Is Stephen Sondheim Overrated???

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:14am

what do u think?

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:21am

um no.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:25am

No, he deserves every bit of praise he has gotten. Name one person who has been as big an influence on musical theatre. Name one person who has had as long and artistically successful career in musical theatre.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:29am

You are being sarcastic, right? RIGHT?

Updated On: 10/21/05 at 03:29 AM

[BrdwyBnd2005]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:32am

YES. Sorry. I like the guy, but c'mon... he's Sondheim, not God.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:35am

So, who is better than Sondheim then? Who does deserve more praise?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:45am

chill out!!! i am just wondering what people think...i did not state a thing!!! please...these people are angry on here!

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:49am

Then don't be blasphemous by even suggesting such a thing!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:50am

and to respond your question jrb i prefer Kander& Ebb. But i was not saying Sondheim is not talented or anything. Why are these people so angry ...seriously?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:51am

"Name one person who has had as long and artistically successful career in musical theatre."

Richard Rodgers

I don't think Sondheim overrated, because he is a truly gifted composer. I just don't think he is the be-all and end-all of musical theater that some individuals make him out to be.

[PJ]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:52am

Mr. Sondheim is absolutely worthy of every ounce of praise he has ever received.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:54am

We are all going to have our preferences--of course. And, you are right that this isn't something to get angry about. But, at some point, certain people's greatness in the history of theatre become fact. Shakespeare's greatness is a fact. Ibsen's greatness is a fact. Williams' greatness is a fact. Sondheim's greatness is a fact. So, that might be why people get frustrated because the question may seem silly.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:57am

I LOVE Rodgers, particularly with Hammerstein. But, Sondheim has had a longer career and I dare say impact. But, If anyone would be in competition to argue that, it would indeed be R&H---they did create the foundation of plot driven musical theatre, creating some of the greatest musicals ever.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 5:40am

And Hammerstein's legacy includes Sondheim, so definately R&H are up there.

Sondheim is by no means overrated. Not one of his musicals has been critically acclaimed, but he deserves every award he has received, and more. Some of his best shows walked away without any Tonys, or the Tonys they received had nothing to do with their brilliant scores...

[hannahshule]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 6:45am

no, neither SOndheim or R&H are overrated

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 7:19am

"Name one person who has had as long and artistically successful career in musical theatre."

Richard Rodgers

Man, beat me to it. That was my first thought. Now, I definetly like Sondheim better- I'm not a huge fan of R&H, however, I do think they may have had more of an impact. But I do not think Sonheim is overrated AT ALL!

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 7:58am

>Not one of his musicals has been critically acclaimed<

That's not true. Although a lot of his shows have opened to mixed reviews, the original productions of A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd opened to nearly unanimous raves.

[fiatlux]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:04am

I don't think he's overated. I think there is a tendency of some fans (and I count myself as a fan) to be dismissive of other writers in musical thetare, on his behalf - which is not helpful at all.

I do dispute the statement that "Not one of his musicals has been critically acclaimed", which is manifestly not true - but I think we can say that he can polarize their reaction.

This Sunday there will be a gala in London to celebrate Sondheim's 75th and there was an opinion piece in the Daily Telegraph which sums up my feelings on the subject:
Capital Show for Sondheim at 75

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:11am

"But, at some point, certain people's greatness in the history of theatre become fact. Shakespeare's greatness is a fact. Ibsen's greatness is a fact. Williams' greatness is a fact. Sondheim's greatness is a fact."

All true. But not all of Shakespeares plays are equally great. Not all Rembrandts are masterpieces. And though it is heresy to suggest it here, I think that will similarly follow with Sondheim.

Updated On: 10/21/05 at 08:11 AM

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:11am

I do think that if there is a problem with Sondheim is that he has set so high a standard of consise, emotional and adult lyric writing that it is very difficult for any up-and coming musical theatre writer to find their own voice.

Updated On: 10/21/05 at 08:11 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:15am

It's not that Sondheim is overrated. He is a musical genius, and, like so many of us, I hold his work in high esteem. He is a far, far better lyricist, however, than as a composer, in my opinion.

The problem, I believe, is more that Sondheim is overexposed at this point. Producers, at every level--community, regional, off-Off Broadway and Broadway--want to appear on the cutting edge, but they really don't want to take risks. A Sondheim show gives the majority of these producers the cache of producing "art," while minimizing their risk, as compared to actually introducing new work from underexposed musical creators. It's called show "business" for a reason.

I'm all for Sondheim musicals, but I believe there should be a moratorium, or at least a slowing down of the number of productions, to avoid the redundancy and overexposure.

Overrated? No. Overexposed? Yes.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:21am

He is absolutely not overrated.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:23am

Excellent point, José. I totally agree.

In some ways, Sondheim has become almost a catch-phrase for "musical sophistication" the way Cole Porter was fifty years ago.

Since then, Porter has be re-evaluated. Some of his songs have stood the test of time and a fair number of them have not. And I actually think Porter is now verging on being UNDERrated.

As great as Richard Rogers is, I overdosed during his centennial. If I heard "Bewitched" one more time that year I thought I would scream.

Updated On: 10/21/05 at 08:23 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:23am

Master has spoken wisely, and I agree.

[fiatlux]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:32am

"I'm all for Sondheim musicals, but I believe there should be a moratorium, or at least a slowing down of the number of productions, to avoid the redundancy and overexposure."

Do we say the same thing about Shakespeare or Beethoven?

I'm not sure that is a very cogent argument - a moratorium is a form of censorship, which I would be very much against. Producers are driven by an economic impetus more than the cachet of appearing at the cutting edge of art - if there is too much product in the marketplace a producer or theatre company is not going to saturate it further unless the product has definite USP's - I would tend to look to market forces to guard against overexposure.