SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM Reviews

Today is Thursday, April 22, marking the official opening of Roundabout's Sondheim on Sondheim, a unique musical that is part video documentary and part starry Broadway revue, playing Studio 54. Previews for the production began March 19.

Helmed by longtime collaborator James Lapine, who created the musicals Into the Woods, Passion and Sunday in the Park With George with Sondheim. The cast includes Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Tom Wopat, Leslie Kritzer, Norm Lewis, Euan Morton, Erin Mackey and Matthew Scott.

"By writing songs that reflect the complexity of his characters, he has changed the way we define a great musical. But even though millions of fans know his songs by heart, few know much about Stephen Sondheim himself," begin press notes. Until now. Roundabout presents Sondheim on Sondheim, an intimate portrait of the famed composer in his own words... and music. Through the use of exclusive interview footage, you'll get an inside look at Sondheim's personal life and artistic process. An ensemble cast of Broadway's best will perform brand-new arrangements of over two dozen Sondheim tunes, ranging from the beloved to the obscure."

Performances of this limited engagement are slated through June 13, TONY Awards Sunday.

Best to everyone involved, anxiously awaiting seeing this next week!

Always,
- M

Associated Press

Sommers is POSITIVE.
Michael Sommers

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Backstage is POSITIVE, calling the show "entirely wonderful."
Backstage

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I saw it last Saturday and, personally, I thought the first half was pretty boring and the second half was pretty strong. Blocking throughout was horrendous. Vanessa Williams and Euan Morton were standouts to me and Cook knocked "Send in the Clowns" out of the park. Tom though.......complete disappointment with giving no emotion and he kept flubbing lines.

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Updated On: 4/22/10 at 09:17 PM

Entertainment Weekly is MIXED-TO-POSITIVE:

The concept of the Roundabout Theatre Company's new revue, Sondheim on Sondheim, sounds like an overambitious senior thesis: Interviews with the composer-lyricist (some vintage, some newly recorded) play on a wall of LCD screens on stage, while actors perform his greatest hits, plus a few oddities and obscurities. But it's actually quite clever. Sondheim doesn't open up to journalists on a regular basis, so watching him work at the computer, his black poodles curled at his feet, or peeking at old photos (baby Sondheim, preppy Sondheim, Sondheim with a Dorothy Hamill 'do) feels a little like you're having an intimate chat with the master himself.
Review

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TheaterMania is VERY POSITIVE:

"...Unfortunately, much of the show's first act borders on the offensive in the way it often features annoying too-cute medleys and otherwise ill-reconceived approaches to Sondheim's work. In the considerably better second act, however, the singers are allowed to warble most of their gorgeous material in a more rewarding fashion.

For many audience members, Sondheim talking about himself -- easily and articulately as it happens - is the show's major selling-point. He's forthcoming (except when he isn't) and the subjects run the spectrum from devastating (a story about his aloof mother, Foxy Leshin) to insipid (a lame joke about sending his nail clippings to the Smithsonian)..."

http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/reviews/04-2010/sondheim-on-sondheim_26701.html

Updated On: 4/22/10 at 10:34 PM

Brantley's review is very strange. It's mixed in terms of content, but somehow at the end of it you feel like it was a rave. It was mostly a love letter to Sondheim without much to say about the production. It looks like Barbara Cook is getting those Tony-worthy reviews. This should make things interesting.

How much "personal" information is imparted in this show? Just wondering. I love Sondheim's music. I think he is a genius. But I would love to know more about the man, his life, his loves, etc. I think if you are going to do a show called "Sondheim on Sondheim" then you should open up completely, about everything. Otherwise, call it "Sondheim on his Music". Now, I have not seen the show, so if I am wrong let me know. I am not being sarcastic. He is such an enigma, and I have always wanted to know more about him. Are there any revelations?

There really isn't much in the way of new personal information in the show. Most of the info in the interviews can be found online (and on youtube). The story about his mother was completely new to me.

"It's a palpable Hit!"

Love Cook's notices, best this season after Lansbury.

I'm probably going to burn in Broadway hell for this, but Barbara Cook does not deserve a Tony for this, even though she was great. In fact, no one in the show does. It was a good revue but nothing Tony worthy.

defygravity - when he talked about his mom, I gasped out loud. So sad!

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Updated On: 4/23/10 at 12:15 AM

So happy for these mostly positive reviews!

As great as she is, I really don't see Cook winning for this.