He brought us Into The Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, West Side Story and Gypsy (to name a few). By writing songs that reflect the complexity of his characters, he has changed the way we define a great musical. But even though millions of fans know his songs by heart, few know much about Stephen Sondheim himself. Until now. Roundabout presents Sondheim On Sondheim, an intimate portrait of the famed composer in his own words... and music. Through the use of exclusive interview footage, you'll get an inside look at Sondheim's personal life and artistic process. An ensemble cast of Broadway's best will perform brand-new arrangements of over two dozen Sondheim tunes, ranging from the beloved to the obscure. Directed by frequent Sondheim collaborator James Lapine, this unique experience will take you inside the life and mind of an ordinary New Yorker... with an extraordinary talent.
In the world of American musicals he is indisputably the best, brightest and most influential talent to emerge during the last half-century. Even when his shows have been commercial flops, they are studied, revered and eventually reincarnated to critical hosannas. No other songwriter to date has challenged his eminence, and it seems unlikely that anyone will in his lifetime. It is even possible, if sadly so, that he may be remembered as the last of the giants in a genre that flourished in the 20th century and wilted in the 21st. But such brooding thoughts have little place in a discussion of “Sondheim on Sondheim,” which opened Thursday night. This is a chipper, haphazard anthology show that blends live performance of Sondheim songs with archival video footage and taped interviews with Himself. Conceived and directed by James Lapine, Mr. Sondheim’s frequent (and, to me, best) collaborator over the years, this somewhat jittery production never quite finds a sustained tone, a natural rhythm or even a logical sense of sequence.
For Sondheim fanatics, the video bits are musical-theater catnip. You see the master himself reclining in his office, sharpening pencils, explaining how he lets the libretto inspire the songs and, in a painfully honest moment, what a poisonous relationship he had with his mother. What emerges is a portrait of a tightly-controlled artist who approaches human emotion with a mix of mathematical coldness and deep empathy. But hey, this is more than a TV show, right? Unfortunately it is, and this is where the show becomes hit or miss. No question, there are talented actor-singers in the eight-member ensemble, such as the comedy belter Leslie Kritzer and the charming and funny Euan Morton, not to mention the lovely Vanessa Williams. Norm Lewis and Tom Wopat add manly pipes, and Barbara Cook is a national treasure. But unfortunately, Lapine’s overly-perky staging comes across like a Sondheim Glee Club or a corporate function.
2010 | Broadway |
Roundabout Production Broadway |
2017 | Los Angeles |
Hollywood Bowl Revival Los Angeles |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical Revue | Sondheim on Sondheim |
2010 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Production of a Musical | 0 |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Barbara Coo |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | 0 |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Set Design | Beowulf Boritt |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Sondheim on Sondheim | Ken Billington |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Barbara Cook |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Musical | Dan Moses Schreier |
Videos