On June 23, the extraordinarily skilled Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick died at the age of 99. Between 1958 and 1970, Harnick and composer Jerry Bock debuted seven musicals including three duds (“The Body Beautiful,” “Tenderloin,” “The Rothschilds”), two great shows (“Fiorello!,” “The Apple Tree”), a pitch-perfect musical comedy romance (“She Loves Me”), and one of the most beloved musicals of all time (“Fiddler on the Roof”).
Can you imagine what other gems Harnick and Bock (who died in 2010) might have written had they not parted ways in the early 1970s (allegedly due to tensions that arose during development of “The Rothschilds”)? Even so, Harnick continued to write on his own and with other collaborators, including a musical about Henry VIII with Richard Rodgers (“Rex”), an adaptation of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and an English translation of the opera “Carmen.”
Unlike some songwriters who were notoriously private in nature (including Stephen Sondheim), Harnick was seemingly always up for being interviewed and speaking with fans. I interviewed Harnick for amNewYork two decades ago in connection with the 2004 Broadway revival of “Fiddler.” In person, Harnick was affable, spirited, and generous. (He can be observed at length in the 2019 documentary “Fiddler: A Mirzacle of Miracles”).
Although Harnick received numerous tributes and honors during his lifetime (I recall attending a 90th birthday celebration at the National Arts Club), Harnick regrettably did not receive a much deserved Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime artistic achievement.
In honor of Harnick, let’s briefly pay tribute to his four greatest musicals written with Bock:
Fiorello! (1959) – Truth be told, “Fiorello!” did not deserve the Pulitzer Prize or the Tony Award for Best Musical over “Gypsy.” When revived today, the book scenes can feel old-fashioned and clunky. Nevertheless, this bio musical about Fiorello H. LaGuardia (exploring his early days as a reform-minded attorney crusading against Tammany Hall before becoming mayor of NYC) has a dynamic score (including some gorgeous ballads) and endearing characters. To date, “Fiorello!” is the only musical to receive two Encores! productions at City Center.
She Loves Me (1963) – I dare you to find a flaw in “She Loves Me,” Harnick and Bock’s intimate, tenderhearted, altogether exquisite 1963 musical comedy/romance, which is based on the classic film “The Shop The score is full of inventive multi-character sequences and revealing solos, all neatly integrated into Joe Masteroff’s book. The Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2016 Broadway revival with Laura Benanti and Jane Krakowski thankfully preserved on film.
Fiddler on the Roof (1964) – What hasn’t already been said about “Fiddler”? It is universally considered to be one of the greatest musicals ever written (adapting the Yiddish folk tales of Sholem Aleichem into a brilliant tribute to Shtetl culture and parable of cultural change) and staged (thanks to Jerome Robbins’ original dance choreography, which is often recreated). It recently received both a Broadway revival and a Yiddish-language Off-Broadway production.
The Apple Tree (1966) – This unusual musical (which originally starred Barbara Harris and Alan Alda) consists of three one-act romances revolving around Adam and Eve, a jealous Roman princess, and a chimney sweeper who dreams of becoming a glamorous movie star. A 2006 Broadway revival (which sadly did not receive a cast album) served as an ideal showcase for Kristin Chenoweth’s vocal and comic abilities.
