Sondheim's Life: A Luminous Gift To All!

 

The death of Stephen Sondheim, the great Master of the American musical stage is an incalculable loss to popular culture and to the art of musical theater.
It'a a loss for civilized theater that challenged you, that made you think and feel and enter a world that could only be created by a musical genius.
For Broadway, this is the loss of the last link to the Golden Age of musicals.
Our first encounter with Sondheim came in 1970 when we saw the groundbreaking musical Company. Yes, people called it the first "theme" musical but they weren't quite sure what to make of it. We were young and hardly seasoned in the ways of the world but we loved the show from the first moment to the last.
Why? Well, it just captured a moment, a young man's journey, a yearning -- yes, but also a sense of cool detachment that was indicative of the time. Yet the piece was also timeless as evidenced by the fact that it has been revived again and again and is running on Broadway right now.
After Company, we were hooked. And so we saw A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures (a personal favorite), Sweeney Todd (his masterwork), Sunday In The Park With George, Into The Woods, Passion and, most recently Road Show. Later, we caught up with revivals of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (the first show for which he wrote both music and lyrics), Anyone Can Whistle (written with Richard Rodgers), Do I Hear A Waltz?, Follies, Merrily We Roll Along and Assassins. Of course, who hasn't seen Gypsy and West Side Story for which Sondheim wrote the lyrics?
No two Sondheim shows were exactly alike but they all touched upon Big Themes: the complicated relationships between parents and children; the tortured minds of destructive souls; the nature of evil; the ravages of time; the fickleness and foolishness of youth; the true meaning of fairy tales; brotherly love -- and hate; the relentless drive of obsessive love; the meaning (or lack thereof) of marriage; history's distortions; lust, greed, guile, guts and gullibility -- and, almost always, the longings of the human heart. And all of this, all of this staggering output spanned nearly 70 years!
In fact, Sondheim was said to be working on a new musical at the time of his death at age 91. If he wasn't creating, he wasn't alive. This was hi9s elixir, his tonic.
Sondheim always had a twinkle in his eye, even to the end. Most recently we saw him just before the COVID outbreak when City Center presented a production of Road Show. Sondheim appeared after the curtain came down to talk about the show and its various iterations and voyage to its present form. He enjoyed interacting with the show's young director. He was sharp, lucid, funny, self-deprecating and, as always, delightfully at home on a New York stage -- in a town and at a place where he spent most of his life. New York was his forever habitat and the stage was his natural milieu.
He often remarked that he wasn't in the business of writing hits because that's not the way he wrote songs. He wrote for a particular character at a particular moment in a particular scene in a particular show. But he did write Send In The Clowns, Not A Day Goes By, Broadway Baby, The Ladies Who Lunch, Comedy Tonight and Losing My Mind, among others. And, of course he wrote the lyrics for more hit tunes than could possibly be mentioned including the haunting There's A Place For Us and the rousing Everything's Coming Up Roses.
Sondheim was the essence of Broadway and he loved the main stem, the Great White Way. Nowhere was that love more evocatively expressed than in Follies with songs that assembled a pastiche of every type of melody that has graced the musical stage.
He took both his hits and his misses in stride. And that proved to be a wise and visionary attitude as some of his early also-rans turned out to be hits later down the road.
Our favorites? It's hard to even imagine where to begin but Follies, Sweeney Todd, Company and Pacific Overtures would have to be near the top.
If you probed Sondheim about his work he would often appear to be inscrutable. But he'd be the first to tell you there was no magic to it. It was hard work -- tedious work. And he worked very, very hard at it. It could be a tortuous, frustrating, even exasperating and very, very lonely business. All of that is best examined and revealed in Sunday In The Park With George.
For audiences, of course, there were moments in Sondheim shows that were nothing less than exhilarating. But there were poignant moments as well.
Many felt that Sondheim was enigmatic. But look at his life: the only child of divorced parents, he pretty much adopted Oscar Hammerstein's family as his own and Hammerstein became his caring and understanding mentor.
From an early age, Sondheim likely knew he was different -- set apart, blessed with a certain talent and destined for a solitary adventure into an imaginary world.
For the real of the story of Stephen Sondheim, explore his works. There, his life unfolds and is a luminous gift to all of us -- if you're willing to look, listen, savor and learn!

Why You'll LOVE The Horrors Of This 'Little Shop'

Lest you think Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd invented the grim combination of murder, mayhem and music, think again. Long before Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop there was another shop that dabbled in Broadway guts and gore and that was the Little Shop of Horrors. Of course, Little Shop of Horrors never made it to Broadway proper. A mere fraction of the size and scope of Sweeney, Little Shop opened off Broadway and there it stayed for a good long time.

