Research Catalog

Michael Bennett memorial service

Title: Michael Bennett memorial service [videorecording].
Publication: New York, 1987.

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Status	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
How do I pick up this item and when will it be ready?	Moving image	By appointment only	NCOV 5038	Offsite

Details

Additional Authors

Description

1 videodisc (DVD) (78 min.) : sd., col.; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

Memorial service for producer, director, choreographer and dancer Michael Bennett three months after his death on July 2, 1987. Consists of reminiscences about him by friends, family members and colleagues, performances from shows he created and discussion of Bennett's death from complications from AIDS at age 44.

Donor/Sponsor

Gift of the Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival.

Series Statement

Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival Moving Image Collection

Subjects

Genre/Form

Video.

Note

Title from original container. Credits from tape contents.
Sound quality is sometimes faint.
This video separated from the New York Shakespeare Festival collection, *T-Mss 1993-028.

Access (note)

Restricted to qualified researchers.

Event (note)

Videotaped at the Shubert Theater, New York, N.Y., on October 9, 1987.

Biography (note)

Born Michael Bennett Di Figlia in Buffalo, New York Michael Bennett (1943-1987) was a child prodigy of dance. He dropped out of high school at 15 to join the touring company of Jerome Robbins' West Side story. He made his Broadway debut as a dancer in Subways are for sleeping (1961) but soon recognized his facility for choreography. Bennett's first solo assignments as choreographer were A joyful noise (1966) and Henry, sweet Henry (1967). His first big hit was Promises, promises (1968). Working with Harold Prince on Stephen Sondheim's Company (1970) and Follies (1971), Bennett realized that he wanted to be a director, and got his chance when he was called in to rework the show Seesaw (1973). A chorus line (1975), grew out of Bennett's idea to create a show about the lives of dancers, based on their experiences. After a few months at the Public Theater, A chorus line moved to Broadway where it remained at the Shubert Theater for the 15 years. Indirectly, Bennett's greatest act of beneficence was to provide the New York Shakespeare Festival with the bulk of its income for many years. As one of the producers of A chorus line, the Public Theater earned approximately $38 million from the long-running production.

Contents

Performances: What I did for love (A chorus line) / Marvin Hamlisch -- It's so hard to say goodbye (Dreamgirls) / The Dreams -- Sunday in the park with George / Stephen Sondheim -- Only one life (A children's crusade) / Jimmy Webb -- One (Reprise) (A chorus line) / performed by cast members.

Call Number

NCOV 5038

OCLC

NYPG05-F10271

Title

Michael Bennett memorial service [videorecording].

Imprint

New York, 1987.

Series

Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival Moving Image Collection

Access

Restricted to qualified researchers.

Performer

Speakers: Bob Avian, Tharon Musser, Marvin Kraus, Frank Di Figilia, John F. Breglio, Jack Lenny, Donna McKechnie, Liz Smith and Joseph Papp.

Event

Videotaped at the Shubert Theater, New York, N.Y., on October 9, 1987.

Biography

Born Michael Bennett Di Figlia in Buffalo, New York Michael Bennett (1943-1987) was a child prodigy of dance. He dropped out of high school at 15 to join the touring company of Jerome Robbins' West Side story. He made his Broadway debut as a dancer in Subways are for sleeping (1961) but soon recognized his facility for choreography. Bennett's first solo assignments as choreographer were A joyful noise (1966) and Henry, sweet Henry (1967). His first big hit was Promises, promises (1968). Working with Harold Prince on Stephen Sondheim's Company (1970) and Follies (1971), Bennett realized that he wanted to be a director, and got his chance when he was called in to rework the show Seesaw (1973). A chorus line (1975), grew out of Bennett's idea to create a show about the lives of dancers, based on their experiences. After a few months at the Public Theater, A chorus line moved to Broadway where it remained at the Shubert Theater for the 15 years. Indirectly, Bennett's greatest act of beneficence was to provide the New York Shakespeare Festival with the bulk of its income for many years. As one of the producers of A chorus line, the Public Theater earned approximately $38 million from the long-running production.

Local Subject

Tributes.

Added Author

Papp, Joseph, interviewee.

Avian, Bob, speaker.

Musser, Tharon, speaker.

Kraus, Marvin, speaker.

Di Figlia, Frank, speaker.

Breglio, John, speaker.

Lenny, Jack, speaker.

McKechnie, Donna, speaker.

Smith, Liz, 1923-2017, speaker.

Papp, Joseph, speaker.

Hamlisch, Marvin, performer.

Sondheim, Stephen, performer.

Webb, Jimmy, performer.

The Dreams (Musical group)

Shubert Organization.

Research Call Number

NCOV 5038

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