Sondheim on Sondheim
Encyclopedia
Sondheim on Sondheim is a musical revue
consisting of music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim
for his many shows. It is conceived and directed by James Lapine
. The revue had a limited run on Broadway
in 2010.
). Moving On ran at The Bridwell Theatre, London, for 32 performances from July 19 to August 19, 2000. The show featured some narration recorded by Sondheim; a CD of the show was released but did not include the Sondheim narrations. Under a new title, Opening Doors, the show had several performances in New York at Carnegie Hall
's Zankel Hall in September and October 2004.
Lapine conceived a version of the revue in 2008, titled iSondheim: aMusical Revue, to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Alliance Theatre company in Atlanta, Georgia
. This was structured as a multimedia revue, incorporating "original and archival commentary" from Sondheim. The revue was promoted as taking audience members "to the very heart of Sondheim's life and work." The production was canceled when producers failed to raise sufficient funding to cover expensive and "extensive technical requirements for film and multi-media projection" during a major recession.
venue, Studio 54
, in a limited engagement. Previews started March 19, 2010, with the official opening on April 22 and closing on June 27, 2010.
The original Broadway cast featured Barbara Cook
, Vanessa L. Williams
, Leslie Kritzer
, Erin Mackey
, Tom Wopat
, Norm Lewis
, Euan Morton
and Matthew Scott. Choreography was by Dan Knechtges
, sets by Beowulf Boritt, costumes by Susan Hilferty
, lights by Ken Billington
, and projections by Peter Flaherty.
A Cleveland, Ohio
, production will open at the Playhouse Square on May 30, 2012, and run until June 17, 2012. No casting has been announced, but the engagement will be produced by the Great Lakes Theater Festival
and staged by Victoria Bussert.
, Company
, Follies
, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
, Sunday in the Park with George
, Merrily We Roll Along
, Passion
, and Into the Woods
. Songs from his school years are included.
Lapine describes the revue as "a kind of impressionistic view of him that’s put together with pieces of archival footage and interview footage. It’s a collage of his life, in which who he is and how he got there comes in to focus." The show uses about 64 plasma screens.
‡ Cut from the original production of the show
Sondheim wrote a new song for this revue, titled God, a "self-deprecating comic song" sung by the company to open Act 2.
Ben Brantley
in The New York Times
wrote that the revue is "a genial, multimedia commemorative scrapbook on the life, times and career" of Sondheim, with "a polished and likable eight-member cast."
Drama Desk Award
s
Outer Critics Circle Award
s
Drama League Award
s
53rd Annual Grammy Awards
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
consisting of music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
for his many shows. It is conceived and directed by James Lapine
James Lapine
James Lapine is an American stage director and librettist. He has won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times, for Into the Woods, Falsettos, and Passion. He has frequently collaborated with Stephen Sondheim and William Finn.-Biography:Lapine was born in Mansfield, Ohio and graduated...
. The revue had a limited run on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 2010.
Background
The revue is based on a show titled Moving On devised by David Kernan, and produced in 2000 (Kernan also conceived Side By Side By SondheimSide By Side By Sondheim
Side by Side by Sondheim is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from Company.-History:...
). Moving On ran at The Bridwell Theatre, London, for 32 performances from July 19 to August 19, 2000. The show featured some narration recorded by Sondheim; a CD of the show was released but did not include the Sondheim narrations. Under a new title, Opening Doors, the show had several performances in New York at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
's Zankel Hall in September and October 2004.
Lapine conceived a version of the revue in 2008, titled iSondheim: aMusical Revue, to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Alliance Theatre company in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. This was structured as a multimedia revue, incorporating "original and archival commentary" from Sondheim. The revue was promoted as taking audience members "to the very heart of Sondheim's life and work." The production was canceled when producers failed to raise sufficient funding to cover expensive and "extensive technical requirements for film and multi-media projection" during a major recession.
Production
The Roundabout Theatre presented the revue, now titled Sondheim on Sondheim at its BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
venue, Studio 54
Studio 54
Studio 54 was a highly popular discotheque from 1977 until 1991, located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, USA. It was originally the Gallo Opera House, opening in 1927, after which it changed names several times, eventually becoming a CBS radio and television studio. In 1977 it...
, in a limited engagement. Previews started March 19, 2010, with the official opening on April 22 and closing on June 27, 2010.
The original Broadway cast featured Barbara Cook
Barbara Cook
Barbara Cook is an American singer and actress who first came to prominence in the 1950s after starring in the original Broadway musicals Candide and The Music Man among others, winning a Tony Award for the latter...
, Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
, Leslie Kritzer
Leslie Kritzer
Leslie Kritzer is an award-winning Broadway actress. She is from Livingston, New Jersey.-Biography:Kritzer, a 1999 graduate of the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music, has also appeared on Broadway in Hairspray and was the character Serena in Legally Blonde The Musical...
