Posted on 03/16/2014 4:09:20 PM PDT by Borges
One day in 1964, a New York advertising-jingle composer in his early 30s received an unlikely job offer.
The composer, Mitch Leigh, the Brooklyn-born son of a Jewish furrier from Ukraine, had no theater experience to speak of. All he had ever done was compose incidental music for a couple of short-lived Broadway comedies — “Too True to Be Good” (1963) and “Never Live Over a Pretzel Factory” (1964). Now he was being asked to write the music for a new show that was going to try out at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. A few numbers about quests and wine and beautiful women. So Mr. Leigh gave it a shot.
The show, “Man of La Mancha,” opened in New York the next year and ran until 1971, a total of 2,328 performances. It won five Tony Awards, including best composer and lyricist (Mr. Leigh and Joe Darion) and best musical. Richard Kiley remained throughout the entire run in the dual role of Don Quixote, a doddering gentleman knight with a grand imagination, and Quixote’s creator, the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
That was a great theme song. I have never seen the play so I assume that is what it was.
-PJ
The lyrics were written by Joe Darion:
To dream ... the impossible dream ...
To fight ... the unbeatable foe ...
To bear ... with unbearable sorrow ...
To run ... where the brave dare not go ...
To right ... the unrightable wrong ...
To love ... pure and chaste from afar ...
To try ... when your arms are too weary ...
To reach ... the unreachable star ...
This is my quest, to follow that star ...
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far ...
To fight for the right, without question or pause ...
To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause ...
And I know if I’ll only be true, to this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm,
when I’m laid to my rest ...
And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach ... the unreachable star ...
I admit, I did have to suffer through it (the silly Broadway show), as an employee benefit of no value whatsoever.
Thank you. The lyrics are the better part of the song.
He also composed the Sara Lee jingle...”Nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee”
Saw the revival years ago at Lincoln Center with the original cast. Oh, that magnificent set with the giant lowered staircase! Excellent book, moving story and some nice music. Who can forget a Jewish Sancho Panza?
More misadventures!
Saw on Broadway. The music is lovely. The moral point of the story to me was to hold onto your ideals in the face of adversity.
Much beautiful music in it. I miss the days when this country aimed higher in entertainment. I really thought Sophia Loren a perfect choice for Dulcinea/Aldonza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2eK7joszR0
RIP.
That explains a lot. Or some of it.
With each passing year they seem more and more autobiographical.
R.I.P., Mr. Leigh. Man of La Mancha was one of the greatest Broadway musicals ever.
I saw it on Broadway too on a class trip (actually a choir trip) in 1970. What an experience!
Best Best musical and story ever.
From the article: But he had one stipulation {for his real estate development], as he made clear in his television commercials — in which he starred, looking a bit like Quixote — and other promotions: “If you’re not a nice person, don’t call.”
I remember those ads! LOL, I had no idea who he was.
RIP Mr. Leigh, you wrote one song that will live forever, that’s a tremendous accomplishment.
Gomer Pyle, USMC - The Impossible Dream
I link to the long version, which includes the equally good setup to the song. Although Wiki tells me Gomer had sung on the show before I think this was the first I'd ever heard him sing. Awesomely mind boggling!
Corrected the link.
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