Then, in 2015 City Center's acclaimed Encore series revived Little Shop with Jake Gyllenhaal in the starring role as Seymour, the endearing but ultimately menacing nebbish who works at Mushnik's troubled flower shop on skid row. While there, Seymour harbors a crush on Audrey, a coworker and also nourishes a strange plant with an insatiable appetite and a penchant for the macabre. We enjoyed the Encores production but it was difficult imaginng hunky Gyllenhaal as a spindly, bullied nerd. Also, City Center's vastness and huge stage overpowered this basically intimate show.

Now, Little Shop is back in the much smaller Westside Theatre just off Broadway where it's much more at home with a fine cast starring Broadway favorite Jeremy Jordan and featuring the always adept and multi-talented Christian Borle. Jordan actually looks the part of Seymour and Brole plays the heavy to the hilt along with a few other characters. With Tammy Blanchard as Audrey, the love interest and Tom Alan Robbins as shop-owner Mushnik and backed up by the irrepressible Urchin singers (Salome Smith, Aveena Sawyer and Joy Woods) this cast plays the whole show broadly and with such delight at being on stage and in front of a live audience again that they win you over right from the start.

Jordan is one of Broadway's most versatile actors and here, teamed with the bulgy-eyed Borle, he seems to be savoring every moment of Little Shop's journey into what becomes a blood-thirsty mess, albeit peppered with non-stop laughs. Borle and Jordan wring every bit of mugging physicality out of their roles in what is basically a grisly tale wrapped in a cartoon-style musical that can't hide its smirk.

Of course, a major nod must be given to the show's adept puppeteers who help Seymour's plant grow into a mammoth monster that overwhelms not just the story but nearly the entire stage. But since Little Shop never even tries to be a serious morality tale, the fright is all in fun.

And yet, in this era of COVID and biological warfare, well -- you may just see some pertinent warnings.

Prognosis: A delightful, perfectly-mounted hit. Don't miss it! 

We've Got Our Tickets; What About You?

The classic musical "Little Shop of Horrors" is back on stage in New York City.

The Most Produced School Plays, Musicals

FULL-LEGNTH MUSICALS:
1. The Addams Family 
2. You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown 
3. The Theory of Relativity (
4. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 
5. Little Women 
6. Godspell 
7. (tie) Disney's High School Musical 
7. (tie) Little Shop of Horrors 
9. (tie) Bright Star 
9. (tie) Into the Woods 
9. (tie) Disney's The Little Mermaid 

FULL-LEGNTH PLAYS:
1. Clue 
2. Almost, Maine 
3. It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play 
4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 
5. She Kills Monsters 
6. A Christmas Carol 
7. The Laramie Project 
8. The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon 
9. Alice in Wonderland 
10. (tie) Our Town 
10. (tie) Peter and the Starcatcher 
10. (tie) Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic 
10. (tie) Radium Girls 
10. (tie) Twelfth Night 
10. (tie.) Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play

SHORT PLAYS:
1. Check Please 
2. Help Desk: A Stay-at-Home Play 
3. (tie) 10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine (One-Act): A Stay-at-Home Play 
3. (tie) The Internet is Distract—Oh Look a Kitten! 
5. Bad Auditions by Bad Actors 
6. The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon (One-Act) 
7. (tie) Game of Tiaras (One-Act) 
7. (tie) Our Place 
7. (tie) Scenes From a Quarantine 
7. (tie) The Audition 
7. (tie) This is a Test 

 

Oh, It's Happening - And Sooner Than You Think!

 

 Beanie Feldstein stars in FUNNY GIRL, with Ramin Karimloo—and Broadway audiences are the luckiest people in the world. Access exclusive fan presale tickets through Thursday, October 7 before the public on sale this Friday, October 8 at 10am. www.funnygirlonbroadway.com/ 

About FUNNY GIRL: The musical comedy classic is back for the first time ever! 

This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway. 

 Facebook: www.facebook.com/FunnyGirlBwy 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/funnygirlbwy 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/funnygirlbwy/

Complete List Of Tony Winners!

