“Tomorrow,” that lovable place on the horizon that is “only a day away,” actually arrived for a permanent stay at the Library of Congress on May 14, as Broadway giant Charles Strouse and members of his family visited the Library to present the gift of the prolific composer’s papers.
Left: A young Charles Strouse studies at the Eastman School of Music, ca. 1947; center: Charles Strouse and Librarian of Congress James Billington sign the agreement for the Library to add the Broadway composer’s papers to the Library’s collections. Strouse viewed a display of his papers in the Library’s Music Division Reading Room during the visit. The display included original manuscripts, posters and original-cast recordings; right: Strouse and the Librarian were joined by Strouse’s wife Barbara and his daughter Victoria during the May 14 visit. - Erin Allen
Included are original music manuscripts and other items from his musical-theater smashes “Annie,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Golden Boy” and “Applause.”
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington accepted the gift on behalf of the Library and the American people, saying, “This is a great moment for the Library” as he signed the deed of gift.
The creative team behind Strouse’s first big Broadway hit, “Bye Bye Birdie” included, from left, director/choreographer Gower Champion, composer Charles Strouse, producer Ed Padula, writer Michael Stewart and lyricist Lee Adams.
“I’m so honored,” said Strouse, whose impeccable manners and gentle jokes made those who met him smile. When presented by Billington with a facsimile of a Mozart concert aria, Strouse quipped, “You couldn’t get him to sign it for me?”
Strouse’s papers include the original music manuscripts for the many stage productions for which he is so well-known, including the iconic song “Tomorrow” from “Annie,” the original music manuscript for television’s “All in the Family” theme “Those Were the Days,” vintage LP albums of Strouse original-cast recordings and manuscripts and a poster from the show “Golden Boy.”
Strouse’s papers will be the newest addition to collections in the Library of artists eminent in American lyric theater. These include the collections of George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lorenz Hart, Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner, Leonard Bernstein and Irving Berlin.
Strouse, his wife Barbara Siman Strouse—a dancer and choreographer—his daughter Victoria, and his publicists Carolyn Copeland and Mary Kickel joined Music Division Director Susan H. Vita, Jan Lauridsen, Walter Zvonchenko, Ray White, Mark Horowitz, Betty Auman and other members of the Library’s Music Division staff to view a special display of the new Strouse acquisitions in the cases of the Music Reading Room.
Later, the Strouses were treated to a display of some of the treasures from the Library’s Music Division, including Mozart’s autograph manuscripts for his Violin Sonata in G Major and an aria for soprano and orchestra that Mozart wrote for his singer wife; Beethoven’s autograph sketches for his “Hammerklavier” Sonata; and the score for “L’Euridice,” printed in 1601, the earliest opera for which the music survives.
Left: “Birdie” was made into a 1963 movie that propelled Ann-Margret into stardom; center: Playbill for “Bye Bye Birdie” starring Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke, 1960; right: The teen ensemble performs “The Telephone Hour,” the opening number of “Bye Bye Birdie,” 1960.
Twentieth-century treasures included the autograph manuscript for Igor Stravinsky’s 1922 opera “Mavra;” an engagement calendar of the much-in-demand choreographer Serge Diaghilev, dating from the late 1920s; George Gershwin’s manuscript short score for “Porgy and Bess,” and Gershwin’s original two-piano score for “Rhapsody in Blue.”
Manhattan native Strouse, who turned 80 on June 7, 2008, studied at New York’s Eastman School of Music in Rochester under Aaron Copland, Nadia Boulanger and David Diamond, among others. His first Broadway hit was the 1960 musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” which brought Strouse his first Tony Award for best score. His musical “Applause” gave Strouse his second Tony award and brought Lauren Bacall back to the Broadway stage.
Left: Andrea McArdle, Reid Shelton and Sandy the dog from the original Broadway cast of Strouse’s “Annie,” 1979; right: Backstage at “Annie” at the Alvin Theatre, 1977, Strouse with Broadway’s original Annie, Andrea McArdle (to his left) along with other cast members. - Martha Swope
Perhaps the best-known musical by Strouse is “Annie”—based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie”—which opened in New York City in 1977. “Annie” brought Strouse his third Tony and two Grammy awards.
Songs that broke out of Strouse musicals to new fame in the repertoire of many singing stars include “Put on a Happy Face,” “A Lot of Living to Do,” “You’ve Got Possibilities” and “Once Upon a Time.”
Strouse has also written two operatic works, “The Future of the American Musical Theater,” which had its premiere in 2004, and “Nightingale,” first performed in 1985. He has also written for film, including the scores for the movies “”Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Night They Raided Minsky’s.”
Strouse’s memoir, titled “Put on a Happy Face,” was published by Sterling Publishing on July 1. For more information about Strouse’s career, visit www.charlesstrouse.com.
Left: “Those Were The Days” by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, opened more than 200 episodes of Norman Lear’s acclaimed television comedy “All In The Family” ; right: The cast of "All In The Family" - (clockwise from top left) Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, Jean Stapleton and Carroll O’Connor.