, Erin Mackey
Erin Mackey
Erin Mackey is a stage actress/singer, best known for playing the role of Glinda in the Chicago, Los Angeles and Broadway productions of Wicked.-Career:...
, Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
, Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway as well as in regional theatre.-Life:Lewis was born in Tallahassee, Florida and grew up in Eatonville, Florida...
, Euan Morton
Euan Morton
Euan Douglas George Morton is an actor and singer. He is known for his role as Boy George in the musical Taboo, receiving nominations for the Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award for his performance....
and Matthew Scott. Choreography was by Dan Knechtges
Dan Knechtges
Dan Knechtges is a director and choreographer, for musicals, opera, television, film and music videos.-Life and career:Knechtges is from Grafton, Ohio and is a graduate of Midview High School and Otterbein College, with a degree in musical theatre. As a child, he took dance lessons in Elyria,...
, sets by Beowulf Boritt, costumes by Susan Hilferty
Susan Hilferty
Susan Hilferty is an American costume designer for theatre, opera, and film. She received the 2001 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Costume Design....
, lights by Ken Billington
Ken Billington
Ken Billington is an American lighting designer. He began his career in New York City working as an assistant to Tharon Musser....
, and projections by Peter Flaherty.
A Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, production will open at the Playhouse Square on May 30, 2012, and run until June 17, 2012. No casting has been announced, but the engagement will be produced by the Great Lakes Theater Festival
Great Lakes Theater Festival
Great Lakes Theater Festival is Cleveland, Ohio's professional classic theater company. Founded in 1962, the Festival is the second-largest regional theater in Northeast Ohio. It specializes in large-cast classic plays with a strong foundation in the works of Shakespeare and features an...
and staged by Victoria Bussert.
Concept
The musical features taped interviews with Sondheim. The songs, including well-known, less-known and cut material, are from nineteen Sondheim shows (including student shows) produced over a 62-year period, including several songs from each of West Side StoryWest Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
, Company
Company (musical)
Company is a musical with a book by George Furth and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The original production was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six....
, Follies
Follies
Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The story concerns a reunion in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition, of the past performers of the "Weismann's Follies," a musical revue , that played in that theatre between the World Wars...
, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart....
, Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George is a 1984 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical was inspired by the painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat...
, Merrily We Roll Along
Merrily We Roll Along (musical)
Merrily We Roll Along is a musical with a book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart....
, Passion
Passion (musical)
Passion is a musical adapted from Ettore Scola's film Passione d'Amore . The book is by James Lapine, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Central subjects include obsession, beauty, power, manipulation, passion, illness, and love...
, and Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife brought acclaim...
. Songs from his school years are included.
Lapine describes the revue as "a kind of impressionistic view of him that’s put together with pieces of archival footage and interview footage. It’s a collage of his life, in which who he is and how he got there comes in to focus." The show uses about 64 plasma screens.
Songs
List of shows represented, and songs performed, in the revue:- By George (1946), performed at the George School: "I’ll Meet You at the Donut"
- Climb High (1951), while studying with Milton Babbitt: "When I Get Famous"
- Saturday NightSaturday Night (musical)Saturday Night is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and the book by brothers Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein, based on their play, Front Porch in Flatbush....
(1954), unproduced until 1997, book by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein: "So Many People" - West Side StoryWest Side StoryWest Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
(1957), music by Leonard Bernstein, book by Arthur Laurents
- "Something’s Coming"
- "Like Everybody Else" ‡
- Gypsy (1959), music by Jule Styne, book by Arthur Laurents: "Smile, Girls" ‡
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart....
(1962), book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
- "Invocation/Forget War" ‡
- "Love Is in the Air" ‡
- "Comedy Tonight"
- Anyone Can WhistleAnyone Can WhistleAnyone Can Whistle is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The story concerns a corrupt mayoress, an idealistic nurse, a man who may be a doctor, and various officials, patients and townspeople, all fighting to save a bankrupt town...
(1964), book by Arthur Laurents: "Anyone Can Whistle" - Do I Hear a Waltz?Do I Hear a Waltz?Do I Hear a Waltz? is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Richard Rodgers, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was adapted from Laurents' 1952 play The Time of the Cuckoo, which was the basis for the 1955 film Summertime starring Katharine Hepburn.-Background:Laurents originally...
(1965), music by Richard Rodgers, book by Arthur Laurents: "Do I Hear a Waltz?" - Evening Primrose (1966), originally broadcast November 16, 1966; written by John Collier & James Goldman for the television series ABC Stage 67ABC Stage 67ABC Stage 67 was the umbrella title for a series of 26 weekly shows that included dramas, variety shows, documentaries, and original musicals....
: "Take Me to the World" - CompanyCompany (musical)Company is a musical with a book by George Furth and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The original production was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six....
