Just saying the name Stephen Sondheim to anyone who loves musical theatre usually elicits a wide eyed, joyful expression. Sondheim's musical scores are considered to be some of the finest ever written and he is well known for his intricate lyrics, creative rhyme schemes and inventive music structure. The winner of multiple Tony Awards for Best Musical Score, he also received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and an Academy Award for Best Song. Sixteen of Sondheim's scores have received Broadway productions, and many have also received numerous Broadway revivals. In 2010 his often collaborator James Lapine came up with the idea for a show all about Sondheim and his music, entitled Sondheim on Sondheim. This musical revue is having its Arizona premiere in a production from the Scottsdale Music Theater Company that runs October 29th to October 31st at the Tempe Center for the Arts.
The production interweaves video narration recorded by Sondheim throughout the show to give background on his life, his working habits and background stories on many of his shows. While not exactly a biography of the composer, the inclusion of having Sondheim a part of the show adds a unique way to get to know the man behind the music while getting to hear dozens of his songs, including some you may never have heard before.
The cast of Sondheim on Sondheim took a break from the rehearsal process to answer some questions about Sondheim, this production as well as what their favorite Sondheim shows and songs are.
For more information on Sondheim on Sondheim, CLICK HERE
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"I’m looking forward to telling stories through song; it’s what I believe Sondheim does best. It’s amazing how just a few bars of his music can go through so many emotional levels, and I am excited to explore that."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"The songs that are very lyrical and fast I find a challenge to remember. The group numbers are also challenging, with many harmonies and nuances."
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it be?
"If he could re-mount or re-write any show that he has never worked on before, and add his own spin to it, which show would that be?"
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – The score is beautiful and the tragic story of a wronged man seeking revenge at any cost is compelling to watch."
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"Pretty Women"
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be and why?
"Sweeney – I’ve played the part before, but I don’t think I’d ever be tired of doing it. I feel like it is a role that I can always bring something new to, and it allows me to explore so many different emotions and songs."
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"I most enjoy the “behind-the-scenes” moments, and I am excited to share those with the
audience. For example, I sing a snippet of a song called “Multitudes of Amy’s” which was a
precursor to “Being Alive.” I love learning about the development of such a revered work as
Company, and seeing how it took shape leading up to opening night."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"There are certainly sections that require more repetition because of a difficult harmony, an
unusual melodic line, or a complex rhythm, but for me that extra diligence helps me learn the
music more solidly. I think the hardest part for me is keeping focus on what I’m doing, but
simultaneously keeping my ears and eyes open to the orchestra and the rest of the cast since I’m also the music director."
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the
entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share
the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it
be?
"In a clip from the show, he says that a lot of people incorrectly assume he writes
autobiographically – that the characters are drawn from him and his experience. Yet, his lyrics are so fitting and honest to what the character is going through. Does he attribute this to an
understanding of human psychology, of storytelling and drama, of firsthand research, some mix
thereof, or something else entirely?"
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
"I’m going to have to say Into The Woods, because it resonates with me emotionally every time I
watch it. It raises so many questions about right and wrong, parenting, love, fidelity, achieving
your dreams, honesty, sacrifice, and magical beans all in one show! The story is convoluted,
messy, and chaotic, but it is that way because that’s how the world is. We can either be defeated by it, or do our best in spite of it."
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"Although it is apt to change because he has SO many, right now I’d say “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park With George. It doesn’t have the intricate wordplay that so often tickles my fancy
(“We've no time to sit and dither / while her withers wither with her” for example), but instead it
offers up sublime and ineffable beauty. The words and the music coalesce into a whole greater
than the sum of its parts, just like how the dots in George’s pointillist painting become a whole
picture. In the way that only the genius of Sondheim can, he makes the form becomes the
content."
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be
and why?
"Is it cheating if I say I most want to play the music director for Sweeney Todd? There is no such
character - I mean I really want to serves as its music director! I was in the chorus for a
production years ago, and I would love to take on the challenge of bringing that score to life. It
has such a wide-range of musical depth and emotion, that getting to conduct it would be a blast!"
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"Surviving. Seriously!...and hopefully transporting the audience on an emotional musical journey of laughter, deep reflection and perhaps even a few tears."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"Yes. Sondheim forces me to think in a different way, so the process of learning his work is very challenging. Not only are some of the musical pieces extremely difficult for me, but flipping back and forth between dramatic and comedic styles within a short period of time is just plain hard. While I can snap into comedy in a split second, it's far more difficult for me to get to that place where I must be vulnerable or express deep emotions when I'm singing in just a moment’s time."
