Sondheim's Letter to the NY TIMES Editor Regarding Company

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.

sweet!

---

Wait. Andrew Lloyd Webber has book writers?

---

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.

---

Could 'gah' be officially retired?

---

"Wait. Andrew Lloyd Webber has book writers?"


Sometimes it's hard to tell.

Even more proof of Brantley's ramblings of nothingness.

It's in response to the article about Raul.

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

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

I kind of want to "collaborate" with ALW.

Just for fun. You know?

---

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


Love,
Ben

---

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