Tom Jones, Creator of “The Fantasticks” Dies at 95 | CPT PPP Coverage

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NEW YORK ? Tom Jones, the lyricist, director and writer of “The Fantasticks,” the longest-running musical in history, has died. Jones was a 1945 graduate of Coleman High School and was inducted into the Coleman ISD Hall of Honor in 2019.  Ralph Terry has created an online memorial for him at :  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/257856415/tom-collins-jones#add-to-vc

Jones died Friday at his home in Sharon, Connecticut, according to Dan Shaheen, a co-producer of “The Fantasticks,” who worked with Jones since the 1980s. The cause was cancer.

Jones, who teamed up with composer Harvey Schmidt on “The Fantasticks” and the Broadway shows “110 in the Shade” and “I Do! I Do!,” was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1998.

“The Fantasticks,” based on an obscure play by Edmond Rostand, doesn’t necessarily have the makings of a hit. The set is just a platform with poles, a curtain and a wooden box.

The tale, a mock version of “Romeo and Juliet,” concerns a young girl and boy, secretly brought together by their fathers, and an assortment of odd characters.

Scores of actors have appeared in the show, from the opening cast in 1960 that included Jerry Orbach and Rita Gardner, to stars such as Ricardo Montalban and Kristin Chenoweth, to “Frozen” star Santino Fontana. The show was awarded Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1991.

Its best known song, “Try To Remember,” has been recorded by hundreds of artists, including Ed Ames, Harry Belafonte, Barbra Streisand and Placido Domingo. “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” and “They Were You” are also among the musical’s most recognized songs.