Intro to Sondheim — Page 2

I think it's just like.... not very accessible, at all. And the finale? What? Weird as hell. The sets were beautiful and the staging was great, but the show itself.... weird. I understand -- and applaud -- the themes the show tackles, but some of it is just bizarre. Strange thing to write a musical about.

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Well, I think one has to grow accessable towards Sondheim's music oneself. Once that's done, you get addicted

In the very beginning I hated Into the Woods. Well that's long ago.

I think Company is incredibly accessible. At first I found myself wondering if it was really one of his best shows because it just kind of meanders around. I don't have a problem with the non-linear structure, but it just seems to randomly start and stop, at the beginning and end. No clear-cut resolution, really. But then I thought about it more, and I realized how much the way the show is structured does for the material itself. That meandering quality -- that's very true to life. I felt like Company's plot was sort of just there, but... isn't life kind of "just there?" It's all like little pieces of a puzzle.

I think Company is also very accessible, emotionally, and emotional accessibility is something I really look for in theatre.

I think Sondheim overall, though, is definitely something of an acquired taste.

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Company and Pacific Overtures were two of my first, and I never had any trouble with either. Company is probably one of his most tuneful scores (behind Merrily), and Pacific Overtures is just marvelous. The shows aren't as great as they could be because of weak books, but the scores are instantly memorable. Being exposed first to the cast recordings, I was enticed and wanted to hear more.

The Into the Woods OBCR hooked me. And then I went on to listen to Assassins and Sweeney and from there devoured everything Sondheim. I'd have to say those first three remain my favorites though.
What would you all say is your favorite Sondheim show? Is it possible to choose?

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I grew up listening to West Side Story with my grandparents, and was in a production of it in grade 7. Later that year I bought the OBRC of Forum, and from there it eventually progressed to Sweeney, Into the Woods, Gypsy, Assassins, ALNM...

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The first show I ever saw on Broadway was the original production of Sweeney Todd. Enough said. lol

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wanting to get into sondheim, i bought both SWEENEY TODD and INTO THE WOODS on the same amazon.com purchase. i was quite unprepared for it- and didn't like or understand it at first. succededing listening did the trick. both are still two personal favourites.

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Suprisingly, Sweeney Todd. I was 11, andthe Cd had been aropund my house because my older sister was auditioning. I picked it up, and I was hooked.

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