Photo Flash: The Ladies Who Sing Sondheim

Legendary composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who served as an apprentice at Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut 56 years ago, returned to the Playhouse as guest of honor for "The Ladies Who Sing Sondheim."  The evening, a gala tribute performance of Sondheim's works, took place on Monday, September 25.

"The Ladies Who Sing Sondheim"'s star-studded talent included: Tony Award-nominee Laura Benanti (The Wedding Singer, Nine), and Tony Award-winners Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown), Barbara Cook (The Music Man, She Loves Me) and Patti LuPone (Sweeney Todd, Evita), as well as Donna Lynne Champlin, Lauren Molina and others. The performance wasdirected by 2006 Tony Award-winning director John Doyle (Sweeney Todd, Company). Musical direction was by Mary-Mitchell Campbell.

Stephen Sondheim's career has spanned nearly 50 years since his Broadway debut in 1957 as the lyricist for West Side Story. Along the way he has won seven Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize in Drama, an Academy Award and a 1993 Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award.  He wrote the music and lyrics for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, The Frogs, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins, Passion and Bounce, as well as lyrics for West Side Story, Gypsy, Do I Hear a Waltz? and additional lyrics for Candide.  Film work includes Dick Tracy, Stavisky and Reds.  He is on the Council of the Dramatists Guild and the National Association of Playwrights, Composers and Lyricists, having served as its president from 1973 to 1981.

Visit www.westportplayhouse.org for more information.

Photos by Kathleen O'Rourke

L – R, 1st row:  Barbara Cook, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Laura Benanti, John Doyle (director); 2nd row:  Donna Lynne Champlin, Diana DiMarzio, Angel Desai, Lauren Molina.

L-R, 1st row: Kristin Chenoweth, Laura Benanti, Stephen Sondheim; 2nd row: Diana DiMarzio, Angel Desai and Lauren Molina

Stephen Sondheim, Darlene Krenz (Westport Country Playhouse board member) and Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys star John Lloyd Young

Judd Burstein, Laurie Lister, Stephen Sondheim, Suzanne and Bob Wright

John Lloyd Young, Darlene Krenz and Tazewell Thompson, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director