Michael Colby

Michael Elihu Colby is an American theatre lyricist and musical playwright.[1] He is best known as the author of the book The Algonquin Kid and musicals such as Charlotte Sweet and Tales of Tinseltown.[2]

Michael Colby
Colby holding a copy of The Algonquin Kid, photo taken by David Goodman
Born
Michael Elihu Colby

(1951-10-29)October 29, 1951
New York City
OccupationLyricist, librettist

Early life and education

Michael was born in New York City on October 29, 1951, the first child of Renee Mae (Bodne) and Sidney Jack Colby (né Sidney Jack Cohen). Michael’s family on both sides were of European Jewish ancestry. His maternal grandparents, Ben and Mary (Mazo) Bodne, owned the Algonquin Hotel from 1946-1987, after moving from Charleston, SC.[3] It was there that Michael observed notables of New York theatre and other celebrities.

Theatre figured indirectly in his family’s history. Michael’s maternal great-grandfather, Elihu Mazo, opened one of the first Kosher delis in the South, Mazo’s, where George Gershwin hung out while researching Porgy and Bess in Charleston. His grandmother Mary Mazo Bodne was the first cousin of Frances Mazo Butwin, one of the original English translators of the Sholem Aleichem tales that were the basis of the musical Fiddler On the Roof.[4]

As a kid, Michael’s stays at the Algonquin made him a real-life equivalent to Eloise of the Plaza.[5] Among Algonquin guests with whom he was closely acquainted were playwright Mary Chase, singers Ella Fitzgerald, Ted Lewis, and Sylvia Syms, theatre songwriters, Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner, and actors Jack and Madeline Gilford.[6]

He idolized the lyricists Lorenz (Larry) Hart and E.Y. (“Yip”) Harburg, meeting Harburg and members of the Hart family at the Algonquin. Michael’s friendship with Teddy Hart (the actor/brother of Lorenz Hart) and Teddy’s wife Dorothy led to his becoming a protegé of the Hart family. Michael later was researcher for Dorothy’s acclaimed book on her late brother-in-law, Thou Swell, Thou Witty: The Life and Lyrics of Lorenz Hart.[7]

Thanks to the Bodnes’ generosity, Michael moved into a room at the Algonquin in 1969, during his first year of college.[8] He graduated Northwestern University with a B.A. in English Literature. He also received an M.A. in Drama at New York University.[9] His return to New York allowed Michael to regularly attend theatre and cabaret. Seeing New York cabaret shows, Michael often accompanied his uncle Andrew Anspach (husband of another Bodne daughter, Barbara) and Donald Smith, a cabaret impresario. Years later, in 1981, it was Smith and Anspach (an Algonquin co-manager) who re-opened the Algonquin Oak Room as a major nightclub.[10]

Career

During high school and early college years, Michael collaborated with his brother Douglas, writing book and lyrics to Douglas’ melodies on a musicalization of the movie The Wrong Box. Despite not acquiring the rights, they auditioned the score for several producers. One was Stuart Ostrow, leading, in 1974, to Michael’s first job in theatre. He was assistant to project producer Stephanie Copeland at the Stuart Ostrow Foundation Musical Theatre Lab, the first non-profit organization expressly for the development of new musicals. Originally headquartered at St. Clement's Church, the Musical Theatre Lab was the first non-profit organization devoted to the development of new musicals, beginning with the original workshop of The Robber Bridegroom.[11]

At the Musical Theatre Lab, Michael learned the ropes of showcasing new musicals in non-profit situations. This gave him the wherewithal to co-produce the original showcase productions of his own musicals, including North Atlantic, Charlotte Sweet, and Tales of Tinseltown.[12]

In 1981, Michael helped create another non-profit organization, The New Amsterdam Theatre Company. Conceived by producer Bill Tynes, this company was the first ongoing presenter of musicals in concert, with full orchestra and stellar casts. The company has been cited as the forerunner of such similar organizations as Encores! at City Center. Michael provided many of the company’s concert narrations.[13]

His musicals have been produced in New York, regionally, and in England, Charlotte Sweet received three Drama Desk Award nominations, including one for his lyrics;[14] North Atlantic won the Show Business Award;[15] Meester Amerika was chosen for the TRU Musical Theater Reading Series.[16] Among the personalities for whom Mr. Colby has written material are: Linda Lavin, Angela Lansbury, Sheldon Harnick, Lanie Kazan, Tony Randall, Andrea McArdle, Robert Cuccioli, Michael Feinstein, Susan Stroman, Natalie Douglas, Tom Wopat, Tony Yazbeck, Kristin Chenoweth, Cicely Tyson and Julie Wilson.[17]

