Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)- Page 2
Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)
#25re: Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)
Posted: 2/3/09 at 10:36pm
This thread reminded me of one I started not too long ago. Might have some insight relating to this topic.
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=987950#3751763
#26re: Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)
Posted: 2/3/09 at 10:41pmAccording to "Sondheim", Sondheim's favourite score is Pacific Overtures but I suppose that doesn't necessarily equal what he'd like to have on a desert island.
"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
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#27re: Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)
Posted: 2/4/09 at 12:27am
"I'd love to hear his reaction to most of theater. I mean, Jon Larson was practically a protege, so I'd love to hear what Stephen had to say about Rent. For that matter, I'd love to hear what Stephen has to say about the glut of rock musicals that were starting to take over Broadway at the time of Company and Follies, such as Hair and JCS, and how that affected what he was trying to do with these shows. "
How was Larsen practically a protoge? Sondheim offered him some advice and help and that's it--to my knowledge. Am I missing something? I do know there's gossip that Ricky Ian Gordon and Sondheim had a huge falling out with Ricky's criticism of Sunday (ironic as people often call Ricky's beyond dull Life with Albertine Sunday inspired) But it's only gossip so far.
I don't think Sondheim is anti rock musicals (Like i said he said he loved watching Taboo--not quite a rock show but dance/pop anyway) and I don't personally see how rock musicals got in the way of what he was trying to do with Company and Follies--Sondheim has always made it clear he thinks there's room for fluffy shows and not so fluffy and other aspects--it's in the current climate when a family can only afford to see--as he said--one musical a year and they treat it like a theme park trip, with good reason, and pick one base don a movie they see that other shows suffer.
He has said he doesn't have much knowledge or interest in pop or rock music--only recently he's listened to the Beatles more but only likes some of their stuff for example. His *crap* pastiche of disco I Takes All Kinds for Birdcage proves that I think...
SporkGoddess
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
#28re: Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)
Posted: 2/4/09 at 12:43amAww, I love My Life With Albertine.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#29re: Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)
Posted: 2/4/09 at 2:40am
I suspect i need to give it a more proper listen and then decide. However, it just really didn't connect to me (and I'm a big LaChiusa fan so am used to giving "difficult musicals" a lot of chances) plus "tongue me" is SOO not romantic 
masb19872
Stand-by Joined: 6/1/06
#30re: Sondheim's Favorite Musical (thats not his own)
Posted: 2/5/09 at 2:16am
"I'd love to hear his reaction to most of theater. I mean, Jon Larson was practically a protege, so I'd love to hear what Stephen had to say about Rent."
Jonathan Larson was not close to Sondheim's protege. He sought advice from Sondheim, which Sondheim provided. I don't know of what Sondheim had to say about the finished product, but following an early performance (I believe prior to the '94 NYTW production, but I'm blanking), he said that it was too long and overstuffed, no narrative tension, and that there needed to be a central plot. In a letter to Sondheim, Larson made it seem like they'd discussed making Mark the "everyman" (originally it was Roger), as well as casting. But again, that refers to one of the earlier versions, and not the final product.
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