Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
JoMarch
Featured Actor Joined: 9/22/04
#1Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 2:59pm
I was trying to remember this morning if there were any musicals that Sondheim raved about? Non-Sondheim penned of course. Though I doubt I've heard him rave about how own shows anyway. 
I expect there are some oldies but goodies he loves, but how about any musicals from the past 30 years or so? Thanks.
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#2re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:01pmI think he said he enjoyed TABOO.
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#2re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:03pmAnd I *believe* he is rather partial to "Carousel"
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#3re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:03pm
I was going to say Wicked. The off-rhyme scheme in Popular is brilliant.
He would be a Carousel fan. He was Hammerstein's apprentice.
Updated On: 2/8/07 at 03:03 PM
#4re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:05pm
*blink*
*blink*
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
JoMarch
Featured Actor Joined: 9/22/04
#5re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:07pm
That many huh, Munkustrap?
Thanks for a real answer, husk.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#6re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:09pm
Not the last 30 years, but he's often said the greatest musical theatre piece ever written was PORGY & BESS.
Once, in a discussion of prosody -- the art of setting lyrics to melody -- he said that one of the finest examples he could think of was the song "Ease On Down The Road" from the THE WIZ. He thought that the style, rhythm and word choices in that lyric were an absolutely perfect match to the music.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#7re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:11pmI hear he LOVED High School Musical!
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#8re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:13pmA few years ago in an interview, he said that he thought that the South Park movie had the finest musical score (stage or film) that he had heard in ages and that he was a huge fan of the movie.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#9re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:16pmI remember that too, now that you mentioned it. I seem to remember him saying some kind words about the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" musical episode, also. I can't recall him publicly criticising any show, actually. He's really quite supportive....
WalkOn
Broadway Star Joined: 8/7/06
#10re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:16pm
I read that he enjoyed BILLY ELLIOT. Enjoyed is vague, but from Sondheim it means something.
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart; and you'll never walk alone.
Updated On: 2/8/07 at 03:16 PM
#11re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 3:23pm
He saw MY FAIR LADY. He sort of enjoyed it.
[sorry, I couldnt resist.]
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#12re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:21pmHe sent a letter to trey Parker and Matt Stone (the south park guys) complimenting their movie.
#13re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:24pmWell, he did come out with that big list of songs he wished he'd written. I'd assume he likes the shows too. She Loves Me, Bloomer Girl, Annie Get Your Gun...
#14re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:28pmSpeaking of that list Bobby, does anyone know the adrees of the article it was published in?
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
WalkOn
Broadway Star Joined: 8/7/06
#15re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:28pm
I don't think that is necessarily true, Bobby.
One of the songs he liked was SILVERWARE from WE TAKE THE TOWN a notorious sinker that closed out of town.
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart; and you'll never walk alone.
#16re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:30pmhe was one of the few who enjoyed the recent Threepenny revival
#17re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:33pmNot sure if its online, but I belive the New York Times orginally ran the list.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#18re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:53pm
Here's Sondheim's List of "The Songs I Wish I Had Written (At Least In Part)":
Ager, Milton
Hard Hearted Hannah, the Vamp of Savannah (1924),
lyrics by Jack Yellen, Bob Bigelow, Charles Bates.
Arlen, Harold
Blues in the Night, from Blues in the Night (film, 1941), lyrics by Johnny Mercer;
Buds Won't Bud, from Hooray for What! (1937), lyrics by E.Y. Harburg;
The Eagle and Me, from Bloomer Girl (1944), lyrics by E.Y. Harburg;
I Had Myself a True Love, from St. Louis Woman (1946), lyrics by Johnny Mercer;
I Wonder What Became of Me, from St. Louis Woman (1946), lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
Berlin, Irving
Let's Face the Music and Dance, from Follow the Fleet (film, 1936);
I Got Lost in His Arms, from Annie Get Your Gun (1946);
You Can't Get a Man With a Gun, from Annie Get Your Gun (1946).
Bernstein, Leonard
Glitter and Be Gay, from Candide (1956), lyrics by Richard Wilbur.
Bock, Jerry
Ice Cream, from She Loves Me (1963), lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; Tell Me I Look Nice, cut from She Loves Me (1963), lyrics by Sheldon Harnick;
When Did I Fall in Love, from Fiorello! (1959), lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
Burke, Johnny
Sad Was the Day, from Donnybrook! (1961).
Charlap, Moose
I'll Never Go There Anymore, from Kelly (1965), lyrics by Eddie Lawrence.
