Today we continue a special spotlight series highlighting the spectacular entertainment set to be presented this coming Monday, June 16, at Joe's Pub, THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM, tickets available here, with a tribute to INTO THE WOODS.
No One Is Alone "Careful before you say 'Listen to me,' / Children will listen," Stephen Sondheim so eloquently writes in the penultimate song in one of his most internationally adored and oft-revived musical theatre masterpieces, INTO THE WOODS, the song being the sagely wise "Children Will Listen". Later on in the same song, Sondheim posits the overall theme of the entire fairy-tale centric, family-friendly piece: "Wishes come true, not free." And so goes the intellectual and erudite spin on classic childhood tales as presented by Sondheim and collaborator James Lapine in one of the master's most recognizable musicals. Originally produced on Broadway in 1987 with a who's who of Broadway's best leading the cast - Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, Tom Aldredge and many more included - the original production had the misfortune of going head-to-head with what would become the most financially successful entertainment of all time during its inagural year on the Great White Way, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Yes, Sondheim once again faced off against Andrew Lloyd Webber, this time in the very same season - previously, many of their musicals had shared a year, but happened to open in separate seasons due to many of Lloyd Webber's shows appearing first across the pond, in the West End; such as: SWEENEY TODD and EVITA on Broadway in 1979, CATS in London and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG in New York in 1981, ASSASSINS Off-Broadway and ASPECTS OF LOVE in the West End in 1989, PASSION and SUNSET BOULEVARD both on Broadway in 1994. At the 1988 Tony Awards, PHANTOM took Best Musical along with Best Actor and some other honors, while WOODS walked away with Best Score, Best Book, Best Actress and more, in a fairly even split. Nevertheless, the two musicals remain incomparable beyond their competitive Broadway births nearly 30 years ago.Tickets for THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM are available here.
Let's take a look at some of the most memorable INTO THE WOODS moments from over the years as we look ahead to Monday night's concert. First, check out the original cast of INTO THE WOODS on the 1988 Tony Awards. Next, check out the 2002 revival of INTO THE WOODS. Now, see Barbra Streisand sing "Children Will Listen" as only she can. Also, original cast member Bernadette Peters performs a special take of an unexpected INTO THE WOODS tune. Lastly, check out this sneak peek of the movie cast filming INTO THE WOODS last year on location in the UK. So, what precisely makes INTO THE WOODS such an enduring classic in the musical theatre canon? Furthermore, what song from the score would you like to hear most in THE LORD & THE MASTER? With a score this strong, any selection is a recipe for success, especially with real-life musical theatre royalty delivering them!Tickets for THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM are available here.
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