Jewish Week 9-4-08

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c345_a13299/The_Arts/Music.html With A Song In His Heart by Curt Schleier Special To The Jewish Week You might not recognize Charles Strouse’s name, but you almost certainly know his music: “Tomorrow,” from the musical “Annie,” “Put on a Happy Face” from “Bye-Bye Birdie” and “Those Were the Days,” the song that opened more than 200 episodes of “All in the Family.” All told, Strouse has written the score for over 30 stage musicals, four Hollywood films and an opera. His songs have been recorded by everyone from Barbra Streisand to Jay Z. He’s won numerous Tonys (three), Grammys (two) and Emmys (two) and been inducted into both the Songwriters and Theater Halls of Fame. Having just turned 80, and with a new memoir, “Put on a Happy Face” (Union Square Press) just out, you’d think he might be kicking back and enjoying the fruits of his 60 years in the The song is you: Charles Strouse, then and now. business. But he’s not in Los Angeles. Musical slowing down. He’s putting adaptations of Paddy Strouse admits that at least the finishing touches on a Chayefsky’s “Marty” and part of his drive stems from stage version of “The Night Theodore Dreiser’s “An insecurity; not all his babies They Raided Minsky’s,” American Tragedy” are also are equally adored and scheduled to open next year in the works. appreciated. “Dance A Little Closer” (1983), for example, Ballard, Carol Burnett and It is a remarkable record, one written with Alan Jay Jane Morgan. Television that places him in the same Lerner, closed after opening viewers of a certain age may pantheon with Richard night. “People judge a show remember the way Strouse Rodgers, Irving Berlin and on whether it’s a hit or not,” picked up a little extra cash. other composers who created he said in a telephone When Molly Goldberg’s the American songbook. interview. “They don’t ever daughter Rosalie “played” With few exceptions (Cole probe into the quality of the the piano, it was Strouse Porter most prominent music — or lack of it. I’ve offstage tickling the ivories among them) it is a book had my share of hurt. for her. written primarily by Jews. “I don’t want to lie to you. I In 1958, Strouse and Adams Strouse’s Jewishness, though do think of myself as good auditioned to write the music he is not observant, regularly — but most of the time, for a new show about comes out in his music, most frankly, I have a lot of American teenagers. It took notably in his score for doubts. Honestly, it’s them three rounds before “Rags,” a show about the something I wrestle with. I they were selected, but that Jewish immigrant still think I caught ‘em on a musical — his first on experience. good day — which I think is Broadway — was “Bye Bye “I don’t know the exact very Jewish.” Birdie.” It earned them a reason [why Jewish Tony their first time out. composers figure so Strouse was born into a prominently in the American middle-class Jewish family That was followed by songbook],” Strouse says. in Manhattan, and as with several seminal Broadway “My sense of music history seemingly every Jewish shows, including “Annie” is that in Europe serious home of the time, there was and “Follies,” which was a music composition — a piano in the house. He musical adaptation of “All symphonies and operas — started taking lessons at a About Eve.” And those are was almost exclusively non- very young age, but didn’t just the ones for which he Jewish composers. They quite take to it at first. won a Tony. He was were left out because of an In the end, his native talent nominated for “Golden unspoken anti-Semitism. won out. He attended the Boy,” “Flowers for They could connect only Eastman School of Music, Algernon” and the with light music, not serious studied with Aaron Copland immigrant-themed show, music. and others at Tanglewood “Rags.” and spent three years in “And when they came here Europe, studying there as There were movie scores as they were exposed to so well. well, even a top-20 hit back many new influences: black in 1958. He and a friend jazz, Irish clog dancing, When he returned, he and wrote “Born Too Late” Italian tarantellas. longtime writing partner Lee (recorded by the Poni-Tails) Sometimes I listen to Adams wrote songs for a in about 15 minutes while klezmer music and the wail variety of revues as well as waiting for a tardy player to of the clarinet and I can’t tell special material for show up at a poker game. if it’s Jewish or black.” performers such as Kaye .

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