Tom Jones was a lyricist and librettist who wrote “The Fantasticks,” an off-Broadway musical that ran for 42 years with over 17,000 productions.
- Died: August 11, 2023 (Who else died on August 11?)
- Details of death: Died in Sharon, Connecticut, of cancer at the age of 95.
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Tom Jones’ legacy
Hailing from Littlefield, Texas, Jones met his future collaborator Harvey Schmidt while attending the University of Texas at Austin. The pair hit it off, beginning a lifelong creative partnership that resulted in a series of popular musicals.
Together they wrote productions such as “110 in the Shade” and “I Do! I Do!” Their best-known work was “The Fantasticks,” a whimsical allegory about love loosely based on the 1894 play “Les Romanesques.” The show spawned the hit song, “Try to Remember,” and some credit it as the longest running musical in the U.S. Debuting in 1960, it ran for 42 years and over 17,000 performances off-Broadway, then was revived again between 2006 and 2017 for another successful run. The show also featured “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” which Barbra Streisand turned into a hit.
Jones also acted and directed, doing both for the later revival of “The Fantasticks.” He also wrote the book, “Making Musicals: An Informal Introduction to the World of Musical Theater.” “The Fantasticks” has been adapted for both film and television, including a 1995 feature film release.
Tributes to Tom Jones
Full obituary: Variety
