Very happy to see it confirmed that the Merrily revival will transfer to Broadway in the fall. The production, now midway through a sold-out run at Off Broadway’s small-scale New York Theater Workshop in the East Village, stars Daniel Radcliffe (yes, of “Harry Potter” fame) alongside two popular musical theater performers: Jonathan Groff (a Tony … Continue reading Merrily Will Transfer to Broadway in the Fall
Sondheim
Lord Knows, At Least I Was There
In 1994 when James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s Passion was being produced on Broadway, Sondheim, along with star Donna Murphy and pianist Paul Ford, appeared on Larry King’s talk show to promote the musical. How Larry King lasted so long as a host is a subject for another day, but he didn’t ask either Sondheim or … Continue reading Lord Knows, At Least I Was There
Rolling Along
I was excited when George got tickets for Sondheim’s new musical Merrily We Roll Along back in October, 1981. He and I had gone to see Sweeney Todd back in 1979 when we were both living in Harrisburg, and now George was in New York City and I was in Philadelphia. I was going to take the … Continue reading Rolling Along
To Steve With Love
Liz Callaway has just released a new live album of her singing Sondheim songs and reminiscences based on her show at 54 Below, To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim. Callaway made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along in 1981 and has since returned to the Great White … Continue reading To Steve With Love
Alive and Alone
As I’ve noted on other occasions, I’m not particularly fond of the climactic number, “Being Alive”, from George Furth and Stephen Sondheim’s show Company. I’m in the minority on this, perhaps it’s time to elaborate a bit. It’s often been written, including by Sondheim himself, that the creators had difficulty coming up with an ending for … Continue reading Alive and Alone
Company en Español
I enjoy hearing Broadway show scores performed in foreign languages. A few years ago there was a thrilling Brazilian recording of Company, the George Furth and Stephen Sondheim musical. And now we have the first Spanish language version starring Antonio Banderas as Bobby. According to Broadway World: In addition to playing the title role of … Continue reading Company en Español
Agony
Here’s a video of the recording of the song “Agony” for the 2022 cast recording of Into the Woods. Gavin Creel and Joshua Henry sing the roles of Cinderella’s Prince and Rapunzel’s Prince (note the irony of the the male roles being named for their relationship to women, usually it’s the other way around.
Two Lansbury Stories
In preparation for Angela Lansbury’s receiving her lifetime special Tony Award tonight, I offer two stories in which she is featured. By happenstance Stephen Sondheim appears in them as well. This first story was related over 20 years ago on the Sondheim mail list, and while I can’t confirm its veracity, it sounds like something … Continue reading Two Lansbury Stories
Stephen and Mary
I’m reading, or rather re-reading Steve Swayne’s book How Sondheim Found His Sound, as I first read it in 2005 when it was published. Of course, I’ve forgotten a lot since first reading it, but one quote from Mary Rodgers really surprised me. Mary Rodgers, as I’m sure you know, was a composer of musicals such as Once … Continue reading Stephen and Mary
No, No Español
After the recent passing of Stephen Sondheim I discovered a podcast devoted to his work that’s been going on for nigh four years. The format is straightforward: take each Sondheim show in sequence and examine one song at a time. Starting, of course, with West Side Story. I’ve been listening to the episodes in sequence, or … Continue reading No, No Español