Joe Darion papers

1954-1969

Joe Darion (1917-2001) was an American lyricist most famous for the long-running musical, Man of La Mancha. Darion was born on January 30, 1911 in New York City and was educated at City College. In World War II Darion served in the Navy. In the 1950s he wrote lyrics for popular songs, including hits like "Ricochet," "Midnight Train," "The Ho-Ho Song" and "Changing Partners."

Darion’s first theater piece was a jazz opera with music by George Kleinsinger, based on stories and vignettes by Don Marquis. Darion wrote the lyrics, but shared script credit with a young Mel Brooks. It was produced on Broadway in 1957, under the title Shinbone Alley. A 1954 concept album of the score, recorded as Archy and Mehitabel, preceded the stage production. This piece was also staged as a concert at Town Hall in 1955, and adapted for television as the Play of the Week: Archy and Mehitabel, which aired in 1960 and 1961. An animated film version was released as Shinbone Alley in 1971.

Darion’s most notable work was his 1965 blockbuster musical, Man of La Mancha, for which he provided the lyrics to Mitch Leigh’s music and Dale Wasserman’s book. Man of La Mancha played 2,328 performances in its original Broadway run and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score for Leigh and Darion. Darion is most remembered for his lyrics for the iconic song “The Impossible Dream.”

In 1967, Darion supplied lyrics for Illya Darling, a musical adaptation of Jules Dassin’s film, Never on Sunday. The musical had a book by Dassin, and music by Manos Hadjidakis. Darion’s next project was a bilingual (English and Yiddish) musical, The Megilla of Itzik Manger, which opened in 1968. The show featured music by Dov Seltzer and book and lyrics by Shmuel Bunim, Hayim Hefer, Manger, and Seltzer. Darion provided English commentaries.

Darion’s later works include several collaborations with composer Ezra Laderman, such as the oratorio operas And David Wept (1971) and Galileo Galilei (1978), and the cantatas The Questions of Abraham (1973) and A Handful of Souls (1975). At the time of his death, Darion was working on a show called Oswego, with Jerome Coppersmith and William Goldstein.

With his wife, Hellen, Darion established a philanthropic organization, The Joe And Hellen Darion Foundation, Inc. Joe Darion died in Lebanon, New Hampshire, on June 6, 2001.