By: Sandi Durell
In a soon to be 90th Birthday year, Sheldon Harnick was celebrated by the Encompass New Opera Theatre at the historic National Arts Club on October 27, 2013 and it was a grand night for singing!
Stars came out from all walks of Mr. Harnicks legendary career to sing his songs, the evening hosted by Gala co-chair Harriet Slaughter and Artistic Director Nancy Rhodes.
Here’s a look at who performed what:
Kate Baldwin (I Couldn’t Be With Anyone But You)
Liz Callaway (When Did I Fall In Love)
Barbara Cook (Will He Like Me)
Jason Danieley (She Loves Me)
Harvey Fierstein (If I Were a Rich Man)
David Garrison (Give Me Wine)
Lisa Livesay (Away From You)
Sally Mayes ( A Trip to the Library)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (On The Side of the Angels)
Charlotte Rae (The Shape of Things)
Stephen Schwartz (What Makes Me Love Him
David Shire & Lynn Wintersteller (A Hanukkah Anthem) and an interesting backstory of a Rabbi who hired both Shire and Harnick, and wound up in jail.
Alexandra Silber (Ice Cream)
Matthew Sklar (Now I Have Everything)
Tommy Tune (Daydreams, cut prior to opening of Smiling the Boy Fell Dead)
On piano were Beth Ertz, Tedd Firth and Jeffrey Saver.
Hal Prince was on hand with many a quip relating their history and meeting back in 1953 when Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick were asked to write 3 songs on spec for Fiorello, which eventually won the Pulitzer.
When Sheldon Harnick came up to the mic to thank everyone, in his modest and gracious style (wife Margery and son looking on), his light-heartedness was front and center. In April 2014 this brilliant and sprightly lyricist will celebrate his formal 90th birthday.
Photos/Video: Magda Katz