Video: Bernadette Peters Discusses Her Friendship with Stephen Sondheim
The Broadway icon is currently starring in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre through Sunday, June 29, 2025.
By: Josh Sharpe May. 15, 2025
Broadway icon Bernadette Peters, currently on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, visited Live with Kelly and Mark on Thursday to discuss the production, currently playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
During the interview, she shed light on Sondheim as a person, with whom she had a years-long working relationship. "He was very kind to actors. I forgot my lines once on stage in a song, and he came back and he said, 'You know, I can't do what you do. I can't get up in front of people and do what you do,'" Peters recalled.
As for revisiting her past material, the Tony-winner says it's a "gift" as one's life experience adds new meaning to the performance. "If you play a role when you're young and you come back to a role, you have all that information and it's wonderful." Watch the interview now.
Peters is starring in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, now playing through Sunday, June 29, 2025 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The production began Broadway previews on March 25, 2025 and opened on April 8, 2025. Read the reviews for the show HERE!
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends stars two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, and also includes Jacob Dickey, Kevin Earley, Jasmine Forsberg, Kate Jennings Grant, Bonnie Langford, Tony Award winner Beth Leavel, two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Lee, multiple Olivier Award nominee Jason Pennycooke, two-time Olivier Award winner Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Kyle Selig, Maria Wirries, and Daniel Yearwood. The company also includes Paige Faure, Alexa Lopez, Greg Mills and Peter Neureuther.
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is directed by Matthew Bourne, with artistic consultant Julia McKenzie, and choreographed by Stephen Mear. Set design by Matt Kinley, costume design by Jill Parker, lighting design by Warren Letton, sound design by Mick Potter, projection design by George Reeve, musical arrangements by Stephen Metcalfe, musical supervision by Alfonso Casado Trigo, with musical direction by Annbritt duChateau. Casting is by Tara Rubin, Xavier Rubiano, and Peter Van Dam for The TRC Company. Production Stage Manager is David Lober.