In 2013, editor Sandi Durell published the first in a series of twenty articles Michael wrote about the Algonquin for Theater Pizzazz. [18] The series chronicled both the hotel’s history—from the late 1940s onward—and his family history.[19] The series proved so popular that Michael turned it into a book with five additional chapters: The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York’s Legendary Hotel.[20] Published in 2015 by BearManor Media, it also become an audiotape with Colby narrating.[21]

Productions
  • North Atlantic (1977) – book; co-lyricist with composer James Fradrich[22]
  • Ludlow Ladd (1979) – libretto; with composer Gerald Jay Markoe[23]
  • Charlotte Sweet (1982) – libretto; with composer Gerald Jay Markoe[24]
  • Mrs. McThing (1984) – book/lyrics; with composer Jack (Jacques) Urbont; based on play by Mary Chase[25]
  • Tales of Tinseltown (1985) – book/lyrics; with composer Paul Katz[26]
  • Slay It With Music (1989) – book/lyrics; with composer Paul Katz[27]
  • Happy Haunting (1992) – libretto; with composer Gerald Jay Markoe[28]
  • The Human Heart (1998) – lyrics; with composer Steven Silverstein & bookwriter Pat Hoag Simon[29]
  • Delphi or Bust (1998) – book/lyrics; with composer Gerald Jay Markoe[30]
  • They Chose Me! (2006) – lyrics/co-book writer; with composer and co-bookwriter Ned Paul Ginsburg[31]
  • Meester America [a.k.a. The 1st Family of 2nd Avenue] (2007) – lyrics; with composer Artie Bressler and bookwriter Jennifer Berman)[32]
  • Boynton Beach Club (2019) – co-lyricist; with composer Ned Paul Ginsberg. bookwriter Susan Seidelman, co-lyricist Cornelia Ravenal; based on film by Susan Seidelman[33]
  • Dangerous – co-lyricist/co-bookwriter; with composer/co-lyricist/co-bookwriter John C. Introcaso[34]

Personal life

Michael’s family moved from New York City to Hewlett, NY upon the birth of his brother Douglas in 1954. In 1961, his brother David was born.[35] In 1986, he married Andrea Lee Loshin.[36] They currently reside in Metuchen, NJ, where Michael has doubled as substitute teacher in various districts.[37]

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References
  1. Frank, Jonathan (October 1, 2002). "Review of Quel Fromage: 50 Years of Colby in Talkin' Broadway". Talkin’ Broadway. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  2. "Michael Colby's site". Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  3. Kilgannon, Corey (2015-03-31). "Finding a Home, and a Muse, at the Algonquin". The New York Times. New York, NY. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  4. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 2-7,17. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  5. Kilgannon, Corey (2015-03-31). "Finding a Home, and a Muse, at the Algonquin". The New York Times. New York, NY. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  6. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 17, 20-21, 27, 32-33, 47-48, 229-232, 252-253. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  7. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 88-89, 92, 93, 201-202. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  8. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 127-128. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  9. "Michael Colby's site". Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  10. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 153, 223-224. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  11. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 145-147, 179-183. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  12. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 203. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  13. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 215-219. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  14. "Charlotte Sweet". Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  15. "North Atlantic". Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  16. "Meester Amerika". Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  17. Colby, Michael (October 20, 2013). Sandi Durell (ed.). "The Algonquin Kid—Way Back When (Part I of Series)". Theatre Pizzazz. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  18. Colby, Michael (October 20, 2013). Sandi Durell (ed.). "The Algonquin Kid—Way Back When (Part I of Series)". Theatre Pizzazz. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  19. Colby, Michael (October 5, 2014). Sandi Durell (ed.). "The Algonquin Kid—Getting to the Hart of Things: Part 20 Last Online". Theatre Pizzazz. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  20. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. ii,iv. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  21. Colby, Michael. "The Algonquin Kid Audiobook". audiobookstore.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  22. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 203-209. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  23. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 158-165. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  24. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 233-243. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  25. Nemy, Enid (1984-10-05). "Broadway". The New York Times. New York, NY. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  26. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 245-246. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  27. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 254-255. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  28. "Gallery of photos". Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  29. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 256. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  30. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 255. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  31. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 255. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  32. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 255. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  33. Filichia, Peter (2019-10-07). "Join the BOYNTON BEACH CLUB". Broadway Select. New York, NY. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  34. Vine, Hannah (2017-10-16). "See Max von Essen, Christopher J. Hanke, Scarlett Strallen at the Reading of New Musical Dangerous". Playbill. New York, NY. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  35. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 24. ISBN 978-1593937928.
  36. "Andrea Lee Loshin Plans to Marry Michael Colby". The New York Times. New York, NY. 2015-03-31. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  37. Colby, Michael (May 24, 2017). The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel. Orlando, FL: BearManor Media. p. 51. ISBN 978-1593937928.
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