Sondheim's Letter to the NY TIMES Editor Regarding Company

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 9:54am

Found this in the Letters to the Editor of the Sunday Arts section:

"Once again The New York Times, like so many other publications, neglects to mention the book writer's contribution to a Musical, in this case that (and a brilliant that) of George Furth. Ons of the pleasures of John Doyle's production is that it draws attention to George's work. Would that the New York Times and other publications acknowledged what book writers do." Stephen Sondheim, Manhattan


Good for him.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:13am

I adore this man!!!!!!!!!

[Dre2387]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:22am

sweet!

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:26am

I think that Sondheim is well aware that his name overshadows anyone else's contribution to a musical that he's worked on. He thinks of himself as a collaborator, so the fact that his book writers go unnoticed time and time again has got to be a sore spot for him.

And I don't blame him!

Can you imagine if you entered into writing a show with him... knowing that no one (outside of a small group of critics and theatre buffs) will ever talk about your work? As if you never existed? That's really something to look forward to, if you work with him.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has the same thing happen. Other than Tim Rice, most people can't name any of his lyricists or book writers. It's an Andrew Lloyd Webber show, period... whenever his name is attached to it. Yet he writes the music... not the book or the lyrics.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:31am

Wait. Andrew Lloyd Webber has book writers?

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:36am

Dear Stephen Sondheim,
I love you.
Always,
~wILLIAm

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:41am

Gah. This makes me love him even more.

I think it's interesting (though I certainly understand it) that so many of themost prestigous librettists have worked with hin, knowing that they will be overshadowed. I guess what it ultimately comes down to is how underrated their work is regardless of how good.

[mrslovett7]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:42am

This further proves that Stephen Sondheim is God

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:44am

Could 'gah' be officially retired?

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:46am

no

[Liverpool]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:51am

"Wait. Andrew Lloyd Webber has book writers?"


Sometimes it's hard to tell.

[Muhlethaler]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 11:23am

Updated On: 6/18/20 at 11:23 AM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 11:32am

Even more proof of Brantley's ramblings of nothingness.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 11:37am

This isn't in response to Brantley's review.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 11:46am

It's in response to the article about Raul.

[Musical Director]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 11:51am

Andrew Lloyd Webber would have never written that letter to the Times, either. He is more than happy to take all the credit. Mr. Sondheim is a gentleman and a REAL collaborator. That was a very classy thing to do.

[ducdebrabant]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:34pm

Sondheim (and I've spoken to him about this) is well aware that every Sondheim show is treated in the press as a "Sondheim show" -- as if he did every damned thing personally. Not only is this unfair to his collaborators, it's unfair to him personally. When the result is glorious, he gets a disproportionate share of the credit (particularly at the book writer's expense), and when the result is disappointing, he gets a disproportionate share of the blame. The critical reaction to "Merrily We Roll Along" was a disgrace. He didn't initiate the project, he didn't write the book, he didn't direct it (and Hal Prince's production was mammothly wrongheaded), but he sure did come in for most of the flak. And yet, the score has sold that show ever since it closed. RCA knew what it was doing when they put his picture on the album cover instead of just the show's logo. HE DID HIS JOB WELL. Even Jonathan Tunick didn't shine in that instance -- I think his orchestrations are a bit ugly. Everybody knows that a superb score can't save a show. It didn't save the original "Candide," or the original "Anyone Can Whistle." It didn't save "Sweet Adeline," or "The Gay Life" or "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." It didn't save "Mack & Mabel" or "Flahooley." "Company" came from George Furth's one-act plays, and from his heart. Sondheim did beautiful work, but he had a lot of juicy stuff to dramatize.

Updated On: 12/10/06 at 12:34 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:39pm

I wish I knew Sondheim personally and could talk to him about this stuff like you guys do.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:41pm

Sorry to rain on the parade but ALW does actually work on the books to many of his shows and is quite influential in how his shows are structured, believe it or not. He is a credited bookwriter for POTO, WHISTLE, ASPECTS and others.

Say what you will about Sondheim, but he does not have any bookwriting credits, although I have a feeling he treats his collaborators much better than ALW (whose idea of callaboration is to send his lyricists/bookwriters demos and have them write the lyrics, in some cases with the individuals never even meeting in person with ALW until opening night).

Frankly, Sondheim and ALW are names that should not be utterred in the same breath, so for that I apologize.

A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre
Updated On: 12/10/06 at 12:41 PM

[moulinrougehk]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:42pm

I love this man!

ALW is a bad bookwriter. See how he ruined POTO and Whistle Down the Wind...

Updated On: 12/10/06 at 12:42 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:43pm

I kind of want to "collaborate" with ALW.

Just for fun. You know?

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:48pm

"Andrew Lloyd Webber would have never written that letter to the Times, either. He is more than happy to take all the credit."

To be fair to ALW he couldn't possibly have time to write such a letter. After all, he co orchestrates all of his shows. (Just check the credits.)

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:48pm

Dear Stephen Sondheim's various book writers,
You are also of the holy nature.


Love,
Ben

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:48pm

Amazing man, he is.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:51pm

That was very classy of him to mention all the others who collaborated on the musicals. Very Amazing indeed.