Hofstra University to Stage Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC This March

Hofstra University's Department of Drama and Dance will present Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's beloved musical A Little Night Music, set in 1900 Sweden, about a tangled web of affairs surrounding an actress and the men who love her.

The show runs March 6 through March 14 at the Toni and Martin Sosnoff Theater, John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus.

Directed by Keith Michael Pinault, with music direction by Kerry A. Prep and choreography by Meredith R. Van Scoy, the production brings Sondheim's waltz-infused score to life in a story filled with romance, longing, regret, and second chances.

Although he has long admired Sondheim's work, this marks the first time Pinault has directed one of his shows.

"A Little Night Music is quite possibly my favorite musical," Pinault said. "It's a very sophisticated, occasionally dark play about looking for true happiness in life, while also being a genuinely funny comedy. I'm thrilled that I get a chance to direct it here at Hofstra."

The show is about actress Desirée Armfeldt, lawyer Fredrik Egerman and the dashing Count Carl-Magnus Malcom. When Desirée's traveling theater troupe arrives in Fredrik's town, old passions rekindle, igniting jealousy and suspicion among Fredrik's young wife Anne, the Count, and the Count's sharp-witted wife, Charlotte.

Romantic tensions and shifting alliances lead to unexpected revelations at a weekend gathering at Desirée's family estate. With everyone gathered in one place, the possibility of new beginnings - and painful reckonings - hangs in the air.

The show's elegance and humor are underscored by Sondheim's distinctive score.

"Sondheim was a lyricist first and foremost," Pinault explained. "The music is composed to fit the words, which makes it feel very natural and as much like a speech as a song."

Nowhere is that more evident than in "Send in the Clowns," the show's most famous number.

Bela Valente '26 said that singing what is widely considered Sondheim's greatest song is a gift. The drama major from São Paulo, Brazil, is playing Desirée. "'Send in the Clowns' is such a beautiful and powerful song with so many layers of meaning," she explained. "While being breathtaking musically and stunning in its simplicity, the song brings so much meaning to Desiree's story."

Sondheim himself was surprised by the song's popularity, Pinault noted, calling it "kind of a strange song to become a hit, musically speaking," due to its unusual alternating time signatures. Yet its simple treatment of complex themes - aging, coming to terms with big changes in your life, the pain of lost love - makes it timeless and relatable.

Pinault noted that the complexities of the score and book of A Little Night Music present unique challenges for the cast.

"Unlike some musicals, A Little Night Music is very book heavy," he said. "It's much more of a play with music than the kind of sung-through musical that is closer to an opera." That structure requires actors to pivot quickly between heightened theatrical numbers and deeply intimate dramatic scenes. "They sometimes have to go from a big, theatrical number right into a very intense and private scene, or vice versa. That's a big ask for any actor, but our students are really rising to the occasion."

Collaboration has been central to the production process. Pinault praised music director Kerry A. Prep and choreographer Meredith R. Van Scoy for helping students uncover "all the interesting little moments and layers of meaning in the play." Scenic designer David Henderson has created what Pinault describes as a "very beautiful" set that appears elegant and simple to the audience but requires intricate coordination backstage. "I look forward to seeing how our stage managers and run crew adapt to the challenge," he said.

Performance dates for A Little Night Music are Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, March 8, at 2 p.m.; Thursday, March 12, and Friday, March 13, at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, March 14, at 2 p.m.