Harold Prince, Broadway figure behind 'Cabaret,' 'West Side Story,' dead at 91

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Harold Prince, the 21-time Tony Award-winning director and producer, has died at age 91. A representative for the Broadway figureĀ confirmed the news to The Associated Press.

Prince's death came after a brief illness in Reykjavik, Iceland, his rep said,Ā according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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"He is missed and loved by his family ā€“ Judy, his wife of 56 years; his daughter, Daisy; his son, Charles; and his grandchildren, Phoebe, Lucy, and Felix," Prince's rep said in a statement,Ā according to THR. "As per his wishes, there will be no funeral but there will be a celebration of his life this fall with the people he loved most, the members of the theatrical community that he was a part of for seven decades."

At 26 years old, PrinceĀ co-produced his first Broadway show, "The Pajama Game."

Prince was well-known for beloved musicals "Damn Yankees," "West Side Story," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Sweeney Todd" and "Cabaret," and his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber -- including 1978's "Evita" and 1986's "The Phantom of the Opera."Ā The New York Times reported "Phantom" was the longest-running show in Broadway history.

His last stage production, "Prince of Broadway," showcased his work in a retrospective. It included songs from his past productions and was the last show he directed. It ran in 2017, butĀ The Washington Post reported that it had a short run following poor reviews.

Prince revealed in aĀ 2017 interview with Playbill what he wanted to do after "Prince of Broadway."

"God knows Iā€™m very eager that the fact that weā€™re doing this compendium of all my shows doesnā€™t seem to be a farewell project. I donā€™t want it to be," he said. "I donā€™t want to retire. Iā€™d be a lousy retiree. I think maybe I have found the next project. Itā€™s just an idea, but I fell in love with the theatre when I was ten. I think itā€™s simply wonderful if you really know what you want to do with your life. Itā€™s a gift."

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