Stephen Sondheim

[chakrakhan]

Stephen Sondheim, is my absolute most favorite playwright. Since I was 9 or so, I've had an uncanny love for "West Side Story" (for which he composed the songs). My aunt let me borrow her album and I played it for days on end

Comments

[antoniusrex]

Yes! You're a Sondheim fan, too? I really didn't know that. He's my fav, he is...amazing lyricist and melodic auteur. Right dread amazing he is.

My personal favorites are Sunday in the Park with George and Assassins. I swear, I've spent more time singing stuff from those two (and Into the Woods) than any other musical I know...and for a straight man, I know a lot of muscial theatre...

ev'rybody's got the right to some sunshine
not the sun but maybe one of its beems
rich man poor man black or white
it's your apple take a bite
ev'rybody just hold tight to your dreams
ev'rybody's got the right...to their dreams

good stuff...

[chakrakhan]

I'm thinking about becoming obsessed with him and finding as many video/dvd recordings, books, soundtracks of his as I possible can.

[antoniusrex]

Oh wow. there are sooo many. Might I suggest, in no particular order:

DVD:
Passion
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (the broadway version, not the "a night with")
Sunday In The Park With George
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum
Into The Woods
West Side Story
An Evening in Carnegie Hall
Company (it's the behind the scenes DVD and GREAT)

Soundtracks:
Assassins (the original off Broadway cast, not the revival--if you can, the British cast/version)
Sunday in the Park With George
Company
A Little Night Music
I'm Breathless, Music from and inspired by Dick Tracy(Yes, the Madonna Album...it's from the Movie Dick Tracy, and it's her singing Sondheim...amazing)
Anyone Can Whistle
Into The Woods
Side by Side by Sondheim
Sweeney Todd (2005 revival)

Okay, I'm done geeking out, now.

[chakrakhan]

My stepfather has the West Side Story VHS and Sweeney Todd on vinyl. I've seen Assassins, A Cassidy played the lead I guess that was Manson.

Thanks for geeking out!

[antoniusrex]

Wait--did you see the ORIGINAL version of Assassins (the one that was only open for like 5 days), or the revival? Or were you really cool and saw the London version? I'm just curious.

I'm still trippin that Doogie played the Balladeer in the revival...

[chakrakhan]

I hate to say it, but I don't really know. I'm thinking I saw the original cast perhaps you'll know. I had to have seen it while I was still a teen, that's why I can't really recall. 17-20 I just don't remember unless it has something to do with track or maybe school. Patrick Cassidy was the Balladder for my show.

[chakrakhan]

Oh yeah, we saw it in Pasadena or maybe L.A., I just remember a relatively long drive.

[antoniusrex]

OMG. Then you saw the original one. WOW. You were one of the few, the proud. The surprisingly uninterested ;-)

It was just bad timing. If that had come out about two years later, it would have been huge.