Stephen Sondheim likes NEXT TO NORMAL

i honestly think he can do no wrong

OMG! Thank you so much for posting this clip. I am now watching all installments, and I am in heaven!

Yeah, agreed. I think Mr. Sondheim might enjoy Next to Normal's imaginative storytelling devices though. It seems like something he'd enjoy. The lyrics though, who knows? I wrote down a great quote he said about disliking false rhymes and Next to Normal has several, and Spring Awakening has nearly all falsies.

My guess is that Mr. Sondheim probably likes N2N. IMO, N2N is groundbreaking in its content, and I would wager a bet the Mr. Sondheim would admire it for that at the very least. It's an amazing show that takes risks. Something Mr. Sondheim knows something about.

Updated On: 7/11/10 at 03:53 PM

Almira - I beg to differ. A musical about a woman dealing with bipolar disorder and the dysfunctional effects it has on her family. I'd say that's groundbreaking. (the Pulitzer Prize Board seems to agree as well).

In addition to bipolar disorder, N2N also deals with such topics as "grieving a loss, suicide, drug abuse, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life" (Wikipedia).

I don't want to detract from the purpose of this thread.

sondheimfan2, mental illness is hardly a new subject to theater. Family dynamics as a results of mental illness goes back to day one of theatre.

grieving loss - check, seen that before
suicide - check, seen that before
drug abuse - check, seen that before

Nothing new in "content." If the Pulitzer was awarded strictly on "content" or subject matter.. all an author would have do is come up with something that was never shown on stage before...which after thousands of years is kind of hard to do.

Your argument is like saying FOLLIES was groundbreaking because it dealt with reunions, when we all know FOLLIES is ground breaking because of "how" (execution) it dealt with reunions (content).

Also following your argument ONE NIGHT STAND, a musical about comic who announces he will kill himself by the of the end of the evening was deserving of a Pulitzer because nothing like that had ever been seen on stage before. It had a score by Jule Styne and book by Herb Gardner and closed after one performance.

There is a distinction.

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Updated On: 7/11/10 at 04:20 PM

I sat across the aisle from him when the show was at Second Stage and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

in the first part of this 7 part video thing, it shows Stephen going through the Opening of Sweeney Todd in detail, does anyone know where i can find, either...the video of the South Bank show that that was in? or a conductors score perhaps of Sweeney Todd? or are they illegal? (i genuinly do not know so by all means laugh at my stupidity if they are! haha)

That footage is from the South Bank show on the London production of SWEENEY TODD.

It not for sale (officially). I know there are shabby copies floating around.

I saw the full thing at the museum of TV and Broadcasting. I think it is posted on youtube too.

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"This title is completely misleading. He doesn't give any opinion on the work itself; it's merely a commentary on the public reception."

The title is intentionally misleading, with a disclaimer in the actual post.

Though to add, he also mentions the musicals in the same conversation as a response to "good" musicals on Broadway. So I think it is more than just the 'public perception'.

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adamgreer, Perhaps you're right, but I don't recall him ever being on Theater Talk since he (openly) dislikes Michael Riedel very strongly after he pounced on Bounce in 2003.

I believe Arthur Laurents was on Theater Talk discussing how he enjoyed Spring Awakening.