I got successful awfully quick, and I wanted it... But I do think there is responsibility to move the musical theater form forward. I think you always have to be aware of the work that came before and build on that. Harold Prince More Quotes by Harold Prince More Quotes From Harold Prince The musical has always been in jeopardy - until - or was in jeopardy until it was realised that it is probably the safest living theatre art form. Harold Prince theatre musical art Audiences are quite happy to be astonished, and they don't care who does that astonishing. Harold Prince audience care doe The perfect expression of receiving a lifetime award is to be working when they're handing it out. Harold Prince awards expression perfect I don't look back. I look forward and plan new shows. That's really feeding the most important part of working in the theater. Harold Prince feeding important looks It's a terrible shame if you're born the brightest guy in your class. If you're not, then you have to hustle-and that's good. Harold Prince intelligence guy class I have a terrible memory because I'm not interested in the past. It's done, it's done. Harold Prince done memories past A star may guarantee business, but the tradeoff is a very short run. Harold Prince stars guarantees running Artistic self-indulgence is the mark of an amateur. The temptation to make scenes, to appear late, to call in sick, not to meet deadlines, not to be organized, is at heart a sign of your own insecurity and at worst the sign of an amateur. Harold Prince sick self heart I didn't go into the theater to be a producer, I went into the theater to be a director. Harold Prince theater producers directors We've got to find a way to protect the process of making musical theater. Harold Prince musical process way I'm always glad to see somebody rethink something rather than reproduce something I did. Harold Prince glad I don't think there's a defined contemporary American musical, do you? Harold Prince contemporary musical thinking I love big, bold, truthful theater - the tradition of Victorian theater. Harold Prince truthful tradition theater When I was a producer, the fun of the show was waking up with a hit and enjoying the period after the show opens. The fun of a director stops the day it opens. No matter if it's a success or a failure, it's not a whole lot of fun anymore. Harold Prince wake-up fun directors I like to do everything you can possibly do before you go into rehearsal, because once we are in rehearsal or on the stage there will be a problem I didn’t anticipate. It’s really good to think we got it all nailed - of course you’ve never got it all nailed. Harold Prince rehearsal problem thinking The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. Harold Prince office successful ideas Despite the successes, you remember the failures - rather lovingly. Harold Prince despite remember I wouldn't want to be just pigeonholed as an extravagant director. Harold Prince extravagant want directors Most of the big money people don't know what would interest an audience if you did it. They only know what interested the audience last time. Harold Prince bigs lasts people Criticism is valuable... and self-congratulatory experiences are not. Harold Prince valuable criticism self
