--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got successful awfully quick, and I…" description: "\"I got successful awfully quick, and I wanted it... But I do think there is responsibility to move the musical theater form forward. I think you always ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8db/harold-prince-9151_actor_i-got-successful-awfully-quick-and-i-wan_2527935.jpg" --- # I got successful awfully quick, and I wanted it... But I… ![“I got successful awfully quick, and I wanted it... But I do think there is responsibility to move the musical theater form forward. I think you always have to be aware of the work that came before and build on that.” quote by Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8db/harold-prince-9151_actor_i-got-successful-awfully-quick-and-i-wan_2527935.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8db/harold-prince-9151_actor_i-got-successful-awfully-quick-and-i-wan_2527935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8db/harold-prince-9151_actor_i-got-successful-awfully-quick-and-i-wan_2527935.jpg) > “I got successful awfully quick, and I wanted it... But I do think there is responsibility to move the musical theater form forward. I think you always have to be aware of the work that came before and build on that.” [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success demands responsibility to advance the art form, respecting its history. **In simple terms:** Success includes duty to improve theater, honoring past work. Key Takeaway Build on legacy while innovating. Themes theatre legacy responsibility Mood inspirational thoughtful Type artistic professional When to use this quote - production design - directing - playwriting - educational workshops Key Concepts artistic evolution mentorship Questions to Reflect On - How can new works honor tradition without imitation? - What responsibilities do successful artists have to future creators? A Different Perspective Balancing tradition and innovation can stifle radical change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Musical theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical-theater/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [ I want as many people to see the show \[Hamilton\] in its musical theater form as possible before it's translated, and whether it's a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/i-want-as-many-people-to-see-the-show-hamilton-in-its-musical-theater/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [As I got more successful, I felt it was more incumbent upon me to help the other people. I did more and more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-hall/as-i-got-more-successful-i-felt-it-was-more-incumbent-upon-me-to-help/) [Monty Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-hall/) > [At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/at-the-end-of-the-day-what-have-i-got-a-successful-singapore-what/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [As soon as I got successful, the Scottish press started picking on me. It's something they reserve just for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/as-soon-as-i-got-successful-the-scottish-press-started-picking-on-me/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [I always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do, that I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-always-thought-that-if-i-made-it-big-or-got-successful-at-what-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Running more doesn't do you any good. You've got to be successful more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-oates/running-more-doesn-t-do-you-any-good-you-ve-got-to-be-successful-more/) [Johnny Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-oates/) > [I was singing before I acted, but I was also attracted to drama, and, y'know, I got successful at that, which isn't a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-lewis/i-was-singing-before-i-acted-but-i-was-also-attracted-to-drama-and-y/) [Juliette Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-lewis/) > [I'd got very successful, everyone knew who I was, but I felt very empty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-d-got-very-successful-everyone-knew-who-i-was-but-i-felt-very-empty/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [When I got successful and people started talking about me, I didn't want anyone thinking I thought I was a 'big time Charlie.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-hatton/when-i-got-successful-and-people-started-talking-about-me-i-didn-t/) [Ricky Hatton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-hatton/) > [When I first got successful, I was particularly aware of being immaculate at all times, so I would get on a plane in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/engelbert-humperdinck/when-i-first-got-successful-i-was-particularly-aware-of-being/) [Engelbert Humperdinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/engelbert-humperdinck/) > [I have no regrets.I have spent my life,so much of it, building up this country. There's nothing more that I need to do. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-have-no-regrets-i-have-spent-my-life-so-much-of-it-building-up-this/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I made mistakes, but I'm luckier than most. I've got a successful business, lots of fans who think a lot of me and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-made-mistakes-but-i-m-luckier-than-most-i-ve-got-a-successful/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [I was lucky because I got so successful so early, and when you get successful early, then you can afford to be a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-was-lucky-because-i-got-so-successful-so-early-and-when-you-get/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [I was there when the quote-unquote golden age of musical theater was flourishing. I met everybody who worked in theater or was famous in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-was-there-when-the-quote-unquote-golden-age-of-musical-theater-was/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [We've got to find a way to protect the process of making musical theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/we-ve-got-to-find-a-way-to-protect-the-process-of-making-musical/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) ## More by Harold Prince > [I like to do everything you can possibly do before you go into rehearsal, because once we are in rehearsal or on the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-like-to-do-everything-you-can-possibly-do-before-you-go-into/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [It's a terrible shame if you're born the brightest guy in your class. If you're not, then you have to hustle-and that's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/it-s-a-terrible-shame-if-you-re-born-the-brightest-guy-in-your-class/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [I've never been able to understand where great artists come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-ve-never-been-able-to-understand-where-great-artists-come-from/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [I feel so much more comfortable when I'm working on material which makes other people scratch their heads and ask, 'You're going to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-feel-so-much-more-comfortable-when-i-m-working-on-material-which/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [One thing is certain: We can't go back. 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I've never forgotten it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-was-nine-i-saw-orson-welles-in-julius-caesar-it-was-involving/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [Criticism is valuable... and self-congratulatory experiences are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/criticism-is-valuable-and-self-congratulatory-experiences-are-not/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [I'm a pragmatic man. I'll veer on the dangerous side, because I love dangerous subjects, but I won't shoot a show in the foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-m-a-pragmatic-man-i-ll-veer-on-the-dangerous-side-because-i-love/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [Everything can't be a postage-stamp-sized project. Everything can't be a chamber piece. Musicals aren't even meant to be that, or identified with it... It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/everything-can-t-be-a-postage-stamp-sized-project-everything-can-t-be/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [I don't look back. I look forward and plan new shows. That's really feeding the most important part of working in the theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-don-t-look-back-i-look-forward-and-plan-new-shows-that-s-really/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [Collaboration is just, really, a group of people getting in a room with their eye on a very similar prize and wanting to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/collaboration-is-just-really-a-group-of-people-getting-in-a-room-with/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [I would like to see more new productions of new material by new composers/lyricists/book writers. I would like to see people take more chances.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-would-like-to-see-more-new-productions-of-new-material-by-new/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [When I was a 25-year-old kid, I raised $260,000 for my first show, 'The Pajama Game,' in such a homemade, pathetic, endearing way -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/when-i-was-a-25-year-old-kid-i-raised-260-000-for-my-first-show-the/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [I don't know why the guys with the big money don't find five terrific young producers and give each of them enough to commission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-don-t-know-why-the-guys-with-the-big-money-don-t-find-five-terrific/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) [Explore all 75 Harold Prince quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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