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Harold Prince is a legend in the American theatre. As an acclaimed director and producer behind a long list of America's most iconic musicals including West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Evita, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, The Phantom of the Opera and more, Hal has certainly earned his place in the pantheon of Broadway greats and then some. Now, he's bringing together six decades of magical moments in a new musical event, Prince of Broadway.
As the stellar cast of the Manhattan Theatre Club celebrate the man's career and the musical numbers that made him a legend in the long-awaited Broadway premiere of the revue, the production team was careful to not overlook one rather small, yet iconic detail. The key to it all. This minute, yet wholly necessary aspect of the Hal Prince experience, is so necessary, so deeply ingrained in all that Hal represents, it very well may be the source of all his power: the glasses.
For nearly seven decades, Hal's square, thick framed glasses have remained an iconic detail of his powerful persona. Through every hit, flop, rehearsal, Tony win, interview, tribute, speech, etc. these famous spectacles (when not performing their necessary ocular duties) have remained firmly perched atop the man's brilliant head, an iconic accessory to some of the greatest theatre ever to grace our stages.
The famed frames have been so ubiquitous throughout Hal's career, that they are currently being showcased nightly in Prince of Broadway, as cast members don the iconic eye-wear (perched on heads, not noses) to narrate the story of the legendary Prince's life and career.
So, today let's celebrate these illustrious specs and the exceptional artist that made them famous. He's got 21 Tonys and a forehead that won't quit. Here's to you, Hal.
Who's better than this guy? Damn few.
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