Broadway NewsBroadway to Dim Its Marquees in Honor of Annie Writer Thomas MeehanThe three-time Tony-winning book writer of Annie, The Producers, and others died August 22 at the age of 88.
By
Mark Peikert
August 25, 2017
Thomas Meehan
Monica Simoes
The Broadway community will pay tribute to the late Thomas Meehan with a traditional light-dimming ceremony. Theatre marquees will go dark for exactly one minute August 30 at 7:45 PM. Meehan died August 22 at the age of 88.
Meehan made his Broadway debut in 1977, collaborating with Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse on the 19. The smash hit Annie, which ran for 2,377 performances, earned Meehan his first of three Tony Awards.
He is the only creative to have written the books for three shows that ran more than 2,000 performances on Broadway: the aforementioned Annie (2,377 performances), The Producers in 2001 alongside Mel Brooks (2,502 performances), and Hairspray in 2002, which he wrote with the late Mark O’Donnell (2,642 performances). He earned Tonys for all three shows.
“Thomas Meehan was a key collaborator on some of the most memorable productions in recent Broadway history. His work brought deeper meaning and complexity to well-known characters,” said Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin in a statement. “Audiences all over the world will continue to be delighted and engaged with his stories and his words in years to come.”
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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.
Kearney was a recipient of the Dramatists Guild's Jonathan Larson Musical Theater Fellowship and the Lazarus Family Musical Theater Award, among other honors.
