sondheim's next project

There has been talk about a Sondheim Groundhog Day musical for over two years now. Is this person saying that it's moved from the "talking about it" stage?
Is "Groundhog Day" next?

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This is weird, because we just watched Groundhog Day yesterday in Flim Script Analysis class... It is such a brilliantly structured, incredible story and film... What a great project for Sondheim- I'm just glad he's still actively working! We need him!

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Loved that film. I think it's great material for Sondheim. Although it does make me kind of mad that Sondheims next project is another movie to musical adaptation for the stage. But, better something than nothing especially in this case.

You know, this is one of the few movies I think SHOULD be made into a musical. It could be brilliant.

I really like the movie, and its themes, even, but Groundhog Day as a musical? I mean, I know Sondheim is God and all that jazz, but..... hmm.

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Updated On: 4/13/06 at 12:36 AM

I adore Sondheim as much as anybody, but frankly, I don't think the GROUNDHOG DAY project is ever going to come to fruition.

Sounds interesting. Loved the movie as well...weird choice.

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At a Q & A in 2002 at Kennedy Center someone asked Sondheim about recent films he thought would make a good musical and he mentioned GROUNDHOG DAY then but it seemed he wasn't all that serious. I really wish he had put WISE GUYS/BOUNCE aside when it wasn't working and gotten onto something else. I mean it's been 12 seasons now since PASSION. ( I know it doesn't SEEM that long...but it is.)

I remember the excitement and anticipation for the opening night reviews (and that was before we had internet!)- watching his interviews on ABC Good Morning America, Larry King Live and Charlie Rose. Taping them all to get as many samples of the score as pssible. Watching with glee as PASSION swept aside BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at the Tonys (then chagrinned when AP reprted it as follows: "Broadway snubbed Disney as it gave its top musical award to a gloomy musical called PASSION instead of the glittering BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.") And then the wait for the cast album which finally came out in August. It was also at that time that the very first issue of TEH SONDHEIM REVIEW appeared.

Who knew?

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Aaaaaaaaaamen.

Is this really new talk? I know this rumour for years so it doesn't come off fresh to me. Anyhow, any new Sondheim show is welcome to me. I'm hungry for a bunch of new Sondheim tunes.

Sondheim has long wanted to do a show based on "theme and variations." Even the early idea for ALNM was to have Mme. Armfeldt shuffle cards and the whole weekend would begin all over each time arriving at a different conclusion.

GROUNDHOG DAY certainly opens up possibilities for that idea and I could see right away why Sondheim would like the idea of doing it as a stage musical. I just hope he can find a book writer who can translate it into a cohesive show: Broadway is littered with failed musicals that cannibalized hit movies without adding anything of value. Anyone remember the mess John Weidman made of BIG?

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It must feel good to have so much clout that even though your shows make no money, studios will reserve the rights to a film for you just because you're toying with the idea of trying to make a musical out of it.

But is it cute, or is it actually really good?

Funny that you mention that, Hunter. I was listening to that the other day (Rachmaninoff's Themes and Variations) and I kept thinking, "Man, where have I heard this before? Where have I heard this before?"

Then it struck me. Where else? Andrew Lloyd Webber. I did some research, apparently many, many composers for the past few centuries have been enamored of Paganini's little violin exercise. I found all kinds of Themes and Variations on it. Personally, I think it sounds like a Dance Dance Revolution song. It probably is.

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