Celebration (musical)

Celebration was a 1969 musical. The music was written by Harvey Schmidt and the lyrics by Tom Jones by a book he wrote. The two partnered earlier on with the musical The Fantasticks. The musical opened in January 22, 1969 and ran for a total of 109 performances before closing on April 26, 1969.

The story of the musical revolves around Orphan, a young man bemoaning the loss of his innocence, a rich old man named Rich, Angel, a confused young woman both men are in love with, and Potemkin, the narrator.

The show explores the interplay between the young and the old, the rich and the poor, and the morals involved with each extreme, while presenting a broader comparison of materialism and simplicity.

The best known song from the play is "Celebration," sung by Potemkin and the Revelers (the chorus).

Sources

• IDBD
• A site dedicated to the work of Jones and Schmidt

See also

• The Fantasticks