(1970), book by George Furth
- Anyone Can Whistle
- "You Could Drive a Person Crazy"
- "The Wedding Is Off" ‡
- "Multitudes of Amys" ‡
- "Happily Ever After" ‡
- "Being Alive"
- "Company"
- FolliesFolliesFollies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The story concerns a reunion in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition, of the past performers of the "Weismann's Follies," a musical revue , that played in that theatre between the World Wars...
(1971), book by James Goldman
- Follies
- "Ah, But Underneath” (London Production, 1987)
- "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs"
- "Losing My Mind"
- "In Buddy’s Eyes"
- A Little Night MusicA Little Night MusicA Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade...
(1973), book by Hugh Wheeler
- A Little Night Music
- "My Husband the Pig" ‡
- "Every Day a Little Death"
- "Send in the Clowns"
- "A Weekend in the Country"
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet StreetSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 1936 British film produced and directed by George King.-Plot:The film features Tod Slaughter in one of his most famous roles as barber Sweeney Todd. Sweeney Todd was wrongly sentenced to life in prison. After his release 15 years later, he begins...
(1979), book by Hugh Wheeler
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- "Epiphany"
- Merrily We Roll AlongMerrily We Roll Along (musical)Merrily We Roll Along is a musical with a book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart....
(1981), book by George Furth
- Merrily We Roll Along
- "Franklin Shepard, Inc."
- "Good Thing Going"
- "Now You Know"
- "Opening Doors"
- "Not a Day Goes By"
- "Old Friends"
- Sunday in the Park with GeorgeSunday in the Park with GeorgeSunday in the Park with George is a 1984 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical was inspired by the painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat...
(1984), book by James Lapine
- Sunday in the Park with George
- "Finishing the Hat"
- "Sunday"
- "Beautiful"
- Into the WoodsInto the WoodsInto the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife brought acclaim...
(1987), book by James Lapine
- Into the Woods
- "Children Will Listen"
- "Ever After"
- AssassinsAssassins (musical)Assassins is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by John Weidman, based on an idea by Charles Gilbert, Jr. It uses the premise of a murderous carnival game to produce a revue-style portrayal of men and women who attempted to assassinate Presidents of the United States...
(1990), book by John Weidman
- Assassins
- "Something Just Broke"
- "The Gun Song"
- PassionPassion (musical)Passion is a musical adapted from Ettore Scola's film Passione d'Amore . The book is by James Lapine, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Central subjects include obsession, beauty, power, manipulation, passion, illness, and love...
(1994), book by James Lapine
- Passion
- "Fosca’s Entrance (I Read)"
- "Is This What You Call Love?"
- "Loving You"
- "Happiness"
- Road Show (2008), book by John Weidman, formerly titled Bounce (2003)
- "Talent"
- "The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened"
‡ Cut from the original production of the show
Sondheim wrote a new song for this revue, titled God, a "self-deprecating comic song" sung by the company to open Act 2.
Response
The show met with mixed reviews. Most critics were in agreement that the video footage of Sondheim was the highlight of the show, that the technical aspects of the show were expertly handled and that some performances were good (notably Cook, Williams and the supporting cast). Negative reviewers tended to feel that the show was not as substantial as it could have been, that some material was poorly chosen or ill-matched to the performers, that the new musical arrangements sounded thin and empty and that some performances were not successful (notably Wopat).Ben Brantley
Ben Brantley
Benjamin D. "Ben" Brantley is an American journalist and the chief theater critic of The New York Times.-Life and career:...
in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote that the revue is "a genial, multimedia commemorative scrapbook on the life, times and career" of Sondheim, with "a polished and likable eight-member cast."
Awards and nominations
64th Annual Tony Awards- Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a MusicalTony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a MusicalThis is a list of the winners and nominations of the Tony Award for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. The award, introduced in 1950, was previously named as Best Performance by a Featured or Supporting Actress in a Musical until 1976....
- Barbara Cook (nominee) - Tony Award for Best Sound DesignTony Award for Best Sound DesignThe first Tony Award for "Best Sound Design of a Play" and "Best Sound Design of a Musical" was given in the 2007-2008 season.-2000s:*2008: Mic Pool – The 39 Steps**Simon Baker – Boeing-Boeing**Adam Cork – Macbeth...
(nominee)
Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
s
- Outstanding Musical Revue (winner)
Outer Critics Circle Award
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
s
- Outstanding New Broadway Musical (nominee)
- Outstanding Set Design (Play or Musical) (nominee)
- Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) (nominee)
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical - Barbara Cook (nominee)
Drama League Award
Drama League Award
The Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
s
- Distinguished Production of a Musical (winner)
- Distinguished Performance Award:
- Barbara Cook (nominee)
- Vanessa Williams (nominee)
53rd Annual Grammy Awards
- Best Musical Show Album (nominee)