Coleman, Cy
The Best Is Yet to Come (1959), lyrics by Carolyn Leigh;
The Other Side of the Tracks, from Little Me (1962) lyrics by Carolyn Leigh;
Real Live Girl, from Little Me (1962), lyrics by Carolyn Leigh; The Rules of the Road (1961), lyrics by Carolyn Leigh;
When in Rome (I Do as the Romans Do) (1964), lyrics by Carolyn Leigh.
Copland, Aaron
(adapted by) Golden Willow Tree, from Old American Songs, Second Set (1954).
Gallet, Luciano
(arranged by) Bambalal (Song of the Northern Interior) (Pernambuco).
Gershwin, George
My Man's Gone Now, from Porgy and Bess (1935), lyrics by DuBose Heyward.
Guettel, Adam
The Riddle Song, from Floyd Collins (1994).
Henderson, Ray
Birth of the Blues, from George White's Scandals 1926, lyrics by B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. Jones, Peter Bluellow, from Peyton Place (1994).
Jurmann, Walter and Kaper, Bronislau
San Francisco, from San Francisco (film, 1936), lyrics by Gus Kahn.
Kander, John
Home, from 70, Girls, 70 (1971), lyrics by
Fred Ebb.
Karr, Harold
Silverware, from We Take the Town (1962), lyrics by Matt Dubey.
Kern, Jerome
I Am So Eager, from Music in the Air (1932), lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II;
The Song Is You, from Music in the Air (1932), lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Kleban, Edward
Better (1973).
Leonard, Michael
I'm All Smiles, from The Yearling (1965), lyrics by Herbert Martin.
Loesser, Frank
Make a Miracle, from Where's Charley? (1948 ).
Martin, Hugh
Ev'ry Time, from Best Foot Forward (1941), with Ralph Blane; Gotta Dance, from Look, Ma, I'm Dancin'! (1948 );
I Wanna Be Good 'n' Bad, from Make a Wish! (1951);
The Trolley Song, from Meet Me in St. Louis (film, 1944), with Ralph Blane.
Merrill, Bob
On the Farm, from New Girl in Town (1957).
Montsalvatge, Xavier
Cancion de Cuna Para Dormir a un Negrito (Cradle Song for a Little Black Boy), from Cinco Canciones Negras (1958 ), lyrics by Ildefonso Pereda Valdes.
Muir, Lewis F.
Waiting for the Robert E. Lee (1912), lyrics by L. Wolfe Gilbert.
Porter, Cole
Every Time We Say Goodbye, from Seven Lively Arts (1944); Let's Be Buddies, from Panama Hattie (1940);
Let's Not Talk About Love, from Let's Face It (1941).
Rodgers, Richard
What's the Use of Wond'rin', from Carousel (1945), lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II;
Why Can't I, from Spring Is Here (1929), lyrics by Lorenz Hart.
Roy, William
Charm, from Maggie (1953); What Every Woman Knows, from Maggie (1953).
Schwartz, Arthur
By Myself, from Between the Devil (1937), lyrics by Howard Dietz;
He Had Refinement, from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1951), lyrics by Dorothy Fields;
There's No Holding Me, from Park Avenue (1946), lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
Shire, David
Travel, originally written for Cyrano, known from Starting Here, Starting Now (1977), lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr.
Strouse, Charles
You've Got Possibilities, from It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman (1966), lyrics by Lee Adams.
Styne, Jule
When the Weather's Better, from Hallelujah, Baby! (1967), lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
Yeston, Maury
New Words, from History Loves Company (1989).
SONGS I WISH I'D WRITTEN
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 2/8/07 at 05:53 PM
#19re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 5:56pm
edit: Margo beat me to it.
Updated On: 2/8/07 at 05:56 PM
#20re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 6:15pmThanks Margo!
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#21re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 6:17pm
"but from Sondheim it meant something"
What did it mean?
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#22re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 6:21pm
I see nothing from either Wildhorn or from Lestat
Hmnn
Seriously, 6 songs from flops & 1 cut from a financial flop. Very interesting
Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 2/8/07 at 06:21 PM
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#23re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 6:29pmI thought Sondheim also enjoyed Rent and Elaine Stritch at Liberty. If I remember correctly Larson was a big Sondheim fan.
purpleprince101
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#24re: Which musicals has Sondheim raved about?
Posted: 2/8/07 at 6:30pmjonathon sent him samples of rent
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