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it be?
"Really?! What's up with all the meter changes and crazy rhythms?"
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
"Hard to pick a favorite plus there are a few I haven't seen yet. So, depending on my mood: Forum for a good belly laugh or Sweeney vs. Passion for intriguing characters and relationships."
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"I have fallen in love with 'I Read' from Passion while preparing for this show."
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be and why?
"Mama Rose from Gypsy! Does that count as a valid choice, since Sondheim only wrote the lyrics and not also the music? I'm a people pleaser, scared to take chances - scared of upsetting the applecart kind of person. Mama Rose is like a steam engine barreling down the track. She knows what she wants and doesn't care how or what she needs to do to get it. She isn't afraid of anyone. Doesn't see her own limitations, or if she does, she certainly doesn't let them paralyze her. I want to know what that feels like at least once in my life. Oh yeah...and she's got some really great songs!"
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"I am most looking forward to performing the group numbers. Sondheim’s harmonies with the singing and the orchestra are masterful."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"I find Sondheim about as tricky to remember as Shakespeare. At first, it may seem difficult and impossible, but once I have it down, I can’t forget it. Everything is done with purpose, so when I understand the purpose it is hard to imagine the song and text any other way."
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it be?
"Do you, personally, consider your life to have been a success?"
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
"It is hard to pin down a favorite of mine, they all vastly speak to me in different ways. I guess if I had to state which one I enjoy watching the most and I think has the most genius behind it, it would be Sweeney Todd. The story points out a lot of the faults in humanity while giving explanation and thought into someone we may just dismiss as being insane. It is a very dark show, but it has a balance of comedic elements. As far as the score is concerned, it can’t be beat."
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"I could probably list about ten right now, but the one that keeps coming to the top of my head is “No More” from Into the Woods. The two leads of the show, the baker and his wife, have gone through so much trouble in getting the one thing they want, a child. At the point in the show where the baker needs to sing this, his wife has just died and he made an impulsive decision to abandon his baby. He is at the end of his rope and has given up on life. But through advice from a ghostly figure (which could be fate, maybe with a touch of his subconscious), he stops to remind himself of his journey in life and dwelling on the past does nothing for your future, fearing your future does nothing for the present, and ignoring the present will cause regret in the past. So instead of saying no more to the troubles life will bring, he concludes that he will say no more to ignoring his new journey ahead. This speaks volumes to me, and has helped me through many of life's difficult moments."
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be and why?
"George in Sunday in the Park with George. The show is about how an artist escapes from his life when producing his art, and the difficulties of getting reassembled in that life after a project is finished. It also deals with what that does to his relationships with people and how lost and alone he can feel. The music is absolutely stunning and the message is beautiful."
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"I'm looking forward to... the challenging music! Yes, I said it. I'm a musician originally and was even going to major in Performance Flute. Sondheim writes as if the vocalists are using their voices as instruments. It's great fun creating this music with such talented performers."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"The songs and lyrics are not necessarily difficult to remember, but they can be difficult to sing. We definitely have to warm up with some "red leather, yellow leather" beforehand to prepare. Another challenging aspect would be keeping track of all the time and key signatures. I focus on the downbeat and the key changes in the orchestra as much as I possibly can in order to stay on track."
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it be?
"Since Stephen Sondheim is in favor of collaboration, I would ask him if whether or not he would be open to another composer taking one of the lesser popular shows of his and reworking it with their own ideas although they may be contradictory to his original vision."
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
"It would be a tie between Sweeney Todd and Into The Woods. They both explore the motives behind the darkness in humanity and how important compassion is in our lives to prevent our own destruction. Plus, I met my husband Matt in a production of Sweeney Todd, and it has always been a special show for me however gruesome it might be."
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"This is a tough call, but I would have to say "A Little Priest." I think the satire of it really opens the audience up to see how quickly the characters can justify these actions, although morally wrong."
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be and why?
