Since my early teens, it's been a goal to see a live production/staging of every major Sondheim (music and lyrics) musical. With the recent Assassins concert at Encores!, I realized that I've finally accomplished this goal. I thought it would be fun if we could all post our lists of professional Sondheim productions that we've seen over the years, obviously, some members will have endlessly long lists, including the legendary original productions, which is always fun to read.
The criteria is Broadway, Off-Broadway, national tour, regional, and staged concerts such as Encores!, the Philharmonic, and Ravinia. I'm not counting professional videos, bootlegs, school, or community theater productions, as I've seen one community theater production of Company that copied the Doyle production and I've tried erasing it from my memory.
Excluded are Saturday Night and The Frogs, as these are very rarely produced, but feel free to include them in the optional section if you've seen them.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
- 2011 Papermill Playhouse
Anyone Can Whistle
- 2010 Encores!
Company
- 2006 Broadway Revival
- 2011 Philharmonic Concert
Follies
- 2007 Encores!
- 2011 Kennedy Center (pre Broadway)
- 2011 Broadway Revival
A Little Night Music
- 2009 Broadway Revival
Pacific Overtures
- 2017 Classic Stage Company (Off-Broadway)
Sweeney Todd
- 2005 Broadway Revival
- 2017 Tooting Arts Club Revival (Off-Broadway)
Merrily We Roll Along
- 2012 Encores!
Sunday in the Park With George
- 2008 Broadway Revival
- 2010 Philadelphia Arden Theater
- 2016 New York City Center Gala Concert
- 2017 Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
- 2012 Shakespeare in the Park
- 2015 Roundabout Revival (Off-Broadway)
Assassins
- 2017 Encores! Off-Center
Passion
- 2013 Classic Stage Company (Off-Broadway)
Road Show
- 2008 Original Production (Public Theater, Off-Broadway)
Other/Optional (include revues, Saturday Night, The Frogs & Bounce here)
Sondheim on Sondheim
- 2010 Original Broadway Production
Only one so far, but it was at a college. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
This is fun!
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
-1996 Broadway revival
- 2011 Papermill Playhouse
Anyone Can Whistle
- 2010 Encores!
Company
- 2006 Broadway Revival
- 2011 Philharmonic Concert
Follies
- 2011 Kennedy Center (pre Broadway)
- 2011 Broadway Revival
A Little Night Music
- 2009 Broadway Revival
Sweeney Todd
- 2005 Broadway Revival
Sunday in the Park With George
- 2008 Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
-2002 Broadway revival
- 2012 Shakespeare in the Park
-2017 Theatre Winter Garden (Orlando, FL)
Other/Optional (include revues, Saturday Night, The Frogs & Bounce here)
Sondheim on Sondheim
- 2010 Original Broadway Production
If we're counting shows where he only wrote the lyrics, then I'd have to add:
Gypsy
-2003 revival
-2008 revival
West Side Story
-2009 revival
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum- 1996 Broadway Revival
Anyone Can Whistle- 2010 Encores
Company- 2007 Broadway, Philharmonic Concert, and the awful 199something revival
Follies- Encores and 2011 Revival
A Little Night Music- 2009 Revival (both casts)
Pacific Overtures- 2004 Revival and 2017 revival
Sweeney Todd- OBC, 2005 revival, and 2017 revival
Merrily We Roll Along- OBC (in previews. Yes it was a complete mess, but I still loved it) and encores
Sunday in the Park with George- OBC, 2008 revival, 2017 revival
Into the Woods- OBC, 2002 revival, in the park, and off Broadway revival
Assassins- OBC, 2004 Revival, and Menier Chocolate Factory production
Passion- OBC (absolutely gorgeous) and the 2013 revival
Road Show- OOBC
I also saw The Frogs and a college reading of Saturday Night as well as a mini concert of Evening Primrose. Also saw Sondheim on Sondheim.
Yes I'm quite a fan.
