This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
Hal Prince, the legendary theater producer, sat behind his desk, surrounded by photos of his numerous successes. The walls were almost entirely covered, leaving little room for anything else.
He looked at me and asked, 'Is theater your whole life?'
It was a question that seemed to hold more than a hint of trickery. After all, this was Hal Prince, a man known for his unflinching approach to the world of musical theater.
At the time, in 1982, Prince had already built an impressive stage résumé, with over 40 credits dating back to 1950. He was infamous for stripping away the superficiality of traditional musical theater and bringing it in line with the harsh realities of contemporary drama.
My response was a resounding 'No!' – a response that was partly true, partly a lie. While I had indeed spent a significant portion of my life listening to cast albums of his productions, including 'West Side Story,' 'Fiddler on the Roof,' 'Cabaret,' and 'Company,' I also believed that the theater was better when it tackled real issues.
Prince's shows, such as 'Sweeney Todd,' 'Follies,' and 'A Little Night Music,' were known for their thought-provoking themes, including Nazism, decadence, marriage, and injustice. His work stood in stark contrast to the more lighthearted approach of his mentor, George Abbott, who had produced his first hit, 'The Pajama Game,' in 1954.
