Charles Strouse candidly discussed his career, his collaborators and his shows in a tribute evening at the Paley Center for Media’s PaleyAfterDark series in Beverly Hills. Answering questions posed by Daily Variety’s Robert Hofler, Strouse characterized himself as a composer of “serious music,” who also wrote for the musical theater. Describing himself as someone who is not assertive, with examples offered from the creative process of his various shows, he amusingly led up to his breakout from that mold with a physical altercation with the six-foot plus Warren Beatty during a recording session for the soundtrack of Bonnie & Clyde. Rare television clips were shown including a WCBS program featuring Strouse accompanying Sammy Davis Jr. singing “Stick Around” from Golden Boy.

Strouse spoke highly of his lyricists but contrasted their styles. Sammy Cahn was always in a great hurry and wouldn’t spend more than an hour on a song, while Alan Jay Lerner thought that a perfect word could be found to describe any situation and he would work all night to find that word. As for his fellow composers, Strouse said that Aaron Copeland’s comment to him about one his great works was, “Well, I guess I got away with that.” In contrast, Strouse described Cy Coleman as being confident about everything he wrote. Strouse’s attitude about his own work, seemed to fall somewhere in between.

Bonnie Franklin joined Strouse to reminisce about her audition for Applause and about working with Lauren Bacall. The wonderful evening concluded with the honoree at the piano accompanying himself on some his songs, including “Put on a Happy Face” and “Tomorrow.” (Photo by Kevin Parry/The Paley Center for Media.)

Les Traub
Cabaret Scenes
January 26, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org