Gypsy - Angela Lansbury prod, Tyne Daly, Bernadette, Patti (Ravinia, Encores, Broadway)
Follies - Boston and OBC, Paper Mill, Encores, Reprise, Signature, Marquis
A Little Night Music - OBC, NYC Opera, Broadway revivala
West Side Story - Lin Manuel Production,
Saturday Night - OOBC
Company - OBC, First Nat Tour, Sondheim Festival, Raul Esparza
Forum - Phil Silvers (Funniest show I've ever seen), Nathan Lane (curiously, not)
Sweeney Todd - OBC, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Sondheim Festival
Anyone Can Whistle - Encores, L.A. prod with Misty Cotton and Ruth Williamson
Frogs - Orig Yale Production, Lincoln Center
Sunday - OBC, Sondheim Fest, Encores
Pacific Overtures - Boston and OBC, Chicago, Second Stage,
Into The Woods - OBC, Broadway Revival, Central Park
Bounce/Road Show/ - Kennedy Center, NYTW, Public Thre
Do I Hear A Waltz - Encores
Sondheim on Sondheim - Studio 54
Assassins - OOBC, Studio 54
Merrily - OBC, Encores, Sondheim Fest
Passion - OBC, Sondheim Fest
Not even close, sad to say.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
- Whoopi Goldberg Revival
Anyone Can Whistle
- nope, never
Company
- Broadway Revival (and regional, amateur)
Follies
- Broadway Revival (and performed in, amateur)
A Little Night Music
- 2009 Broadway Revival
Pacific Overtures
-nope, not ever
Sweeney Todd
- Broadway Revival
- Tooting Arts Club Revival (Off-Broadway)
- directed (non professional)
Merrily We Roll Along
- I wish!
Sunday in the Park With George
- Broadway Original
- Broadway Revival
- Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
- Shakespeare in the Park
Assassins
- no, very sadly
Passion
- nope
Road Show
- Original Production (Public Theater, Off-Broadway)
Other/Optional (include revues, Saturday Night, The Frogs & Bounce here)
Sondheim on Sondheim
- nope
Stand-by Joined: 4/22/17
I realize I haven't seen nearly enough live Sondheim. I'd better get on it. I haven't even seen my beloved Sweeney.
Assassins
- Fringe (I forget what year - not this century. I don't think it was a prof. company. College maybe?)
The Frogs
-Fringe (this century. Professional actors, I think)
Side by Side by Sondheim
- West End 1978
West Side Story
- Broadway 1980; National tour (forget when)
Not close at all, but it's a goal I have too.
Assassins: 2017 Encores!
Company: Watched the Philharmonic concert on TV.
Do I Hear a Waltz?: 2016 Encores!
Follies: 2011 Broadway revival.
Into The Woods: 2012 Shakespeare in the Park production, 2015 Fiasco Theatre production.
Gypsy: 2008 Broadway revival.
Pacific Overtures: 2017, Classic Stage revival.
Sweeney Todd: 2005 Broadway revival, 2017 Barrington Stage revival.
Sunday In The Park With George: Watched the DVD of the original production, saw the 2017 Broadway revival.
I know we're not counting school productions, but I was also in Forum and Into The Woods in college. Both were great experiences!
Saturday Night - Scheduled for regional production next year in SF
West Side Story - West End revival 1997, Bway revival 2009
Gypsy - U of Michigan 1974, Bway Revival w Patti 2008
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - regional in MI 1978, Bway revival 1996
Anyone Can Whistle - still unfulfilled
Do I Hear a Waltz? - 2014 SF regional
Company - Bway revival 2007, SF regional 2015
Follies - 2011 revival in DC & Broadway
A Little Night Music - 2010 with both CZJ & Bernadette Bway revivals, regional 2015
Pacific Overtures - 2017 John Doyle revival
Sweeney Todd - 2001 SF Symphony w Patti LuPone, George Hearn & NPH, 2005 John Doyle revival & tour, local SF 2012, SF Opera 2015, Pie Shop transfer 2017
Merrily We Roll Along - not seen onstage
Sunday in the Park with George - Roundabout revival 2008, Paris 2013
Into the Woods - Bway revival 2002, SF regional 2013, 2014,
Assassins - Local SF Productions 2011, 2017
Passion - not seen onstage, but hate the video version
The Frogs - not seen onstage
Sondheim on Sondheim - 2010
Road Show - (See also Bounce, Wise Guys...) Local SF 2014
Just a heads up/reminder, for those in the northeast who are still waiting to see a live production of Merrily, Maria Friedman's lovely production will be at the Huntington Theatre in Boston this Fall. I am tempted to make the trip.
http://www.huntingtontheatre.org/season/2017-2018/merrily-we-roll-along/
Understudy Joined: 5/6/11
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg
Anyone Can Whistle
- 2010 Encores!
