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Charles Louis Strouse (June 7, 1928 – May 15, 2025) was an American composer and lyricist best known for writing the music to the Broadway musicals Bye Bye Birdie, Applause, and Annie.
Strouse's next show was All American (1962), with a book by Mel Brooks and lyrics by Adams; it was not a success, closing after 80 performances, All America Playbill, retrieved December 10, 2017 but it produced the standard “Once Upon a Time” (recorded by Perry Como, Eddie Fisher, Al Martino, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, and Bobby Darin, among dozens of others).
Following this was Golden Boy (1964, also with Adams), starring Sammy Davis Jr., which ran for 568 performances. The musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman (1966, based on the popular comic strip) closed after 129 performances, but introduced the song "You've Got Possibilities" sung by Linda Lavin.Leydon, Joe. "'It's a Bird ... It's a Plane ... It's Superman!'", Variety, June 28, 2010. Its theme would also be adopted by Washington, D.C. television station WTOP (now WUSA) for news broadcasts.
In 1970, Applause (starring Lauren Bacall, with book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and lyrics by Adams) won Strouse his second Tony Award for Best Musical. " 'Applause' Awards", ibdb.com; retrieved December 11, 2017. In 1977, Strouse adapted another comic strip for the stage, creating the hit Annie, which included the song "Tomorrow," which quickly became a "monstrous song hit," and garnered him his third Tony Award and two Grammy Awards.
Other Strouse musicals include Charlie and Algernon (1979), Dance a Little Closer (1983, with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, which closed after one performance), Rags (1986; which closed after four performances and 18 previews), Nick & Nora (1993, which closed after 9 performances), and An American Tragedy (1995, with lyrics by David Shaber, performed at Muhlenberg College).
Strouse also wrote musical , many with Adams, and his songs were included in revues. The revues included Shoestring Revue (with Adams and Michael Stewart) (1955 – Off–Broadway), Shoestring Revue allmusic.com, retrieved December 11, 2017 Medium Rare (with Adams) (1960 – Chicago),Dietz, Dan. Off Broadway Musicals, 1910–2007, McFarland, 2012; , pp. 72, 406. By Strouse (1978 – Off–Broadway at The Ballroom),Wilson, John S. "Cabaret: Charles Strouse Songs at the Ballroom" The New York Times, February 3, 1978 Upstairs At O'Neals (1982 – Nightclub Revue), Upstairs At O'Neals allmusic.com, retrieved December 11, 2017 Can't Stop Dancin (1994 – Marymount Theatre), and A Lot Of Living! (1996 – conceived and directed by Barbara Siman at Rainbow and Stars).Holden, Stephen. "Pop in Review", The New York Times, March 17, 1996.
Strouse wrote the music and lyrics for the animated special Lyle, Lyle Crocodile which aired on HBO in 1987.Heffley, Lynn. "Television Reviews : 'Lyle Crocodile' on HBO", The Los Angeles Times, November 18, 1987. His film scores include Bonnie and Clyde (1967), There Was a Crooked Man... (1970, with Henry Fonda and Kirk Douglas), the Norman Lear production of The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968, with Adams), and the popular animated movie All Dogs Go to Heaven
Strouse's writing also extended into his original interest of orchestral works, chamber music, piano concertos, and opera. His Concerto America, composed in 2002 to remember 9/11 and the spirit of New York City, premiered at The Boston Pops in 2002,Tommasini, Anthony. "High Notes; A Composer of Musicals Revives His 'Serious' Side" The New York Times, June 30, 2002 and his opera Nightingale (1982), starring Sarah Brightman, had a successful run in London, followed by many subsequent productions. In 1979, Strouse founded the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop in New York, through which many young composers and lyricists have found a forum for their work.
A musical stage adaptation of the Paddy Chayefsky film Marty starring John C. Reilly premiered at Boston's Huntington Theatre in October 2002, with lyrics by Lee Adams and Strouse and the book by Rupert Holmes.Hernandez, Ernio. "John C. Reilly Sings in New Musical, 'Marty', Starting Oct. 18 in Boston", Playbill.com, October 18, 2002. Real Men, for which Strouse wrote the music and lyrics, premiered in January 2005 at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami,Jones, Kenneth. "'Real Men', an Intimate New Musical By Charles Strouse, Opens Jan. 7 in Miami", Playbill.com, January 7, 2005. and his musical Studio, premiered at Theatre Building Chicago in August 2006. The musical Minsky's, with music by Strouse, book by Bob Martin, and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead (loosely based on the movie The Night They Raided Minsky's) premiered in January 2009 at the Ahmanson Theater.Jones, Kenneth. "'Minsky's', Burlesque-Set Musical by Strouse, Birkenhead and Martin, Opens in L.A.", Playbill.com, February 6, 2009.
Strouse described himself as a Jewish atheist, and said that after his sister died young from breast cancer, he no longer believed in God.
He received the Emperor Has No Clothes Award at the Freedom From Religion Foundation's 34th annual national convention on October 8, 2011. The award is "reserved for public figures who make known their dissent from religion".
Strouse died at his Manhattan home on May 15, 2025, at the age of 96. At the time of his death, he was the sole remaining member of the team that produced Annie, following Meehan's death in 2017, and Charnin's death in 2019.
Recognition
Strouse won Emmy Awards for music in television adaptions of Bye Bye Birdie and Annie. He was also the recipient of the 1999 ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers AwardMcBride, Murdoch. "ASCAP Honors Composers Charles Strouse and Andrew Lippa at Lincoln Center Dec. 9" Playbill, December 8, 1999 and the Oscar Hammerstein Award. He became a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame (in 2001)Van Gelder, Lawrence. "Footlights" The New York Times, December 25, 2001 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Personal life and death
Strouse was married to director-choreographer Barbara Siman until her death on February 16, 2023.Ingenthron, Blair. "Barbara Siman Strouse, Actress, Director, Choreographer, and Wife of Charles Strouse, Has Passed Away" Broadway World, February 18, 2023 They had four children.Kaufman, Joanne. "A Theater Couple's Off Broadway Oasis", The New York Times, September 21, 2008.
Musicals
"Charles Strouse Broadway", Playbill.com; retrieved December 10, 2017 "Strouse Broadway Credits", ibdb.com; retrieved December 10, 2017
Film scores
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> The Night They Raided Minsky's tcm.com, retrieved December 11, 2017
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> The Worst Witch tcm.com, retrieved December 11, 2017
Awards and nominations
External links
Categories: 1928 Births, 2025 Deaths, 20th-century American Jews, 20th-century American Composers, 21st-century American Jews, 21st-century American Composers, American Film Score Composers, American Humanists, American Male Film Score Composers, American Male Musical Theatre Composers, American Musical Theatre Composers, Broadway Composers And Lyricists, Grammy Award Winners, Jewish American Atheists, American Atheists, Jewish American Film Score Composers, Jewish American Songwriters, People From The Upper West Side, Primetime Emmy Award Winners, Secular Humanists, Tony Award Winners, Townsend Harris High School Alumni, 20th-century American Male Composers
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