"It may be cliché, but it would have to be the Witch from Into The Woods. I adore the depth of her character and imagining her backstory, the prequel to Into The Woods if you will. 'That's another story, never mind, anyway...' "
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"Just trying my hand at these great songs! There’s always a creative process of analysis and interpretation in performance, but Sondheim material is an actor’s dream because it gives you a lot to work with. You’re able to spend more time working within the material than trying to justify it."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"Lyrics! So many words! The first time singing through the show off-book is kind of like vomiting alphabet soup. However, musically speaking I enjoy the oddities of Sondheim. It’s not an easy sight-read, but once you know where a piece is going it’s actually a lot of fun living in it. I actually think the most challenging aspect of the show is not the music sung but the synchronization of that music with media, dialogue, and live orchestra."
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it be?
"Coke or Pepsi?"
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
"I’ve always loved Sweeney Todd. It lives in the grey area between good and bad, exploring human nature with a cynical eye but also a great sense of satire. And the music is some of my favorite, for sure."
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"Not a fair question. BUT I love “No One Is Alone” from Into the Woods."
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be and why?
"I think I’d like to play Dot in Sunday in the Park with George. Also anything in Assassins. And maybe either prince from Into the Woods because they basically get to be unapologetically ridiculous the whole show."
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"I'm looking forward to the ensemble collaboration between all of the actors and Sondheim himself! The real treat of this show is playing many different characters and getting to work with each brilliant cast member on an individual and personal level."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"A lot of my current vocal repertoire features opera arias that repeat the same text over and over with different melodies. Sondheim is the exact opposite, subtly switching up words here and there to provide the actor with more subtext and emotional expression. Remembering all those words is a beast! The score includes mash-ups of several songs, and sometimes it's difficult to keep track of!"
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it be?
"What do you value most in your favorite actors and singers?"
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
"This may seem cliche especially with the recent Disney movie, but I adore Into the Woods. I'm a sucker for fantasy and fairytales, and the show is a beautiful analogy of life itself with lessons for everyone!"
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"I have to pick one?! Well in this show I'd have to say "Opening Doors." Rhythmically it keeps me on my toes and personally I think it resonates with me the most, just trying to make it and doing anything to get to that 'faraway shore'."
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be and why?
"The Witch! She's gutsy, a girlboss, and she raps."
Sondheim on Sondheim includes dozens of songs from just about every musical he’s written and is both an analysis of his work as well as gives the audience a better understanding of Sondheim himself. What are you most looking forward to in this production of Sondheim on Sondheim?
"There are little nuances about Stephen Sondheim that are assumed about his work and his life. To get to perform the songs he's famous for and how simple his process is incredible to watch. I think the coolest part of the show is just learning why a song was chosen over another and what worked and didn't work for him."
Sondheim’s scores feature some amazing songs, but also include some very tricky music and lyrics. As a performer, do you find his songs hard to remember? Anything else that you are finding challenging about this production?
"In my opinion the lyrics are the easiest thing to remember because they're so brilliantly phrased. As a musician, the notes sometimes present challenges. But the more you practice, the more they start to make sense, it's almost alarming to the ear at first. All of us are experienced performers, so not being able to pick up a song immediately and have to spend hours to really nail is probably the most frustrating part."
In this production, video clips of Sondheim are interspersed throughout the entire show, so he in fact becomes another performer in the show that you share the stage with. If you could ask Stephen Sondheim one question, what would it be?
"Who was your favorite performer to work with and why? Who helped you get your point across the best or most easily?"
What is your favorite Sondheim musical? Why?
I've done Into the Woods twice and I've also done Company and both of them have very special places in my heart, however, as an artist I think his best work is Sunday in the Park with George just because of how important the themes radiate to my life.
What is your favorite Sondheim song?
"This is such a hard question, but I'm going to narrow it down to three. "Send in the Clowns" from A Little Night Music, because of the truth of the moment in its context and how difficult it is to perform as an actor. "Beautiful," from Sunday in the Park with George, because of the high stakes and the powerful lyrics that challenge our perception of beauty and the passing of time. And finally "Finishing the Hat," from Sunday in the Park with George, because it truly captures the struggle of an artist and his work. But mostly because all of these songs are so specific, every phrase challenges the audience and the performers."
If you can play any role in a Sondheim musical (either gender), what would it be and why?
"Unfortunately, I'm not the first to think of this, but I would love to be the Witch in Into the Woods, even as a man, it's such a fun, deep, interesting, amazing role."
For more information on Sondheim on Sondheim, CLICK HERE
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