LMM: "Sondheim has Bernadette. Kander has Liza. I have Mandy G.."

[binau]

Posted: 12/4/25 at 3:38am

I was struck seeing this post on instagram because I spend A LOT of time thinking about this very construct, and I love that it was liked by Bernadette and Audra. 

Of course, I absolutely agree that Sondheim has Bernadette as his unique muse (Sunday in the Park, Into the Woods, Anyone Can Whistle, Evening Primrose tracks with Mandy, Anyone Can Whistle, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, Follies, Old Friends, her Sondheim etc. concert that has she has essentially been doing a US and world tour of for 30 years, plus readings of Bounce, audition for Sweeney movie as Lovett etc.). Angela Lansbury likely a close second (Sweeney, Gypsy, Whistle, A Little Night Music). 

HOWEVER, I don't know whether to clutch pearls or not that it is in fact Liza associated with Kander and not Chita.

 

If I recall, in their book 'coloured lights' Kander & Ebb talk about Liza and Chita at the same tier. Believing both can do anything. 

Liza did Flora, Chicago, The Act, The Rink and the 'Cabaret' movie.

But Chita did Chicago, The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman and The Visit. 

Did LMM get this wrong? 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 12/4/25 at 8:29am

I agree with Lin and his statement. If I were to split hairs though, I would say Kander has Chita, Ebb has Liza. Liza has said many times that it was Fred Ebb that created the "Liza" we know and love. He directed and wrote many of her concerts, and both John and Fred wrote specialty material for her over the years, and I know the bond between Fred and Liza was extraordinary. 

[raddersons]

Posted: 12/4/25 at 9:09am

I think you’re overthinking this lmao. This wasn’t meant to be shady, just meant to say he thinks Mandy is on a very high tier. I don’t think the composers he associated the actors really matters. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 12/4/25 at 9:49am

binau said: "I was struck seeing this post on instagram because I spend A LOT of time thinking about this very construct, and I love that it was liked by Bernadette and Audra.

Of course, I absolutely agree that Sondheim has Bernadette as his unique muse (Sunday in the Park, Into the Woods, Anyone Can Whistle, Evening Primrose tracks with Mandy, Anyone Can Whistle, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, Follies, Old Friends, her Sondheim etc. concert that has she has essentially been doing a US and world tour of for 30 years,plus readings of Bounce, audition for Sweeney movie as Lovett etc.). Angela Lansbury likely a close second (Sweeney, Gypsy, Whistle, A Little Night Music)."

How could Peters be Sondheim's muse when he only wrote two parts for her? Most of the shows you list were written long before he'd ever worked with her. That he cast her in a lot of revivals certainly means he admired her talent and liked her a lot personally. But that's not a muse.

Updated On: 12/4/25 at 09:49 AM

[TheOtherOne2]

Posted: 12/4/25 at 10:29am

Liza was unquestionably the muse for Kander and Ebb.  The three of them broke into the big time together and there is no appreciation of their work without acknowledgment of their impact on each other.

I don't think any of the other people mentioned by Lin (including himself and Mandy) had anywhere near such impact on each other. No slight of Chita was intended, but Lin chose his words poorly.

[MysteriousLady]

Posted: 12/4/25 at 1:01pm

joevitus said: "binau said: "I was struck seeing this post on instagram because I spend A LOT of time thinking about this very construct, and I love that it was liked by Bernadette and Audra.

Of course, I absolutely agree that Sondheim has Bernadette as his unique muse (Sunday in the Park, Into the Woods, Anyone Can Whistle, Evening Primrose tracks with Mandy, Anyone Can Whistle, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, Follies, Old Friends, her Sondheim etc. concert that has she has essentially been doing a US and world tour of for 30 years,plus readings of Bounce, audition for Sweeney movie as Lovett etc.). Angela Lansbury likely a close second (Sweeney, Gypsy, Whistle, A Little Night Music)."

How could Peters be Sondheim's muse when he only wrote twoparts for her?Most of the shows you list were written long before he'd ever worked with her. That he cast her in a lot of revivals certainly means he admired her talent and liked her a lot personally. But that's not a muse."

She is widely refered to as his muse. Perhaps a better phrase would be "premier interpreter" because you are right, he didn't write that much for her.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 12/4/25 at 9:30pm

I don't mind who is muse to who.

It does kinda rub me up the wrong way for LMM to put himself on the same platform/ league as Sondheim and Kander & Ebb.

Perhaps that is unfair of me.

[binau]

Posted: 12/5/25 at 5:25am

I also found it a little cringe but to be honest if there was an equivalent today surely it would be him? Though he doesn’t quite have the same volume of shows and is clearly over indexed on Hamilton. 

Love the commentary around Liza here. 

As for the comment on am I over reading or taking something a lot more serious than it intends to be? Yes obviously I am there is a reason I posted that GIF. I have no problem focussing my time on things that don’t really matter lol.