Company
- 2006 Broadway Revival
Follies
- 2011 Broadway Revival
A Little Night Music
I know you excluded "amateur" productions, but I loved the Blue Hill Troupe version a few years ago
Pacific Overtures
- 2017 Classic Stage Company (Off-Broadway)
Sweeney Todd
- 2005 Broadway Revival
Merrily We Roll Along
Not yet
Sunday in the Park With George
- 2008 Broadway Revival
- 2016 New York City Center Gala Concert
- 2017 Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
- 2002 Broadway revival
- 2015 Roundabout Revival (Off-Broadway)
Assassins
- 2004 Roundabout
-2017 Encores! Off-Center
Passion
- 1994 Original Broadway
Saturday Night,
Original off-Broadway production
Sondheim on Sondheim
- 2010 Original Broadway Production
Sweeney Todd
Original Broadway Cast
Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
1st National Tour - Philadelphia -Forrest Theater
Delacort - Shakespeare in the Park
Follies
2011 Broadway revival
A Little Night Music
Central City Opera House - Colorado -2010
Merrily We Roll Along
Encores (The evening Sonheim and original cast members joined the finale)
Assassins
Broadway revival
Not sure I agree with all of the OP's criteria. Not including Saturday Night and or The Frogs just because they are tough to cross of your list?? I call cheating! I also don't think it's fair to exclude amateur and community productions. A live production is a live production, and some amateur productions are actually quite good in my experience. So using my preferred rules, here we go:
Company
-San Francisco Playhouse
Follies
- 2011 Broadway Revival
A Little Night Music
- A.C.T
Pacific Overtures
- 2017 Classic Stage Company (Off-Broadway)
Sweeney Todd
- 2017 Tooting Arts Club Revival (Off-Broadway)
-Ray of Light Theatre (Regional)
Merrily We Roll Along
- Youth Musical Theatre Company (Amateur)
Sunday in the Park With George
- 2017 Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
- 2012 Shakespeare in the Park
- 2015 Roundabout Revival (Off-Broadway)
-Ray of Light Theatre (Regional)
Assassins
-Ray of Light Theatre (Regional)
Road Show
- Rhinoceros Theatre (Regional)
The Frogs
-Jermyn Street Theatre (London)
Still missing:
-Forum
-Saturday Night
-Passion
-Anyone Can Whistle
I should've been clearer, the criteria is more so for MY personal list, you can include whatever you'd like. For me, personally, my goal was always professional productions of each show.
Also, It seems easier to have seen a production of Anyone Can Whistle (Carnegie Hall, LA, London, Ravinia, Encores) or Merrily than The Frogs or Saturday Night. You can include whatever you want under the optional section, but if The Frogs or Saturday Night were mandatory, I doubt there would be many people with complete lists. Also, I wrote "major" Sondheim musicals, I certainly wouldn't consider Saturday Night or The Frogs two of his major works.
Everyone who missed The Frogs at Lincoln Center....didn't miss much, though the title number had bungee chords.
Lol. I clearly love Sondheim, but The Frogs is the one score I can't really get into, aside from a few songs.
Anyone Can Whistle - 2010 Encores!
Company - 2006 Broadway revival, 2011 New York Philharmonic
Follies - 2011 Kennedy Center/Broadway revival
A Little Night Music - 2011 Broadway revival
Sweeney Todd - 2005 Broadway revival, 2014 New York Philharmonic, 2017 off-Broadway revival
Merrily We Roll Along - 2012 Encores!
Sunday in the Park With George - 2008 Broadway revival
Into the Woods - 2012 Shakespeare in the Park, 2015 Fiasco Theatre (at the McCarter and at the Pels)
Assassins - 2017 Encores!
Road Show - 2011 London (Menier)
Sondheim on Sondheim - 2010 OBC
Overall not bad considering my youth (heh) - the only major works I'm missing are Passion, Pacific Overtures, and Forum.
ljay889 said: "I should've been clearer, the criteria is more so for MY personal list, you can include whatever you'd like. For me, personally, my goal was always professional productions of each show.
