Broadway NewsMel Brooks, Andrea McArdle, Andy Karl, More Celebrate Life of Thomas Meehan, Tony-Winning Writer of AnnieMartin Charnin hosts the November 5 memorial at the St. James Theatre.
By
Andrew Gans
November 05, 2018
Thomas Meehan
Monica Simoes
The Broadway community celebrates the life of Thomas Meehan, who passed away in August 2017 at the age of 88, on November 5 at 2 PM at the St. James Theatre.
The celebration, which is open to the public, is hosted by Martin Charnin, co-creator, lyricist, and original director of Annie.
The memorial is scheduled to include appearances by Annie composer Charles Strouse, its original star Andrea McArdle, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (with whom he wrote the musical adaptation of Rocky), Andy Karl, Margo Seibert, Maury Yeston, Jack O’Brien, Marc Shaiman, Alton Fitzgerald White, Mara Davi, Jill Paice, Alexandra Socha, Annabelle Wachtel, Susan Stroman, and Mel Brooks; Mr. Meehan co-wrote the books for The Producers and Young Frankenstein—as well as the screenplay for the film Spaceballs—with the latter.
Meehan was among the most prolific and successful book writers in Broadway musical history. He holds the distinction of being the only writer to have written three Broadway shows that ran more than 2,000 performances each, winning the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Annie (1977), The Producers (2001, shared with Brooks), and for Hairspray (2002, shared with Mark O’Donnell).
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From Annie to Hairspray: Look Back at Thomas Meehan’s Contributions to Broadway
From Annie to Hairspray: Look Back at Thomas Meehan’s Contributions to Broadway
The three-time Tony Award winner passed away at 88.
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Annie Full Playbill
Reid Shelton and Andrea McArdle in the original Broadway production of Annie.
Martha Swope / The New York Public Library
Andrea McArdle, Sandy and Reid Shelton in Annie. 1979, Alvin Theatre.
