This album is a retrospective that is a must-have for all lovers of musical theater. Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt first won fame as the creators of The Fantasticks- the longest-running musical in the history of the world, with more than 21,000 performances given in New York over a period of 58 years. But the Jones & Schmidt musicals also include Broadway classics such as I Do! I Do!, 110 in the Shade, and Celebration. Selections from these and 12 other shows are included in this deluxe release, which features many previously unreleased demos by the songwriters themselves. Jones & Schmidt worked closely with Producer Bill Rudman for over two years to ensure that this album would best represent their legacy. The purpose of theater is always to reveal us to ourselves. To help us perceive the poetry beneath the prose and the minutiae of our lives. To make us exalt. To make us feel. And not least of all, to make us laugh. (Tom Jones)