Also, It seems easier to have seen a production of Anyone Can Whistle (Carnegie Hall, LA, London, Ravinia, Encores) or Merrily than The Frogs or Saturday Night. You can include whatever you want under the optional section, but if The Frogs or Saturday Night were mandatory, I doubt there would be many people with complete lists. Also, I wrote "major" Sondheim musicals, I certainly wouldn't consider Saturday Night or The Frogs two of his major works. "
Fair enough - to each his own goal. But I still strongly disagree with you on that last point. They may not be his most famous works, but The Frogs was produced on Broadway, and Saturday Night had major productions at Second Stage and in London. They both have cast recordings, and are both available for licensing. Furthermore, they are both listed on Sondheim's Wikipedia under "major works." Of course Wikipedia is not the be-all-end-all, but it's telling. I think it's pretty silly to exclude The Frogs and Saturday Night while still including Road Show and Anyone Can Whistle. To me, those four are at roughly the same level of obscurity. Of course you're allowed to set your own parameters for your goal, but you claimed to have seen professional productions of all the major Sondheim musicals, and to me that just seems untrue.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
- 1972 Broadway revival
Anyone Can Whistle
- none
Company
- 1970 Original Broadway production, 1993 concert reunion of original cast in Long Beach, 2007 Doylification
Follies
- 1971 and 1972 Original Broadway production, 2011 Broadway Revival
A Little Night Music
- 1973 Original Broadway production, 1985(?) Equity Library Theater revival, 1989 West End Revival, 2009 Broadway Revival
Pacific Overtures
- 1976 Original Broadway production
Sweeney Todd
- 1979 Original Broadway production, 1989 Teeny Todd revival
Merrily We Roll Along
- 2000 West Coast Ensemble revival, 2013 live NT broadcast
Sunday in the Park With George
- 1984 Original Broadway production, 2008 Broadway Revival, 2017 Broadway revival
Into The Woods
- 1985 Original Broadway production
Assassins
- none
Passion
- 1995 Original Broadway production
Road Show
- none
Sondheim on Sondheim
- 2010 Original Broadway Production
and for good measure:
West Side Story
-1969 NY State Theater, 1980 Broadway revival, 1997(?) Los Angeles Touring company (w/Christian Borle and Steven Pasquale), 2008 Broadway revival
Gypsy:
-1973 Broadway revival, 1989 Broadway revival, 2007 City Center revival
Do I Hear A Waltz?
-2016 Encores revival
I also made it a personal goal a few years ago to see a professional production of every Sondheim musical at least once!
Saturday Night
2014 Musicals in Mufti, York Theatre Company, NYC
Anyone Can Whistle
2010 Encores!, NYC
Company
2011 Philharmonic Concert, NYC
Follies
2011 Broadway Revival, NYC
A Little Night Music
2009 Broadway Revival, NYC
Pacific Overtures
2017 Off-Broadway Revival, NYC
Sweeney Todd
2017 Off-Broadway Revival, NYC
Merrily We Roll Along
2012 Encores!, NYC
Sunday in the Park with George
2008 Broadway Revival, NYC
2016 Concert, NYC
2017 Broadway Revival, NYC
Into the Woods
2015 Off-Broadway Revival, NYC
Assassins
2017 Encores! Off-Center, NYC
Passion
2013 Off-Broadway Revival, NYC
2015 Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia
West Side Story
2009 Broadway Revival, NYC
Gypsy
2008 Broadway Revival, NYC
Still missing ...FORUM, THE FROGS, and ROAD SHOW, as well as DO I HEAR A WALTZ? (I regrettably had to miss last year's Encores! presentation).
Gypsy
-2003 Broadway Revival (Peters)
-2007 Encores! (Lupone)
-2008 Broadway Revival (Lupone)
-2014 Connecticut Rep (Uggams)
Anyone Can Whistle
- 2010 Encores!
Company
- 2006 Broadway Revival
Follies
- 2007 Encores!
- 2011 Broadway Revival
A Little Night Music
- 2009 Broadway Revival
Sweeney Todd
- 2014 NY Philharmonic
- 2017 Tooting Arts Club Revival (Off-Broadway)
Sunday in the Park With George
- 2008 Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
- 2002 Broadway Revival
Assassins
- 2004 Roundabout
Passion
- 2013 Classic Stage Company (Off-Broadway)
-2005 Lincoln Center (Lonny Price dir., Lupone, Cerveris, McDonald)
West Side Story
- 2009 Broadway Revival
-2016 Papermill Playhouse
Other/Optional
2010 - Sondheim: The Birthday Concert at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Truly an astonishing night I will never forget. Here's my favorite moment: https://youtu.be/_B3MvJhn2Hs
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum- Phil Silvers and Nathan Lane productions
Gypsy - Angela in Philly and NYC, Tyne, Bernadette, Patti, Betty (enough of Gypsy)
Do I Hear a Waltz - Encores
Anyone Can Whistle- Encores
Company- original Broadway, Doyle Production and the awful Roundabout revival
Follies- Original, Papermill, and Danner, Williams, Ivy Revival
A Little Night Music-Original and Revival (with Peters, Stritch)
Pacific Overtures- Original, Boston tryout, Roundabout revival, Doyle revival
Sweeney Todd- Original, Doyle revival, seeing one on Barrow Street in September
Merrily We Roll Along- Original (in previews) York revival. (If I saw the Encores, it escapes me.).
