Tag Archives: Stephen Sondheim

Today in Musical History: A Little Night Music

Posted on February 25, 2021 by boz

On Feb. 25, 1973, A Little Night Music opened at the Shubert Theatre, running on Broadway for 601 performances. After the success of She Loves Me, Hal Prince asked Stephen Sondheim about writing a romantic musical. Their first choice to … Continue reading →

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Simply Sondheim Preview

Posted on January 29, 2021 by boz

Signature Theatre has announced its streaming production of Simply Sondheim, which will be available from February 2 to March 26. The 12-member ensemble includes Norm Lewis, Solea Pfeiffer, Conrad Ricamora, Emily Skinner, Nicholas McDonough, Donna Migliaccio, Christopher Mueller, Katie Mariko … Continue reading →

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Best Musical Moments of 2020

Posted on December 6, 2020 by boz

In this unusual year, there wasn’t the usual amount of musical offerings. Broadway stages, movie houses, and TV productions all shut down in March. But some shows did premiere before the lockdown, some series did restart production (with health precautions … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: Into the Woods

Posted on November 5, 2020 by boz

Stephen Sondheim’s second collaboration with James Lapine, Into the Woods, opened Nov. 5, 1987, at the Martin Beck Theatre and ran for 765 performances on Broadway. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairytales, tied … Continue reading →

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Essential Musicals: Sweeney Todd

Posted on May 18, 2020 by boz

“Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd. He served a dark and a vengeful god.” With that, the title character introduces himself and prepares us for a macabre musical about obsession, revenge — and cannibalism. Composer Stephen Sondheim has called Sweeney … Continue reading →

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Essential Musicals: Gypsy

Posted on May 12, 2020 by boz

New York Times critic Ben Brantley believes Gypsy “may be the greatest of all American musicals.” He is not alone. Previous Times critic Frank Rich considers the show to be “Broadway’s own brassy, unlikely answer to King Lear.” The Lear … Continue reading →

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Essential Musicals: West Side Story

Posted on May 11, 2020 by boz

When West Side Story premiered in 1957, it marked a turning point in American musical theater — “a provocative and artful blend of music, dance, and plot,” as one critic noted — but getting the work to Broadway had not … Continue reading →

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Essential Musicals: Oklahoma!

Posted on May 6, 2020 by boz

I called Show Boat the most influential American musical, but historian Thomas Hischak argues, “Not only is Oklahoma! the most important of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, it is also the single most influential work in the American musical theater.” … Continue reading →

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Making Musicals: Rehearsals and Readings

Posted on April 27, 2020 by boz

Once you have a workable draft of your musical, you need to hear it read aloud. There are three main types of readings to consider: a private reading (unrehearsed), a closed reading (rehearsed), and an open reading (staged). The first … Continue reading →

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Making Musicals: The Accompaniment

Posted on April 24, 2020 by boz

A lead sheet shows the essential elements of your song: lyrics, melody, and harmony. It is the basic work of a composer. The melody’s notes are written on a single staff of music, the lyric’s words are written below the … Continue reading →

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