Charles Strouse passes away at 96

Charles Strouse

, the iconic composer whose melodies helped shape American musical theatre, has passed away at the age of 96.Backbone of several Broadway hitsThe news was confirmed by his family spokesperson Jim Byk via The New York Times, as reported by Variety. A three-time Tony Award winner, Strouse’s compositions were the backbone of beloved Broadway hits such as ‘Annie’ and ‘

Bye Bye Birdie

’. Over the course of his remarkable career, Charles Strouse wrote the scores for over 30 musicals, with 14 of them reaching Broadway stages.

Marking his debut with ‘Bye Bye Birdie’

His debut Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie (1960) won him his first Tony Award and announced his arrival with an unforgettable flair. However, it was ‘Annie’—created in collaboration with lyricist Martin Charnin and librettist Thomas Meehan—that brought him his third Tony. The musical, famous for the anthem “Tomorrow,” ran for an impressive 2,377 performances and inspired international productions, films, and enduring cultural references.From stage to screenWhile his name is forever tied to Broadway, Charles Strouse also made a significant mark in Hollywood. He composed for several films, most notably ‘Bonnie & Clyde’, which earned him a Grammy nomination. Other film scores included ‘There Was a Crooked Man’, ‘The Night They Raided Minsky's, Sidney Lumet's ‘Just Tell Me What You Want’, and the beloved animated feature ‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’. The enduring popularity of his work was underscored when Annie’s song “Tomorrow” was used in the hit movie ‘Deadpool 2’, decades after its Broadway debut. A career which spanned over 6 decadesCharles Strouse’s final credited work was for the short film ‘Children of the Wind’ (2015), capping off a career of storytelling through music that spanned over six decades.Meanwhile, Charles Strouse is survived by his children—Victoria, Nicholas, Benjamin, and Will Strouse.