RIALTO CHATTER: Riedel Reveals Roundabout Looks to 'Cook' up 'iSONDHEIM' on Bdwy

In his New York Post column today Friday, April 24th, Michael Riedel writes that the new Stephen Sondheim show "iSondheim" may have been saved from the "never been" bin by the Roundabout Theatre Company.

The show, reports Riedel, is fashioned around several on-camera interviews with the legendary songwriter about his life and work, was supposed to have had a pre-Broadway tryout in Atlanta this summer. But it was shuttered before it ever began when the producers couldn't raise the $4 million capitalization.

Sources tell Riedel that the Roundabout has picked up "iSondheim" and will produce it next year on Broadway, very possibly with Barbara Cook as the headliner. He's got more to reveal on the developing story in his column which you can read by clicking here.

The revue features music and lyrics by Stephan Sondheim, and orchestrations by Michael Starobin. iSondheim is is directed by James Lapine and is based on a concept by David Kernan.

Stephen Sondheim's work revolutionized the Broadway musical with such wide-ranging hits as West Side Story, Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. This unique mixed-media musical revue, interspersed with commentary from the legendary composer, was developed by his longtime collaborator James Lapine (last at the Alliance to direct The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee).

Barbara Cook's most recent New York appearances, in addition to her current "Here's To Life" performances at Feinstein's, include her sixth solo concert at Carnegie Hall and her historic solo concert debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera House, where she became the first female solo pop singer to be presented in concert by The Met.

Ms. Cook won a New York Drama Critics Circle Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her concert, Barbara Cook's Broadway; and she was nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her previous concert, Mostly Sondheim. Her many Broadway credits include the creation of three classic roles in the American musical theater: Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide, Marian the Librarian in Meredith Willson's The Music Man (Tony Award), and Amalia in Bock and Harnick's She Loves Me (Drama Desk Award).

In 1975 Ms. Cook made her Carnegie Hall debut, which was preserved as the "live" recording, Barbara Cook at Carnegie Hall. She subsequently embarked on a second career as a concert and recording artist, performing in most of the country's major concert halls and cabarets. In 1987 she won a Drama Desk Award for her Broadway show, A Concert for the Theatre.

Ms. Cook's many London appearances include her gala 1997 birthday concert with the Royal Philharmonic at the Royal Albert Hall; performances with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican; engagements at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre, and Sadler's Wells; her Olivier Award-nominated appearances at the Albery Theatre and Lyric Theatres with Mostly Sondheim; two engagements of Barbara Cook's Broadway; and most recently, an appearance with the English National Ballet in an all-Gershwin evening at the Royal Albert Hall.

Barbara Cook made her Broadway debut in 1951 as the ingénue lead in the musical, Flahooley. She subsequently played Ado Annie in the City Center revival of Oklahoma!, which was followed by a national tour of that hit show. In 1954 her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel led to the role of Hilda Miller in the original production of Plain and Fancy. Ms. Cook went on to create the role of Cunegonde in the original production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide. This was followed by her creating two classic roles in the American musical theater - Marian the Librarian in the premiere production of The Music Man, a performance which earned her the Tony Award, and Amalia in She Loves Me. In addition to starring roles in The Gay Life and The Grass Harp, Ms. Cook played Anna in the City Center revival of The King and I, and appeared in a second production of Carousel at City Center, this time playing the role of Julie Jordan. She went on to play Magnolia in the New York State Theater's production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's Show Boat. She originated the role of Patsy in Jules Feiffer's Little Murders, and in 1972 she again returned to the dramatic stage in the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center's production of Gorky's Enemies.

Her recordings include As of Today (Columbia) and The Disney Album (MCA), and 14 titles on the DRG label, including Close As Pages in a Book; Barbara Cook: Live From London; Oscar Winners: The Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein; All I Ask Of You; The Champion Season: A Salute to Gower Champion; Mostly Sondheim; Barbara Cook's Broadway; the Grammy nominated Count Your Blessings; Tribute; Barbara Cook at the Met; No One Is Alone, and her most recent release, Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder.

Barbara Cook made her New York Philharmonic debut in February 1961 in an all- Bernstein program, and returned in September 1985 playing Sally in the concert presentation of Sondheim's Follies. Last season she performed her 80th birthday celebration on November 19 and 20, 2007, with a reprise on January 8, 2008.