At his home in Sharon, Connecticut, Tom Jones who wrote the book and lyrics for the classic musical The Fantasticks passed away on Friday. At 95 years old he was The cause of his death was cancer according to his son Michael.
Tom Jones and composer Harvey Schmidt co created The Fantasticks a renowned musical allegory that premiered in 1960 in Greenwich Village. The production had an extraordinary run off Broadway lasting an impressive 42 years. The musical is particularly known for its memorable opening song Try to Remember and the popular tune Soon It’s Gonna Rain which gained recognition beyond the musical through performances by Barbra Streisand.
Tom Jones who was born in Littlefield Texas on 17 February, 1928 went to the University of Texas in Austin where he first met his lifelong partner Harvey Schmidt. Following his service in the Korean War Jones relocated to New York and embarked on his theater career by writing for the revues produced by impresario Julius Monk. He also collaborated with composer John Donald Robb on a project called Joy Comes to Deadhorse a musical western loosely based on Edmond Rostand 1894 play Les Romanesques. However, creative differences led to a falling out with Robb prompting Jones to partner with Schmidt to further develop the project which eventually transformed into the iconic musical The Fantasticks.
Tom Jones contributions to the world of theater particularly his work on The Fantasticks have left an indelible mark on the performing arts. His legacy will continue to be celebrated and remembered by theater enthusiasts and audiences alike.
At a summer festival at Barnard College in 1959 Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt performed The Fantasticks a truncated one act adaptation of their musical. Producer Lore Noto observed this performance and recognized its potential. The musical was then expanded into a two-act structure when he took it to the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village. The official opening of the expanded The Fantasticks took place on 3 May, 1960 at the Sullivan Street Playhouse.
Tom Jones played Henry the Old Actor in the original cast, and Jerry Orbach played El Gallo the narrator who sings the iconic song Try to Remember. Although initial reviews for "The Fantasticks" were mixed the musical went on to achieve remarkable success. The longest running musical in American history it ran at the Sullivan Street Playhouse for more than 17,000 performances before being shut down in 2002.
Along with The Fantasticks Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt worked together on several well known projects. They worked together on I Do! I Do! and 110 in the Shade both of which opened on Broadway in 1963. I Do! I Do! ran for 330 performances. For his work on these productions Tom Jones received Tony nominations with his most notable win being the Drama Desk Vernon Rice Award for The Fantasticks in 1961.
The popularity of The Fantasticks extended beyond the off-Broadway stage when a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation brought the musical to a national television audience in 1964. This televised production featured stars such as Ricardo Montalban, John Davidson, Bert Lahr and Stanley Holloway.
Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt collaboration on The Fantasticks and their other works significantly impacted the world of musical theater and left a lasting legacy in the performing arts.
A film adaptation of The Fantasticks was shot in 1995 under the direction of Michael Ritchie. The movie starred Joey McIntyre and Jean Louisa Kelly members of the pop group New Kids on the Block in the roles of the young romantic leads. The cast also included Joel Grey and Brad Sullivan as the fathers and Teller Jonathon Morris and Barnard Hughes in supporting roles. However, during the late 1990s, the film industry was experiencing a decline in live action movie musicals leading to challenges for the film's release. After test screenings the movie was put on hold for five years.
In the year 2000, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola edited the movie with Michael Ritchie approval and the revised version received a limited theatrical release. Both the original Michael Ritchie cut and the Coppola-edited version were eventually released on a Twilight Time Blu Ray.
In 2006, a revival of The Fantasticks was staged and enjoyed a successful run off Broadway spanning over 4,300 performances until 2017. This revival was directed by Tom Jones himself who also reprised his role as Henry the Old Actor.
Barbra Streisand recorded the song Soon It’s Gonna Rain on her debut album. Despite reportedly auditioning for the original off Broadway production of The Fantasticks and not being cast Streisand still included the song on her album. In the 1960s, during her marriage to Elliott Gould there were discussions about a potential movie adaptation of The Fantasticks that would have featured Streisand and Gould together on screen. Gould had previously toured with the show performing alongside Liza Minnelli.
Soon It’s Gonna Rain and Try to Remember two of the most iconic songs from The Fantasticks have been covered by a wide range of artists showcasing their enduring popularity.
Soon It’s Gonna Rain was recorded by several notable artists, including Tony Bennett, Duke Ellington, We Five, Mandy Patinkin and Julie London.
Try to Remember achieved international recognition when Gladys Knight & the Pips released a medley of it with The Way We Were in 1975. The song has been covered by numerous other artists, with approximately 200 recorded versions. Some of the notable names who have covered Try to Remember include Josh Groban, the Temptations, Roy Orbison, the Four Tops, Liza Minnelli, Patti LaBelle, Harry Belafonte, Rick Nelson, Ed Ames and the Kingston Trio.
Tom Jones is survived by his two sons Michael and Sam Jones from his second marriage to choreographer Janet Watson who passed away in 2016. Tom Jones contributions to musical theater and his enduring songs continue to resonate and touch the hearts of audiences around the world.