August 6, is the anniversary of the day Marvin Hamlisch passed away. Some of my most enjoyable evenings of theater were because of his creative genius. Today is just a reminder of all the music he gave us.
Carole Bayer Sager and Marvin Hamlisch were a legendary songwriting duo and romantic couple in the late 1970s whose professional collaboration inspired the hit Broadway musical They’re Playing Our Song. This one meant hearing an audience scream as they watched Robert Klein and Lucie Arnaz bounce their way around a banquette.
Then there was the latest James Bond opening sequence with the voice of Carly Simon. “Nobody Does It Better”: The Oscar-nominated theme song for the The Spy Who Loved Me.
For sentimental beauty, the main theme from the 1979 film Ice Castles: “Through the Eyes of Love”.
Most people remember Marvin for A Chorus Line written with Edward Kleban. Together they came up with the beautiful “What I Did for Love,” and the hilarious “Looks Ten, Dance Three” Those compositions won the 1976 Tony Award for Best Original Score and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
And to close, one of the best pieces of music for the great Michael Bennett choreography: “ONE”. Marvin Hamlisch was a true singular sensation.
Leave a Reply