Erich Segal’s best-selling novel Love Story has captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide and is the basis for the brand new musical now available for licensing in North America.  A New York Times No. 1 bestseller, the book became the top selling work of fiction for 1970 in the United States and was translated into 33 languages worldwide.

The success of the book led to the production of the classic movie of the same name, which features the iconic line,  “Love means never having to say you’re sorry,” (voted the #13 movie quote of all time by the American Film Institute), The film itself was voted the #9 most romantic movie of all time. After its opening in 1970, the movie, which starred Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw, went on to become a cultural phenomenon.

LOVE STORY THE MUSICAL may be one of the newest members of the MTI catalogue, but it is a tale well-etched into the American psyche. The musical features a score by Howard Goodall and Stephen Clark, as well as a book by Clark. It opened in the West End in 2010 at the Duchess Theatre after a successful run at the Chichester Theatre Festival and is now continuing the romance in America.
An Iconic Place in the American Psyche
If you’re a fan of romantic movies, you probably already knew most of this info, but in honor of the upcoming production and the recent addition of this piece to the MTI family, we thought we’d share some interesting tidbits that might come as a surprise. For example…

• In his memoir Robert Evans (one of the film’s producers) wrote that 8 actors turned down the role of Oliver before the final casting of Ryan O’Neal, this list included the likes of Beau Bridges, Jon Voight, Michael Douglas, and Peter Fonda, not to mention Michael York who turned it down because he didn’t believe it would be a hit.


• And, did you know, that the famous line quoted above was misspoken? The line was originally written: “Love means not ever having to say you’re sorry.” Though grammatically correct, the original doesn’t have quite the same flair as the iconic mistake.


• And, the film marks Tommy Lee Jones’ screen debut, though he had just a minor part.


• For more fun and little known facts about the movie check out Love Story: Trivia.

The film has an iconic place in the 20th century popular movie canon, and that can most likely be attributed to the aspects of it that make it well-suited to become a musical. The cultural resonance of LOVE STORY first as a novel, then as a film, and now as a musical comes from a deeply emotional place. The score has soaring melodies and haunting ballads (for example, “Nocturnes”) that tap into the core of the story and add another dimension to a familiar and beloved tale.
The Story
The plot is simple and poetic, as indicated by the title. Wealthy, athletic Harvard student Oliver falls for artistic, lower class, Radcliffe student Jenny and they marry against his family’s wishes – a choice that leads to disinheritance. The couple struggles to put Oliver through law school. In the process, Jenny, a

gifted musician and pianist, puts her dreams on hold to support Oliver. Her father questions her sacrifice of the gift she has worked so hard to cultivate, but the message of this story rings loud and clear: love is the most important gift.  Ultimately, the piece has a tragic end, as many memorable love stories do. Jenny suffers from leukemia (as did her mother) and she dies at age 25. The straightforward beauty of the story allows the themes to resonate and the characters to shine.
License
Bring LOVE STORY to your stage!
Read Peter Filichia's Review of The Walnut Street Theatre's Production
Check out Filichia Features: A Love Story that Sings