Thomas Matthew Crooks and Sondheim's "Assasins"

[John Adams]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 7:16am

I think copyright law would exclude it from happening, but I would really like to see a revision to Sondheim's "Assassins" that includes a song for, and the character of Thomas Matthew Crooks. 

I think the song could be called, "Shooting an Elephant" (google it...) and could incorporate quotes from Crooks' writing re: Orwell's essay, as well as explore questions of how Crooks might have been historically viewed had he been successful in assassinating Trump? Had Crooks been successful, would we ever have known of what America might have been spared? 

I think the inclusion of Crooks as a character in the show would add resonance and an alternate perspective to Sondheim's lyric for Booth, "Let them cry, 'dirty traitor' they will understand it later. The country is not what it was."

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 7:23am

John Weidman adding a book scene is the only realistic option.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 8:24am

Short of using a Ouija Board, I don't know how we're going to get a Stephen Sondheim song about Thomas Matthew Crooks

[Kad]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 8:33am

Frankly, I’m just glad Sondheim hasn’t had to experience the last couple years. 

[John Adams]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 10:15am

Yes, every response is true. Still, I think the idea of including Crooks as a character in Assassins is interesting.

For me, I'm particularly interested in what an author or composer might write about a character who's historical perception may be radically changed based on their success or failure; especially as told from the first-person perspective of the assassin. 

Crooks' story differs from the other characters in Assassins because of how an audience feels about Trump as president/intended victim, as well as the history that has transpired because of Crooks' failure. That's what make Crooks' history unique, and Assassins is an existing vehicle where his story would fit in.

It's not as relevant to me whether/not it's "do-able" to revise Assassins. I also feel that if a song were written for Crooks, it wouldn't have to be written by Sondheim. If it could be done, the character of Crooks would be an interesting addition to the show.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 11:03am

The only idea I can think of that I’d actually like is a final little scene at the end, introducing him briefly. He doesn’t even need to speak, we could just see a character dressed as him, “preparing”, maybe watching Trump’s campaign on television before a blackout.

[binau]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 11:07am

I actually don’t think the show needs to be updated, it’s quite powerful that the themes of the show continue and can extrapolate to events that hadn’t (and haven’t) even happened yet. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 11:28am

To be clear, I don't think the show NEEDS Crooks, and I don't think mentions of him should necessarily be included in future productions.  But I find the thought experiment interesting in the way that John Adams presented it, especially as a bookend/foil to Booth.  The way that Booth looked at Lincoln (as a tyrant and someone who overstepped their presidential power to tear the nation apart over idealistic views) can be pretty analogous to how many see Trump, which could be an interesting parallel to explore (though perhaps not necessarily in Assassins).

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 5:51pm

binau said: "I actually don’t think the show needs to be updated, it’s quite powerful that the themes of the show continue and can extrapolate to events that hadn’t (and haven’t) even happened yet."

Apropos of this, I can't be the only one who has watched a performance of "Something Just Broke" and thought that this is not at all how I would react if I woke up to a certain huge piece of news.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 10:38pm

I guess if I'm being more specific and honest, my reaction to Crooks' assassination attempt was a mixture of glee that someone had tried and disappointment that he failed. And that's still how I feel about that event. I have little interest in the respect for a certain office because of a hypothetical belief in some vague historical ideal. Assassins as written certainly seems a little dated and naive to me in that respect.

Updated On: 8/5/25 at 10:38 PM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 11:17pm

Kad said: "Frankly, I’m just glad Sondheim hasn’t had to experience the last couple years."

Don’t be dramatic: He lived through much worse, including the first Trump term. I’m also sure he’d be delighted about the renaissance since his death. 

Updated On: 8/5/25 at 11:17 PM

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 12:23am

Play Esq. said: "He lived through much worse, including the first Trump term."

The first Trump term was not "much worse"; on the contrary, his second term is much, much worse. Back then, it was possible to see his presidency as a weird aberration in American history, and Trump ended up fumbling around and barely getting anything done for four years. This time around, everyone who voted for him knew what they were doing, and he has been much better prepared to wreak his hatred and bigotry on our world. 

If we are to have any kind of future, we are going to need a comprehensive de-Trumpification in American culture just as Germany had a de-Nazification after World War II. I personally don't feel I have any kind of livable future unless this happens sooner rather than later.

[John Adams]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 7:10am

chrishuyen said: "I find the thought experiment interesting [...], especially as a bookend/foil to Booth."

Thank you for introducing the phrase "thought experiment" into the conversation. I appreciate how it helps to clarify where I was trying to go with this thread. :)

[John Adams]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 7:46am

kdogg36 said: "I guess if I'm being more specific and honest, my reaction to Crooks' assassination attempt was a mixture of glee that someone had tried and disappointment that he failed. And that's still how I feel about that event."

I get it, now! :) (I was a little confused after reading your previous post)

My feelings are similar to yours, although if Crooks had been successful, and I didn't have the knowledge of:

• A) Trump's claim that God spared him for a reason (coming from a man who chose to take his oath of office without placing his left hand on the Bible, thus disavowing  the symbol of God/religion) 
• B) how he has chosen to utilize his 'spared' life to destroy Democracy and abuse the powers of the presidency for personal financial gain
• C) his choice to 'fiddle while Rome burns' regarding Gaza
• D) etc., etc., etc... (the list goes on and on)

In the absence of the history referenced above, I think I would have placed Crooks' historical role as being more villainous. Given my current knowledge, I feel very, very differently.

[John Adams]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 9:15am

kdogg36 said: "Play Esq. said: "He lived through much worse, including the first Trump term."

The first Trump term was not "much worse"; on the contrary, his second term is much, much worse. Back then, it was possible to see his presidencyas a weird aberration in American history, and Trump ended upfumbling around and barely getting anything done for four years. This time around, everyone who voted for him knew what they were doing, and he has beenmuch better prepared to wreak his hatred and bigotry on our world.

If we are to have any kind of future, we are going to need a comprehensive de-Trumpification in American culture just as Germany had a de-Nazification after World War II. I personally don't feel I have any kind of livable future unless this happens sooner rather than later."

I agree with you.