Sunday in the Park with George- Original, Roundabout revival, Jake revival
Into the Woods- OBC
Assassins- Playwrights Horizons production, Roundabout Revival, and some production at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival years ago
Passion- OBC (once is enough)
Road Show- Public Theater
The Frogs - Lincoln Center production
The Sondheim Celebration at the Shubert Theater (logo is Scrabble pieces) I think in '75 or '76.
Saturday Night - Off-Bway production with David Campbell (?) from Australia.
West Side Story - Some revival at the Minskoff, an excellent Paper Mill production
Did not see Sondheim on Sondheim.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum- Valley Forge Theatre - Mickey Rooney
Gypsy - Broadway with Tyne Daly, Patti LuPone (also NYCC), Bernadette Peters
Do I Hear a Waltz - Encores
Company- Broadway - Roundabout & Esparza Revival
Follies- Danner/Williams Revival, Peters/Maxwell Revival (Kennedy Center & Broadway)
A Little Night Music-Revival with Zeta-Jones and Peters
Pacific Overtures- Roundabout Revival, CSC
Sweeney Todd- Lansbury & Hearn in Philly, LuPone Revival, Barrow Street Revival
Merrily We Roll Along- Encores
Sunday in the Park with George- Original, Roundabout revival, Jake revival
Into the Woods- Peters/Gleason, Williams Revival, Laura Pels Off Broadway Revival
Assassins- Roundabout Revival, NYCC
Passion- OBC, CSC
Kennedy Center Celebration at Lincoln Center
West Side Story - Last Broadway Revival
Sondheim On Sondheim - Broadway
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Haven't seen it, believe it or not.
Anyone Can Whistle
Haven't seen it. Off to a slow start.
Company
- 2002 Kennedy Center
- 2006 Broadway revival
- 2013 Signature Theatre (Virginia)
Follies
- 2003 Signature Theatre (Virginia)
- 2011 Broadway Revival
A Little Night Music
- 2002 Kennedy Center
- 2008 CenterStage (Baltimore)
- 2009 Broadway Revival
Pacific Overtures
- 2002 Kennedy Center (New National Theater)
- 2017 Classic Stage Company (Off-Broadway)
Sweeney Todd
- 2002 Kennedy Center
- 2005 Broadway Revival
- 2015 Houston Grand Opera
Merrily We Roll Along
- 2002 Kennedy Center
- 2012 Encores
Sunday in the Park With George
- 2002 Kennedy Center
- 2008 Broadway Revival
- 2017 Broadway Revival
Into The Woods
- 2002 Broadway Revival
- 2012 CenterStage (Baltimore)
- 2015 Roundabout Revival (Off-Broadway)
Assassins
I've seen two amateur productions but no professional productions.
Passion
- 1994 Original Broadway production
- 2002 Kennedy Center
- 2013 Classic Stage Company (Off-Broadway)
Road Show
- 2016 Signature Theatre (Virginia)
Other/Optional (include revues, Saturday Night, The Frogs & Bounce here)
Bounce
- 2003 Kennedy Center
Sondheim on Sondheim
- 2010 Original Broadway Production
Forum: 2015 Two River Theater (Red Bank, NJ)
Assassins: 2004 Broadway revival, 2016 Princeton Summer Theater (Princeton, NJ)
A Little Night Music: 2003 NYCO production (Jeremy Irons, Juliette Stevenson, etc), 2009 Broadway revival (once with CZJ/Lansbury; 3x with Bernadette/Stritch), 2013 Arden Theatre Company (Philadelphia)
Sunday: 2008 Broadway revival, 2016 City Center concert
Into the Woods: 2002 Broadway revival
Company: 2006 Broadway revival, 2011 NY Philharmonic concert
Follies: 2007 Encores (2x), 2011 Broadway revival (2x)
Sweeney Todd: 2005 Broadway revival: (3x, including closing night)
Pacific Overtures: 2004 Broadway revival
Merrily: Have never seen on stage, but will be seeing the Huntington production (Boston) in September
Passion: 2005 Lincoln Center concert (LuPone, McDonald, Cerveris), 2013 CSC revival, 2015 Arden Theatre Company (Philly)
Road Show: 2008 Public Theater (NYC)
Sondheim on Sondheim: Original Broadway production
Gypsy: 2003 Broadway revival, 2007 Encores Summer Stars, 2008 Broadway revival, 2017 Arden Theatre Company (Philly)
West Side Story: 2009 Broadway revival, 2017 Media Music Theatre (Media, PA)
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