Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Favourite Sondheim collaboration
#0Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:19pm
Sondheim has been blessed with great some book writers and directors who have helped shape his work. What collaboration of his has been your favourite?
Mine is Sondheim/Lapine. Sunday in the Park and Into the Woods are theatrical nirvana for me.
(Note the Canadian/UK spelling of "favourite...)
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
Updated On: 12/21/04 at 08:19 PM
#1re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:20pmSondheim/Lapine, I think you mean, and they are mine as well.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#2re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:21pm
Sondheim/Prince.
The greatest.
And, BlueWizard, I believe you mean Lapine.
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#3re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:23pm
I was talking about as far as with a book-writer goes, not director. Lapine definitely.
And as far as director, obviously Prince.
Maybe the question should be more clear...?
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
Plum
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
#4re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:23pm
Sondheim/Prince is what leaps to mind, of course. Though my favorite Sondheim musical is Sunday in the Park With George, I can't ignore the magnificent quartet of Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, and Sweeney Todd. What a collaberation.
ETA- Why not leave the question open-ended? It leaves room for a lot of discussion.
Updated On: 12/21/04 at 08:23 PM
Ellie3
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/04
#5re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:26pmSondheim and Styne! Sondheim lyrics...with a melody!!! *gasp*
#6re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:27pm
Oh, I can't deal with this "Sondheim is unmelodic" bull**** right now.
*Sigh*
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#7re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:28pmSondheim/Lapine. I love Into the Woods. (I hope I'm right....I think it's Lapine but I dont' quite remember).
Ellie3
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/04
#8re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:29pmEek, no offense meant...Sondheim lyrics with an immediate melody!!!*gasp*
#9re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:31pmSorry, corrected my very grave error in spelling Lapine's name (made all the more unforgivable because I spent the afternoon watching my new "Into the Woods" DVD).
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
Updated On: 12/21/04 at 08:31 PM
Plum
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
#10re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:44pmOh, come on, Ellie. No credit given for Assassins? Or Follies?
Ellie3
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/04
#11re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 8:49pmNo, no, don't misunderstand, I love Sondheim! But even 'Broadway Baby' didn't grab me instantly. Of course there's nothing wrong with that. It may even be better! Updated On: 12/21/04 at 08:49 PM
GovernorSlaton
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/14/04
#13re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 9:29pm
Sondheim/Lapine
"Sunday in the Park With George," "Into the Woods" and "Passion".
Can't beat it.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
PleaseChangeMe
Featured Actor Joined: 8/24/04
#14re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 9:42pm
1. Sondheim/Wheeler
2. Sondheim/Lapine
3. Sondheim/Wieldman (sp)
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#15re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 10:07pm
Come on guys. This question has one answer. Sondhiem/Prince. ALTHOUGH, I think Sondhiems 2nd and 3rd best shows are Gypsy and West Side Story. (After Sweeney Todd, as the best). So I would have to say that after the Prince collaboration...the Sondheim/Styne/Bernstien Combos are the best.
Sweeney Todd IS the musical of the 20th century. Would also win my vote for the best musical of all time so far.
#16re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/21/04 at 10:52pmI think that the collaboration between Sondheim and Prince is a great one but the reason that I go with Lapine is that not only was he the book writer but he was also the director. Two people for book, music and direction instead of three. "Sweeney Todd" is my favorite musical and I think that the collaboration with Prince was great one but I still have to go with Lapine. You can't beat a collaborator with whom you've won a Pulitzer prize.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
maybethistime
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/3/04
#17re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/22/04 at 1:15amprince has definely done A TON for sondheim, but in the book department, i have to go with wheeler becuase they concieved SWEENEY TOOD, my religion. but lapine has also produced some greats.
#18re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/22/04 at 2:01am
Easily Sondheim/Wheeler and Sondheim/Lapine when it comes to score/book collaborations. THere is no director like Harold Prince, and though he can be blamed for sinking Merrily, he did wonders with Sondheim's work.
Favourite Sondheim Show: SITPWG
Favourite Sondheim Score: Sweeney Todd
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#19re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/22/04 at 3:08am
Sondheim/Prince is a valid choice IMHO seeing as how much Prince shaped most of those shows right from the writing process...
My fave librettist though is either Goldman (the original underated Follies and Evening Primrose which I love) or... Lapine I guess.
E
#20re: Favourite Sondheim collaboration
Posted: 12/22/04 at 3:27am
I love Follies, but Goldman's book is the shows big flaw. The score is sensational, the direction was precise, the choreography was dazzling, the sets were fabulous, the costumes wonderful...the only major drawback was the Book.
Evening Primrose, however, is wonderful. I love it. :)
Videos