Stephen Sondheim
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
In a 1998 biogrpahy by Meryle Secrest, Sondheim openly discussed his homosexuality.
Sondheim received a 1996 National Medal of Freedom from the National Endowment for the Arts; he had declined the same honor in 1992 citing the climate of censorship and repression surrounding the NEA.
Biography
Stephen Sondheim is arguably the most important theatrical composer-lyricist in the latter half of the Twentieth Century. Building on the framework created by such early musical theater figures as Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, he has been responsible for redefining stage musicals in the last three decades. Subjects that were not considered viable (i.e., the opening of Japan to the West, a Victorian murder-revenge story) have in Sondheim's hands become groundbreaking shows that have moved the American musical forward. While Broadway no longer reflects American popular music (in the way that Tin Pan Alley songs of the early half of this century did), Sondheim's shows occupy a special place. He has transcended cult status to challenge audiences' expectations and as Broadway has moved toward spectacle (notably the shows of Andrew Lloyd Webber), his shows have become more intimate.
The only son of a dress manufacturer and a dress designer, Sondheim moved with his mother to Pennsylvania when his parents divorced in 1940. They lived near famed lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II who became a surrogate father and mentor to the youth. Sondheim has described as incident where he delivered a script of some 200 pages for a musical. With dreams of becoming the youngest produced composer, he asked Hammerstein to treat it as a submission. While Hammerstein rejected the script, he spent one afternoon explaining how to fashion a musical to the neophyte. Sondheim has later claimed that he learned more in that time than in his entire schooling.
While attending Williams College, he continued to hone his craft, contributing material to the schools variety shows. After graduation, he went on to study composition with Milton Babbitt. In the early 1950s, he secured a job as a writer on the TV series "Topper" but left to return to NYC and a career in the theater. He completed the score for "Saturday Night" (1954), adapted from a play by Julius and Philip Epstein, but the show's producer died and with him the show. Sondheim contributed the incidental music to "The Girls of Summer" (1956) before being tapped to join Arthur Laurents and Leonard Bernstein in writing "West Side Story" (1957). Sondheim balked originally as he fancied himself more a composer, but he relented and created lyrics that were reminiscent of those of Lorenz Hart, Berlin and Porter. Adapted from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," "West Side Story," in its stage incarnation, won more attention for Jerome Robbins' choreography. It took the 1961 film version to help popularize the musical. Sondheim displayed what was to become his trademark in lyrics, clever language, internal and unexpected rhymes. The patter of a song like "Gee, Officer Krupke" with its smart humor was contrasted with the directly emotional, yet not sappy, "One Hand, One Heart."
Two years later, goaded by Hammerstein, Sondheim once again accepted a lyric writing job. Teaming with Jule Styne, the duo fashioned a star vehicle for Ethel Merman. The result, "Gypsy," has become accepted as THE American musical, a perfect blend of book, lyrics and music. Essentially a backstage story of the quintessential stage mother, the show contains many now-classic numbers, like "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Some People" and the show-stopping "Rose's Turn." Over the years, the musical has provided a showcase for talents as varied as Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bette Midler.
In 1962, Sondheim had his first success as both composer and lyricist with the witty and bouncy score for "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." A throwback to vaudeville, based on the low comedy of Plautus, "Forum" was propelled by Larry Gelbart's farcical book, Sondheim's delightful, accessible score (including "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid") and a star turn by Zero Mostel. It has remained the most successful of Sondheim's shows, running for over 600 performances. Richard Lester's 1966 feature version has dated badly and was a forced effort, wasting such comic geniuses as Buster Keaton, Jack Gilford and Phil Silvers. Silvers had better luck reviving the show in 1972, assuming the Mostel role of Pseudolus, a slave who desires his freedom. A 1996 revival earned Nathan Lane a Tony Award and he in turn was succeeded by Whoopi Goldberg, for whom only minimal changes were made.
The Sondheim show with the shortest run remains "Anyone Can Whistle" (1964) which featured some of his most soaring ballads, including "With So Little to Be Sure Of" and the title song. He went on to collaborate with Richard Rodgers on the disastrous "Do I Hear a Waltz?" (1964), adapted by Arthur Laurents from his play "The Time of the Cuckoo." The collaboration took its toll on Sondheim and it was six years before he returned to Broadway. When he did, it was with the landmark "Company" (1970), a non-linear, 'concept' musical. From a series of one-act plays by George Furth about marriage and relationships, director Harold Prince and Sondheim created a show as much about life in NYC as about love and commitment. The show earned critical raves, earned seven Tony Awards, including two for Sondheim's music and lyrics. The show has provided cabaret staples like "Being Alive," "Another Hundred People" and "The Ladies Who Lunch." The recording of its cast album was the subject of a documentary by D A Pennebaker ("Original Cast Album: Company").
Sondheim and Prince followed with "Follies" (1971), an examination of broken dreams set against a reunion of showgirls. Another concept musical, "Follies" allowed Sondheim to write a score filled with pastiche songs. Invoking composers from Irving Berlin ("Beautiful Girls") to Sigmund Romberg ("One More Kiss") to the Gershwins ("Losing My Mind"), Sondheim composed one of his most eclectic scores. There was much to recommend the production (Michael Bennett's dazzling choreography, the performances of leads Alexis Smith and Dorothy Collins, Boris Aronson's atmospheric sets and Prince's fluid, cinematic direction), but the show proved too costly and lost money, despite its seven Tony Awards (including one for Sondheim's score). An all-star concert version was staged at NYC's Lincoln Center in 1985 (and aired the following year on PBS) and a revised version played London in 1987 (starring Daniel Massey and Diana Rigg).
