Cy Coleman

Cy Coleman was a prolific composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist who made a significant impact on American music and Broadway. Born Seymour Kaufman in 1929 in New York City, Coleman began playing piano at an early age and was soon performing in clubs and bars around the city. He studied at the Juilliard School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, but his true education came from playing with jazz greats like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.

Coleman's first foray into Broadway was with the musical "Wildcat" in 1960, which starred Lucille Ball. The show was not a critical success, but it did feature the hit song "Hey, Look Me Over." Coleman's next musical, "Little Me," was a collaboration with writer Neil Simon and starred Sid Caesar. The show received mixed reviews but was a commercial success and featured the popular song "Real Live Girl."
In 1966, Coleman teamed up with lyricist Dorothy Fields for the musical "Sweet Charity," which starred Gwen Verdon. The show was a critical and commercial success and featured the hit songs "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now." Coleman and Fields received a Tony Award for Best Original Score.
Coleman continued his collaboration with Fields on the musical "Seesaw" in 1973, which starred Michele Lee and Tommy Tune. The show received mixed reviews but featured the hit song "It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish." Coleman and Fields received another Tony nomination for Best Original Score.
In 1980, Coleman teamed up with playwright Michael Bennett for the musical "Barnum," which starred Jim Dale. The show received mixed reviews but featured the hit song "The Colors of My Life." Coleman and Bennett received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.
Coleman's next musical, "City of Angels," was a collaboration with writer Larry Gelbart and starred James Naughton. The show was a critical and commercial success and featured the hit songs "You're Nothing Without Me" and "Lost and Found." Coleman and Gelbart received a Tony Award for Best Original Score.
In addition to his work on Broadway, Coleman also composed music for film and television. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for the title song of the film "Father Goose" in 1965. He also composed the theme song for the television show "Alice" in 1976.
Coleman continued to work on Broadway throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. He collaborated with playwright David Zippel on the musical "The Will Rogers Follies" in 1991, which starred Keith Carradine. The show was a critical and commercial success and featured the hit song "Never Met a Man I Didn't Like." Coleman and Zippel received a Tony Award for Best Original Score.
Coleman's final musical, "The Life," was a collaboration with writer Ira Gasman and starred Lillias White. The show received mixed reviews but featured the hit song "The Oldest Profession." Coleman received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.
Cy Coleman passed away in 2004 at the age of 75. He left behind a legacy of music that continues to be celebrated and performed on Broadway and beyond.