical; also known as Sweeney Todd), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, State Theater, 1987.

Cabaret (musical), Imperial Theatre, 1987-88, then Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1988.

Madama Butterfly (opera), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1988.

Don Giovanni (opera), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, State Theater, 1989.

Faust (opera), Metropolitan Opera, Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, 1989.

Kiss of the Spider Woman (musical), Purchase, NY, 1990, later Bluma Appel Theatre, then St. Lawrence Centre, both Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1992, then Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1992, later Broadhurst Theatre, 1993-95.

Grandchild of Kings, Irish Repertory Theatre Company, Theatre for the New City, New York City, 1992.

Show Boat (musical), North York Performing Arts Centre, Mainstage Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1993, Gershwin Theatre, New York City, 1994-97.

The Petrified Prince (workshop of musical), Joseph Papp Public Theater, Martinson Hall, New York City, 1994-95.

Whistle down the Wind (musical), National Theatre, Washington, DC, beginning 1996.

Candide (opera), Gershwin Theatre, 1997.

(And cocreator) Parade (musical), Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1997, Lincoln Center, Vivian Beaumont Theater, New York City, 1998-99.

Hollywood Arms, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2002, Cort Theatre, New York City, 2002-2003.

Bounce (musical), Goodman Theatre, 2003, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2003.

LoveMusik (musical), Biltmore Theatre, New York City, beginning 2007.

Director of productions for the Penn Players, University of Pennsylvania. Some sources cite Prince as the director of The 50th Annual Tony Awards, 1996.

Stage Work; Stage Manager:

Assistant stage manager, Touch and Go (revue), Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1949-50, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1950.

(As Harold Smith Prince) Assistant stage manager, Tickets, Please! (musical), Coronet Theatre and Mark Hellinger Theatre, both New York City, 1950.

Assistant stage manager, Call Me Madam (musical), Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1950-52.

(As Hal Prince) Wonderful Town (musical), Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1953-54.

Major Tours Producer; Musicals:

Fiddler on the Roof, U.S. cities, 1966-69.

(With Ruth Mitchell) Cabaret, U.S. cities, 1967-69.

(With Mitchell) Zorba!, U.S. cities, 1968-70.

(With Mitchell) Company, U.S. cities, 1971-72.

(With Mitchell) Follies, U.S. cities, 1971-72.

(With Mitchell) A Little Night Music, U.S. cities, 1974-75.

(With Mitchell) Side by Side by Sondheim, U.S. cities, 1977-78.

Evita, U.S. cities, 2004-2005.

Major Tours Director; Musicals:

The Matchmaker, New York State Council on the Arts/Phoenix Theatre, U.S. cities, 1963.

Cabaret, U.S. cities, 1967-69.

Zorba!, U.S. cities, 1968-70.

Company, U.S. cities, 1971-72.

(With Michael Bennett) Follies, U.S. cities, 1971-72.

A Little Night Music, U.S. cities, 1974-75.

Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (also known as Sweeney Todd), U.S. and international cities, 1980-82.

Evita, U.S. and international cities, 1980-83.

Cabaret, U.S. cities, 1987.

Parade, U.S. cities, 2000.

Phantom of the Opera, U.S. cities, beginning 2003.

Stage Appearances:

Himself, Sondheim: A Musical Tribute, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1973.

George Abbott … A Celebration, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1976.

The Players Club Centennial Salute, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1989.

Give My Regards to Broadway: A Salute to 125 Years of Musical Theatre, Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1991.

Appeared in various benefit productions. Appeared in productions with the Penn Players, University of Pennsylvania.

Film Director:

Something for Everyone (also known as Black Flowers for the Bride, The Cook, The Rook, Corruption de un familia, and Diabolicos sedutores), National General, 1970.

A Little Night Music (musical; also known as Das Laecheln einer Sommernacht), New World, 1977.

Film Producer; as Harold S. Prince; Musicals:

Associate producer, The Pajama Game, Warner Bros., 1957.

Associate producer, Damn Yankees! (also known as What Lola Wants), Warner Bros., 1958.

Producer and director of films that have been shown on other film and television productions.

Film Appearances:

Himself, Original Cast Album-Company (documentary), Docurama, 1970.

Himself, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (documentary; also known as Broadway, Broadway: The Golden Age, and Broadway: The Movie), Dada Films/Capri Films, 2003.

Television Work; Specials:

Consultant, Damn Yankees! (musical), NBC, 1967.

Producer, She Loves Me (musical), BBC, 1978.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

(As Hal Prince) Himself, Changing Stages (documentary), PBS and BBC, 2000.

Himself, Broadway: The American Musical (documentary), PBS, 2004.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Himself, "Candide" (opera), Live from Lincoln Center (also known as Great Performances), PBS, 1986.

Himself, My Life for Zarah Leander (documentary), 1986.

Gian Carlo Menotti: The Musical Magician, PBS, 1986.

Himself, "Bernstein at 70," Great Performances, PBS, 1989.

Himself, "An Evening with Alan Jay Lerner," Great Performances, PBS, 1989.

The Music Center 25th Anniversary (also known as The Los Angeles Music Center 25th Anniversary Celebration), PBS, 1990.

The People's Palace: Secrets of the New York Public Library, 1992.

Himself, "Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II" (also known as "Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II"), Great Performances, PBS, 1995.

Himself, "A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim," A&E Stage, Arts and Entertainment, 1995.

Host and presenter, The Kennedy Center 25th Anniversary Celebration, PBS, 1996.

Himself, "The Music of Kander and Ebb: Razzle Dazzle," Great Performances, PBS, 1997.

Himself, Broadway '99: Launching the Tony Awards, PBS, 1999.

(As Hal Prince) Himself, Broadway Legends, Trio, 2002.

Himself, Broadway under the Stars, CBS, 2006.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, The 22nd Annual Tony Awards, NBC, 1968.

The 34th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1980.

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, 1982.

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1994.

The 50th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1996.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Himself, The Dick Cavett Show, ABC, 1970.

(As Hal Prince) Voice of guest caller Fred, "Docu. Drama," Frasier (also known as Dr. Frasier Crane), NBC, 2001.

(As Hal Prince) Himself, Intimate Portrait: Linda Lavin, Lifetime, 2003.

Himself, Breakfast with the Arts, Arts and Entertainment, 2006.

RECORDINGS

Videos; as Hal Prince:

Himself, West Side Memories (documentary), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 2003.

Himself, Behind the Mask: The Story of "The Phantom of the Opera" (documentary), Really Useful Films, 2005.

WRITINGS

Writings for the Stage; Adaptations:

Grandchild of Kings (based on the autobiographies of Sean O'Casey), Irish Repertory Theatre Company, Theatre for the New City, New York City, 1992, published by Samuel French, 1993.

(With others) Whistle down the Wind (musical; based on the 1961 film of the same name), National Theatre, Washington, DC, beginning 1996.

Author of various plays; wrote productions for the Penn Players, University of Pennsylvania.