Number of completed songs in Sondheim new score- Page 2

[signorafosca2]

Posted: 8/6/23 at 9:08pm

JayElle said: "signorafosca2 said: "Considering there were 4-5 readings of this show over the last seven years of Sondheim’s life I find it very hard to believe there are only six completed songs....."

What show? Name please? tnx

"
Whatever they were calling it in 2016, which is the earliest referenced reading I’m finding right now although I believe it was being performed in readings/workshops as far back as 2015.

https://playbill.com/article/matthew-morrison-says-sondheims-new-bunuel-musical-is-challenging

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/6/23 at 11:23pm

Another morsel to throw into the cauldron of speculation:

The English language is not terribly precise. Unlike some languages, when we say "completed," that does not necessarily mean we are done. It can mean we have a "draft" (another imprecise word). In the theatre, we generally go into rehearsal with a completed script (and score in a musical), but we have to wait about a month before we say the show is "frozen." And even then, sometimes, we have writers who show up after that with changes. (I've been there.) 

A good analogous situation is that of Rent. Jonathan Larson had certainly completed a script and score. Everyone knew who lived and who died. But the work continued. 

I tend to be skeptical of gossip. 

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/6/23 at 11:25pm

Buneul ....   "The project, Sondheim has previously revealed, is in two acts, the first based on Buñuel’s The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), the second on The Exterminating Angel (1962), both set at surreal dinner parties. "

Updated On: 8/6/23 at 11:25 PM

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 8/7/23 at 1:28am

The way that so many people, including Sondheim himself, talked about this show for YEARS does not at all make it sound like a show that was 30% done as of 2021. Everybody was always super hopeful that it would happen "next season/year/Fall/etc." I just do not buy that people expected the show to go form 6 songs to on a stage in front of a paying audience that quickly.

To me, that sounds much more like a show which is presentable, but has elements that aren't clicking and need to be reworked. Have Ives, Mantello, and the music team cracked those theoretical problems? I guess we'll find out in September. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 8/7/23 at 4:43am

Maybe Cinda Canning could get on this for her next podcast.

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/7/23 at 9:11am

Aren't there a handful of Sondheim songs that have never been heard from the aborted one act body building musical that once was the second act of what became Passion?  Perhaps there will be some interpolation of these numbers?

[inception]

Posted: 8/7/23 at 9:54am

Owen22 said: "Aren't there a handful of Sondheim songs that have never been heard from the aborted one act body building musical that once was the second act of what became Passion? Perhaps there will be some interpolation of these numbers?"

Body building musical?

 

 

 

Updated On: 8/7/23 at 09:54 AM

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/8/23 at 9:54am

Sondheim and James Lapine were once working on 2 one act thematic musicals. One was based on a book about a bodybuilder, one was based on an Italian novel and film, Passion D'amour.

They lost interest in the former and extended the latter into Passion.