He brought us Into The Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, West Side Story and Gypsy (to name a few). By writing songs that reflect the complexity of his characters, he has changed the way we define a great musical. But even though millions of fans know his songs by heart, few know much about Stephen Sondheim himself. Until now. Roundabout presents Sondheim On Sondheim, an intimate portrait of the famed composer in his own words... and music. Through the use of exclusive interview footage, you'll get an inside look at Sondheim's personal life and artistic process. An ensemble cast of Broadway's best will perform brand-new arrangements of over two dozen Sondheim tunes, ranging from the beloved to the obscure. Directed by frequent Sondheim collaborator James Lapine, this unique experience will take you inside the life and mind of an ordinary New Yorker... with an extraordinary talent.
The best parts of the show, ironically, are the interview segments, in which the erudite and witty composer provides an entertaining running commentary ranging from breezy showbiz anecdotes -- the one about Ethel Merman's run-in with Loretta Young is priceless -- to explications of his creative process to self-revealing autobiography. Anyone interested in the famously private songwriter will relish the opportunity to see footage of him puttering around his home, not to mention the close-ups of the bric-a-brac littering his office. Unfortunately, these informative segments are too often interrupted by the live performers on hand, who provide wildly uneven renditions of songs that usually fare much better. For instance, 'Comedy Tonight,' performed by the ensemble, is seriously unfunny, and 'Something's Coming' has the blandness of Muzak.
Some blue-pencil editing would streamline the 2?1/2-hour show: Inferior material could go, like 'Ah, But Underneath' from a London version of 'Follies,' even if Williams sings it in her undies. Re-enactments from musicals are off-target, too. Led by Wopat, the in-your-face number 'The Gun Song' from 'Assassins' backfires. Even the venerable Cook, draped in a black shawl, can't make the odd vocal swoops of 'I Read,' from 'Passion,' click out of context. 'Opening Doors,' from 'Merrily We Roll Along,' is long-winded, and doing 'Franklin Shepard, Inc.,' from the same show, is just overkill. Among the best moments are Williams' glossy pop voice fusing with Cook's warm soprano on the hits 'Losing My Mind' and 'Not a Day Goes By.' Of the supporting players, Euan Morton makes 'Beautiful,' from 'Sunday in the Park With George,' just that, while Norm Lewis delivers a rousing 'Being Alive,' from 'Company.'
| 2010 | Broadway |
Roundabout Production Broadway |
| 2017 | Los Angeles |
Hollywood Bowl Revival Los Angeles |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical Revue | Sondheim on Sondheim |
| 2010 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Production of a Musical | 0 |
| 2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Barbara Coo |
| 2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | 0 |
| 2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Set Design | Beowulf Boritt |
| 2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Sondheim on Sondheim | Ken Billington |
| 2010 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Barbara Cook |
| 2010 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Musical | Dan Moses Schreier |
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