Cook, LuPone, Chenoweth, Benanti Set for Sondheim Concert

By: Aug. 03, 2006
KRISTIN CHENOWETH
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Four of Broadway's brightest stars have been announced to star in an upcoming Sondheim tribute concert that will be presented at Connecticut's Westport Playhouse on September 25th.

Directed by Tony Award-winner John Doyle, whose production of Sweeney Todd closes on September 3rd and whose Company opens in November, "Celebrate Sondheim" will star Tony Award-winners Patti LuPone (Sweeney Todd, Evita), Barbara Cook (She Loves Me, The Music Man), Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and Tony Award-nominee Laura Benanti (The Wedding Singer, Nine).  More stars are expected to join the line-up.

The choice of venue holds significance; Sondheim, who turned 76 in March, interned at the Westport Playhouse almost 60 years ago.

The career of Stephen Sondheim, who is considered by many to be the greatest living composer-lyricist of musicals, has spanned almost 50 years since his Broadway debut in 1957 as the lyricist of West Side Story. After also penning the lyrics to Gypsy (with a return to mere lyric-writing for 1965's Do I Hear a Waltz?), Sondheim went on to write the scores for a litany of shows that challenged musical theatre conventions in theme, content and structure. Among his shows are A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins and Passion. His latest musical, Bounce, closed out of town in DC before making it to Broadway but an expanded, limited-run production of 1974's The Frogs bowed two years ago at Lincoln Center.

The evening will kick off at 6 PM with a cocktail reception featuring Sondheim, followed by the concert at 7:30 PM and dinner at 9 PM.

The Westport Country Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court in Westport, CT. Tickets are $500 (for the cocktail party and concert) or $1,000 and $2,000 (for the cocktail party, performance and dinner).  Call (203) 227-5137, ext. 138, for tickets. 




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