Is this a first for Sondheim?

[David10086]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 12:48pm

Now that ITW and Company are both playing on Broadway at the same time, is this a first for Sondheim? Or has he had two works (whether revivals or not) on Broadway at the same time before? 

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 12:52pm

Technically, Company and West Side Story were both playing on Broadway at the same time from March 2, 2020 to March 11, 2020.

Also, Assassins and Gypsy both ran concurrently on Broadway from March 31, 2004 to May 30, 2004. 

Updated On: 7/8/22 at 12:52 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 1:01pm

It would be sweet if Merrily We Roll Along and Sweeney Todd run simultaneously for some time next spring. With the immense star power of both projects, I’m sure Broadway is the goal. 

[binau]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 1:03pm

Sondheim on Sondheim was also playing while Night Music and West Side Story were on if I recall. (And Anyone Can Whistle was on too at Encores! Those were the days of Sondheim hype around his 80th). But it could be the first time two Sondheim productions of his main musicals where he wrote both music and lyrics are playing at the same time, yes. 

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 1:21pm

I believe it's the first time two shows where he wrote both the music and lyrics for have been OPEN at the same time, but there are 2 cases where one was in previews and another was open:

2004: The Frogs started previews before the Assassins revival closed

1989: The Sweeney Todd revival started previews before the original Into the Woods closed. 

Plus his play Getting Away with Murder's very brief run in 1996 coincided with Forum's preview period.

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 1:28pm

I was wondering this too once Broadway was coming back (as there were rumors of Assassins transfering) so I made this Google Sheet, and it has infact happened a number of times. The first (counting collaborative shows) were his first two, Gypsy opening before West Side Story went on tour, but his first solo works also ran congruently! Funny Thing... was still going on when Anyone Can Whistle flopped.

 

(This was not been updated since Company re-opened and does not include off-Broadway/special events. The long timeline also limits if two shows open the same month but don't overlap, eg the 89' Sweeney Todd revival opening a few weeks after Into The Woods closed. Apologies for any inaccuracies)

Google Sheet of the chart

Updated On: 7/8/22 at 01:28 PM

[David10086]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 3:38pm

Thanks everyone for the information. It's interesting that a few of us have been thinking about this and we all have different answers !  PS - thanks for the Google chart ! 

 

One more question  - is it correct to say that ALW is the only one to have three musicals playing on Broadway at the same time ? And he did it twice ! 

 

Once in 1990 - 91 with "Phantom", "Cats" and "Aspects"

Again in 1994-97 with "Phantom" , " Cats" and "Sunset" ?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 3:44pm

David10086 said: "One more question - is it correct to say that ALW is the only one to have three musicals playing on Broadway at the same time ? And he did it twice !"

I'm sure there are others. Richard Rodgers? Tom Meehan (bookwriter) did in the early 2000s. And plenty of directors.

I forget the exact stat, but I believe ALW, Jerry Herman, Stephen Schwartz, and Richard Rodgers are the only composers to have 3 shows play more than 1500 performances?

Updated On: 7/8/22 at 03:44 PM

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 3:56pm

David10086 said: "Thanks everyone for the information. It's interesting that a few of us have been thinking about this and we all have different answers ! PS - thanks for the Google chart !



One more question - is it correct to say that ALW is the only one to have three musicals playing on Broadway at the same time ? And he did it twice !



Once in 1990 - 91 with "Phantom", "Cats" and "Aspects"

Again in 1994-97 with "Phantom" , " Cats" and "Sunset" ?"

 

Actually he's had four - just recently in 2017 there was Phantom, School of Rock, Cats, and Sunset.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 4:39pm

I forgot The Frogs was a thing. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 4:44pm

The original production of Follies and Company overlapped for awhile.  With WSS and Gypsy revivals, and the long run of the most recent A Funny Thing revival, I am sure the were more times of overlap.   Too lazy to do it, but I’ll bet someone could find a time where there were even 3 simultaneously running shows…probably not 4, though.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 5:35pm

I saw Follies and Company on the same sweltering day in August 1971. It was the waning days of Company - the Jane Russell era with only Kert and Browning and Elmore from the original (yet wonderful; 2nd row). Follies - the Saturday matinee - had the full company.

I was a teenager and it’s one of the great days in theatergoing. One of the great days, period.

Updated On: 7/8/22 at 05:35 PM

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 8:51pm

Jarethan said: "The original production of Follies and Company overlapped for awhile... Too lazy to do it, but I’ll bet someone could find a time where there were even 3 simultaneously running shows…probably not 4, though."

3 overlapping shows has almost happened maybe twice, funnily enough with the original productions of Follies and Company. The 72' revival of Funny Thing... opened shortly after Follies closed.  The most recent close call was the original Into The Woods almost running as both Sweeney Todd and Gypsy were revived in 89'.

I am hoping this could happen soon but even with Merrily We Roll Along and those Sweeney Todd rumors, it sadly doesn't seem like a third production is in the pipeline

[David10086]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 9:55pm

¿Macavity? said: "David10086 said: "Thanks everyone for the information. It's interesting that a few of us have been thinking about this and we all have different answers ! PS - thanks for the Google chart !



One more question - is it correct to say that ALW is the only one to have three musicals playing on Broadway at the same time ? And he did it twice !



Once in 1990 - 91 with "Phantom", "Cats" and "Aspects"

Again in 1994-97 with "Phantom" , " Cats" and "Sunset" ?"



Actually he's had four - just recently in 2017 there was Phantom, School of Rock, Cats, and Sunset."

Completely forgot his triumph in 2017!  Thank you for the reminder. 
 

I have to say 2017 was one of my favorite years for theater. I saw Dolly twice (Murphy and Peters) and Close in Sunset Blvd. My three trips to NY that summer, my three favorite memories. Can’t believe it’s been five years. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 11:58pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "David10086 said: "One more question - is it correct to say that ALW is the only one to have three musicals playing on Broadway at the same time ? And he did it twice !"

I'm sure there are others. Richard Rodgers? Tom Meehan (bookwriter) did in the early 2000s. And plenty of directors.

I forget the exact stat, but I believe ALW, Jerry Herman, Stephen Schwartz, and Richard Rodgers are the only composers to have 3 shows play more than 1500 performances?"

Yeah, Rodgers probably did. It would be hard to imagine Oklahoma! Carousel and (for a short time) Allegro weren't all running at the same time. Oklahoma! would definitely overlap with both of them. Similarly, South Pacific, The King and I and (again, for a short time) Me and Juliet might have overlapped. 

[David10086]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 11:04am

Thanks everyone for the information !