Best Play 

Grand Horizons 
WINNER: The Inheritance 
Sea Wall/A Life 
Slave Play 
The Sound Inside 

Best Musical 
Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Moulin Rouge! The Musical 
Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Revival of a Play 
Betrayal 
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune 
WINNER: A Soldier's Play 

Best Book of a Musical 
WINNER: Diablo Cody, Jagged Little Pill 
John Logan, Moulin Rouge! The Musical 
Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre 
WINNER: A Christmas Carol, Music: Christopher Nightingale  
The Inheritance, Music: Paul Englishby  
The Rose Tattoo, Music: Fitz Patton and Jason Michael Webb  
Slave Play, Music: Lindsay Jones  
The Sound Inside, Music: Daniel Kluger  

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play 
Ian Barford, Linda Vista
WINNER: Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sea Wall/A Life
Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal
Tom Sturridge, Sea Wall/A Life
Blair Underwood, A Soldier's Play 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play 
Joaquina Kalukango, Slave Play
Laura Linney, My Name is Lucy Barton
Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
WINNER: Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical 
WINNER: Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge! The Musical 

**From The Tony Awards Rules: If the Tony Awards Nominating Committee has determined that if there is only one nominee in a category listed, such category shall be submitted to the Tony Voters which may, by the affirmative vote of sixty (60%) percent of the total ballots cast, grant an Award in that category. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical 
Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Elizabeth Stanley, Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Adrienne Warren, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play 
Ato Blankson-Wood, Slave Play
James Cusati-Moyer, Slave Play
WINNER: David Alan Grier, A Soldier's Play
John Benjamin Hickey, The Inheritance
Paul Hilton, The Inheritance 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play 
Jane Alexander, Grand Horizons
Chalia La Tour, Slave Play
Annie McNamara, Slave Play
WINNER: Lois Smith, The Inheritance
Cora Vander Broek, Linda Vista 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical 
WINNER: Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Derek Klena, Jagged Little Pill
Sean Allan Krill, Jagged Little Pill
Sahr Ngaujah, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Daniel J. Watts, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical 
Kathryn Gallagher, Jagged Little Pill
Celia Rose Gooding, Jagged Little Pill
Robyn Hurder, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
WINNER: Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill
Myra Lucretia Taylor, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Scenic Design of a Play 
Bob Crowley, The Inheritance
Soutra Gilmour, Betrayal
WINNER: Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Derek McLane, A Soldier's Play
Clint Ramos, Slave Play 

Best Scenic Design of a Musical 
Riccardo Hernández and Lucy Mackinnon, Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Derek McLane, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Mark Thompson and Jeff Sugg, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Costume Design of a Play 
Dede Ayite, Slave Play
Dede Ayite, A Soldier's Play
Bob Crowley, The Inheritance
WINNER: Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Clint Ramos, The Rose Tattoo 

Best Costume Design of a Musical 
Emily Rebholz, Jagged Little Pill
Mark Thompson, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
WINNER: Catherine Zuber, Moulin Rouge! The Musical 

Best Lighting Design of a Play 
Jiyoun Chang, Slave Play
Jon Clark, The Inheritance
Heather Gilbert, The Sound Inside
Allen Lee Hughes, A Soldier's Play
WINNER: Hugh Vanstone, A Christmas Carol 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical 
Bruno Poet, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
Justin Townsend, Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge! The Musical 

Best Sound Design of a Play 
Paul Arditti & Christopher Reid, The Inheritance
WINNER: Simon Baker, A Christmas Carol
Lindsay Jones, Slave Play
Daniel Kluger, Sea Wall/A Life
Daniel Kluger, The Sound Inside 

Best Sound Design of a Musical 
Jonathan Deans, Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Peter Hylenski, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Nevin Steinberg, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Direction of a Play 
David Cromer, The Sound Inside
WINNER: Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance
Kenny Leon, A Soldier's Play
Jamie Lloyd, Betrayal
Robert O'Hara, Slave Play 

Best Direction of a Musical 
Phyllida Lloyd, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
Diane Paulus, Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge! The Musical 

Best Choreography 
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Anthony Van Laast, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 

Best Orchestrations 
Tom Kitt, Jagged Little Pill
WINNER: Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen, Matt Stine and Justin Levine, Moulin Rouge! The Musical 
Ethan Popp, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-Competitive Categories

Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Graciela Daniele

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Julie Halston

Special Tony Awards
Broadway Advocacy Coalition
David Byrne's American Utopia
Freestyle Love Supreme

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Fred Gallo
Irene Gandy
Beverly Jenkins
New Federal Theatre (Woody King Jr., founder)

So Many B'way Greats . . . Gone!

Bernadette Peters helps Broadway say goodbye to those we’ve lost over the past year and a half. Robbie Fairchild then gives dance performance, followed by Brian Stokes Mitchell performing “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha. Kelli O'Hara and Norm Lewis end the segment with a stunning performance of “Somewhere” from West Side Story. The 2020 Tony Awards aired on CBS September 26, 2021.