I think step 1 is going to be solving the mystery of what musical we are talking about, what if anything Ives still has to do with it, etc. I believe that we will be gifted something, whether a full-fledged musical or a concert or something in between. I find it hard to believe that Sondheim's will provides that his unfinished work should be suppressed or destroyed.
I’m curious who or what is now responsible or owns his whole catalog of music and shows. His husband? (Who we don’t hear much about). A trust? Who controls the estate?
Whoa, that’s stunning. I hope we get more. I still have hope there was enough completed for Ives to finish the piece or at least reconstruct it to one act.
Here are the specific Buñuel/Square One excerpts for anyone just looking for those…
“His material was challenging and complex to learn and perform but once you got it into your head, it never left you because it was just so brilliantly written. I can’t say we became close friends, I was too in awe of him to pursue that kind of friendship, but it was a very friendly and warm working relationship that went on for thirty years. I was always in awe of him until the very end – that recent reading we did for “Square One,” the last musical he wrote with David Ives. Every time I’d see him I’d still say to myself, ‘Oh my God, it’s Stephen Sondheim.’
I’m not on social media, but when you see all of the beautiful tributes and this tremendous outpouring of love and admiration for his incomparable legacy, and believe me, we will never see its like again, you can’t help but feel it’s all been said. But it feels good to remind ourselves how great and important he was to the world and that we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to work with that kind of legend. I assure you I’ve kept every one of his notes and letters and emails and I will treasure them.
[…]
The last time I would see him was at the reading for “Square One”. It was supposed to be done a few years ago at The Public, but was postponed and then cancelled. I thought it was gone forever, but after the pandemic the director Joe Mantello felt a surreal musical based on two Bunuel films might be just what the doctor ordered and encouraged Steve and David Ives to resurrect the piece and take another crack at it. He named it on “The Colbert Show,” by the way. It didn’t have a title until that moment. Bless his heart, but it’s actually a good title.
Anyway, I was excited to see him at the reading, but was concerned when I saw him walking in slowly with a cane. He was recovering from a bad fall, but once we sat down and talked, he was as sharp and as funny as he’d ever been. It was a phenomenal group of actors and Bernadette Peters and I got to be a married couple and it doesn’t get any better than that. Steve said he was encouraged by the reading, which was great fun, and hoped we might get it on next season. It would certainly be a terrific way to honor the greatest composer/lyricist the American theater has ever known. A lovely way to say goodbye and thank you.
In the meantime allow me to say thank you for everything, Steve, from the bottom of my heart.”
Details of this Square One reading seem to have been kept fairly close to the vest. It’s fascinating to imagine Nathan and Bernadette working on it — and under the direction of Nathan’s old castmate, Joe Montello.
Does anyone know where it was held? Or if there’s a cast list? I’d love to learn who else was involved. And, I know it’s too much to ask, but a list of song titles would be incredible if anyone has such a thing.
So happy Sondheim was able to see the reading. He really went out in full form and was active right until the end.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Georgeanddot2 said: "Hearing rumors that this is apparently coming to Broadway very soon and has a theater secured and a creative team on board????????????????"
jacobsnchz14 said: "Georgeanddot2 said: "Hearing rumors that this is apparently coming to Broadway very soon and has a theater secured and a creative team on board????????????????"
Either you heard from TikTok or… ?"
I did not hear this from TikTok.
Sounds like this will likely be aiming for fall 2023.
A fall opening of Merrily and Square One at the same time would be perfect and a dream come true.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
With Sweeney too, it seems pretty likely we could be looking at three Sondheim shows on Broadway at once in the Fall! Would be awesome to have!
One could also dream of a 2024 Tonys where Sondheim shows win both Best Musical and Best Revival. That's probably getting ahead of myself. But, also considering we have both Sweeney and Into the Woods in the running this season and Merrily next season, it's decently likely we could be looking at back to back to back Sondheim Best Revival wins...
Unsubstantiated rumors aside, squareonebroadway.com domain is a registered trademark. This is the strongest, evidential indicator of an eventual staging.
StylishCynic said: "Unsubstantiated rumors aside, squareonebroadway.com domain is a registered trademark. This is the strongest, evidential indicator of an eventual staging."
I just tried to access that website and could not. So maybe they're prepping for the announcement tomorrow. Maybe ticketmaster will leak seats HA
> Unsubstantiated rumors aside, squareonebroadway.com domain is a registered trademark. This is the strongest, evidential indicator of an eventual staging.
i think you mean it's a registered domain; a trademark is something different altogether.
not intending to be snarky here ... i was genuinely curious, so i went to the Trademark Office's online search site - nothing. then i went to the ICANN site (where domains are registered) and -- something! the domain was created yesterday.
whatever2 said: ">Unsubstantiated rumors aside, squareonebroadway.com domain is a registered trademark. This is the strongest, evidential indicator of an eventual staging.
i think you mean it's a registered domain; a trademark is something different altogether.
not intending to be snarky here ... i was genuinely curious, so i went to the Trademark Office's online search site - nothing. then i went to the ICANN site (where domains are registered) and -- something! the domain was created yesterday."
Curious theater fans turn into A+ sleuths when show rumors start hehe