Date of Death: November 18, 2004 (75)
Birth Place: New York, NY, USA
Cy Coleman was a prolific composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist who made a significant impact on American music and Broadway. Born Seymour Kaufman in 1929 in New York City, Coleman began playing piano at an early age and was soon performing in clubs and bars around the city. He studied at the Juilliard School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, but his true education came from playing with jazz greats like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
Coleman's first foray into Broadway was with the musical "Wildcat" in 1960, which starred Lucille Ball. The show was not a critical success, but it did feature the hit song "Hey, Look Me Over." Coleman's next musical, "Little Me," was a collaboration with writer Neil Simon and starred Sid Caesar. The show received mixed reviews but was a commercial success and featured the popular song "Real Live Girl."
In 1966, Coleman teamed up with lyricist Dorothy Fields for the musical "Sweet Charity," which starred Gwen Verdon. The show was a critical and commercial success and featured the hit songs "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now." Coleman and Fields received a Tony Award for Best Original Score.
Coleman continued his collaboration with Fields on the musical "Seesaw" in 1973, which starred Michele Lee and Tommy Tune. The show received mixed reviews but featured the hit song "It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish." Coleman and Fields received another Tony nomination for Best Original Score.
In 1980, Coleman teamed up with playwright Michael Bennett for the musical "Barnum," which starred Jim Dale. The show received mixed reviews but featured the hit song "The Colors of My Life." Coleman and Bennett received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.
Coleman's next musical, "City of Angels," was a collaboration with writer Larry Gelbart and starred James Naughton. The show was a critical and commercial success and featured the hit songs "You're Nothing Without Me" and "Lost and Found." Coleman and Gelbart received a Tony Award for Best Original Score.
In addition to his work on Broadway, Coleman also composed music for film and television. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for the title song of the film "Father Goose" in 1965. He also composed the theme song for the television show "Alice" in 1976.
Coleman continued to work on Broadway throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. He collaborated with playwright David Zippel on the musical "The Will Rogers Follies" in 1991, which starred Keith Carradine. The show was a critical and commercial success and featured the hit song "Never Met a Man I Didn't Like." Coleman and Zippel received a Tony Award for Best Original Score.
Coleman's final musical, "The Life," was a collaboration with writer Ira Gasman and starred Lillias White. The show received mixed reviews but featured the hit song "The Oldest Profession." Coleman received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.
Cy Coleman passed away in 2004 at the age of 75. He left behind a legacy of music that continues to be celebrated and performed on Broadway and beyond.
Cy Coleman, Sweet Charity
Cy Coleman, The Life
Cy Coleman, The Life
Cy Coleman, The Life
CyColeman, The Life
Cy Coleman, The Life
Cy Coleman, City Of Angels
Cy Coleman, The Will Rogers Follies
Cy Coleman, The Will Rogers Follies
Cy Coleman, The Will Rogers Follies
Cy Coleman, City of Angels
Cy Coleman, City of Angels
Cy Coleman, City of Angels
Cy ColemanBarnum
Cy Coleman, Barnum
Cy ColemanOn The 2th Century
Cy Coleman, Barnum
Cy Coleman, Barnum
Cy Coleman, On the 2th Century
Cy Coleman, On the Twentieth Century
Cy Coleman, I Love My Wife
Cy Coleman, I Love My Wife
Cy Coleman, I Love My Wife
Cy Coleman, I Love My Wife
Cy Coleman, Seesaw
Cy Coleman, Seesaw
Cy Coleman, Sweet Charity
Cy Coleman, Little Me
Cy Coleman , Little Me
Cy Coleman has written 31 shows including Grace (Composer), John Murray Anderson's Almanac (Composer/Lyricist), Wildcat (Composer), Little Me (Composer), Sweet Charity (Composer), Seesaw (Composer), Straws in the Wind (Composer), Shirley MacLaine (Composer), Hellzapoppin (Composer), I Love My Wife (Composer), On the Twentieth Century (Composer), Home Again, Home Again (Composer), Barnum (Composer), Diamonds (Composer), On the 20th Century (Music), Welcome to the Club (Composer/Lyricist), City of Angels (Composer), The Life (Bookwriter), The Will Rogers Follies (Composer), Fosse (Composer), Exactly Like You (Lyricist), Exactly Like You (Composer), Mostly Sondheim (Composer), Like Jazz (Composer), The Great Ostrovsky (Composer/Lyricist), Barbara Cook's Broadway! (Composer), Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (Composer), Come Fly Away (Composer), The Best is Yet To Come: The Music of Cy Coleman (Composer), The Life (Music and Book), Pamela's First Musical (Composer).
Cy Coleman has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable nominations include Best Musical Revival at the Olivier Awards for "Sweet Charity," Outstanding Music at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Life," Best Book of a Musical at the Tony Awards for "The Life," Best Original Score at the Tony Awards for "The Life," and Best Musical at the Tony Awards for "The Life." He has also been nominated for awards for his work on "City of Angels," "The Will Rogers Follies," "Barnum," "On The 20th Century," "I Love My Wife," "Seesaw," "Little Me," and more.
Cy Coleman has won several awards for his work in musical theater. Some of his notable awards include Outstanding Music at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Life," the American Express Award for Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards for "City Of Angels," Outstanding Music at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Will Rogers Follies," Best Musical at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "The Will Rogers Follies," Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre at the Tony Awards for "The Will Rogers Follies," Best Musical at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "City of Angels," Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre at the Tony Awards for "City of Angels," and Outstanding Music at the Drama Desk Awards for "City of Angels." He has also received Outstanding Music at the Drama Desk Awards for "On the 20th Century" and "I Love My Wife."
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