As a follow-up, Prince and Sondheim created a musical adapted from Ingmar Bergman's 1955 comedy "Smiles of a Summer Night." With a book by Hugh Wheeler, "A Little Night Music" (1973) offered Sondheim the opportunity to further challenge himself. The entire score was written in 3/4 time; it is believed to be the only Broadway musical whose score is composed entirely of waltzes. Featuring a dream cast of Len Cariou, Glynis Johns, Hermione Gingold and Patricia Elliott, the show swept that year's Tony Awards, earning Sondheim his fourth in three years. It also produced what is probably the composer-lyricist's best-known song, "Send in the Clowns." Prince attempted to transfer the show to film in 1978, but even the presence of Elizabeth Taylor (demonstrating a limited but pleasant voice) couldn't help.
The next two Prince-Sondheim shows advanced the 'concept' musical, "Pacific Overtures" (1976), about the efforts to open Japan to Western influences, and "Sweeney Todd" (1979), about a convict bent on revenge. The former included many numbers influenced by Eastern influences, including the haiku-like "Poems" and the epic "Someone in a Tree." "Pacific Overtures" owed much to kabuki and in a highly theatrical move had all roles (male and female) played by men. Despite critical acclaim, it was overshadowed that season by Kander and Ebb's "Chicago" and the landmark "A Chorus Line." "Sweeney Todd," however, made palatable a story that included murder, cannibalism and revenge. A dark story based on Christopher Bond's play (adapted by Hugh Wheeler), the show again Sondheim room to explore various musical genres from operetta ("Johanna") to English musical hall ("By the Sea") to patter songs ("A Little Priest"). The show won eight Tonys, including Best Musical, Score (Sondheim), Actor (Len Cariou) and Actress (Angela Lansbury). Lansbury was tapped to reprise her role, opposite George Hearn (who headlined the national tour), in Terry Hughes' TV version in 1982.
Sondheim and Prince parted company after the failure of "Merrily We Roll Along" (1981), based on the George S Kaufman-Moss Hart play. A problematic piece told in reverse chronology, the original production suffered somewhat from its youthful casting. Containing what many feel is Sondheim's best score (including two beautiful ballads "Not a Day Goes By" and "Good Thing Going"), the show has been variously revised over the years, but the essential problem of its backwards structure has not been licked. Sondheim went on to embark on a fruitful collaboration with James Lapine, yielding the Pulitzer-winning "Sunday in the Park with George" (1984), a mediation on the creation and acceptance of art. The score is somewhat atonal, but like the pointillist paintings of its protagonist Georges Seurat, the motifs of the score come together. The original production (starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters) was filmed and aired first on Showtime and later PBS in 1986. Additionally, the Lapine-Sondheim collaboration has produced "Into the Woods" (1987), based on conventional fairy tales and posing the question of what "happily ever after" really means. Again, the original production, with such cast members as Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason and Chip Zien was filmed. Their most recent work was the 1994 Tony-winner "Passion." Adapted from Ettore Scola's "Passion d'Amore" (1981), the musical centered on a sickly woman who obsessively loves an army officer in a riff on the beauty and the beast tale. The 1996 TV version recreated the Broadway production, but proved even more moving as the camerawork highlighted the performances, particularly that of lead Donna Murphy. In 2004 Sondheim's "Assassins" led all shows with five Tony trophies, including best musical revival.
Sondheim has also contributed fine music to a handful of films, including Alain Resnais' "Stavisky" (1974) and two Warren Beatty-directed features, the panoramic "Reds" (1981) and "Dick Tracy" (1990). For the latter, he contributed several songs, including the Oscar-winning "Sooner or Later."
Since the 1960s, Sondheim has shown a Joycean fascination with language. He was instrumental in popularizing the British crossword puzzle in the USA in the late 60s. In 1973, he co-wrote (with actor Anthony Perkins) the comic mystery "The Last of Sheila." Both dialogue and mise-en-scene are replete with puns, anagrams and other alliterative word plays. The solution to the mystery is itself semiotic. The film remains one of the most significant inside jokes ever played on the movie-going public.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Music (Special)
Misc. Crew (Special)
Life Events
1940
At age ten, moved with mother to Pennsylvania after parents' separation; neighbor Oscar Hammerstein II served as mentor
1953
Wrote for the CBS TV series, "Topper"
1954
Wrote first musical score, "Saturday Night"; show was optioned for production, but the producer died before funding had been raised; project was shelved until a 1997 production at London's Bridewell Theatre; received a professional recording in 1998
1956
First professional stage work, composed incidental music for "Girls of Summer"
1957
Wrote lyrics to Broadway show, "West Side Story"; adapted into a film in 1961
1959
Only original teleplay produced, "In an Early Winter"
1960
Contributed to the CBS special "The Fabulous 50s"
1962
Wrote lyrics and music for "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"; adapted into a film in 1966
1966
Composed and wrote lyrics for first TV score, "Evening Primrose"
1970
First collaboration with Harold Prince as director, "Company"; recording of the cast album was the subject of D. A. Pennebaker's documentary
1972
Wrote the score for the cult musical "Follies"
1973
With Anthony Perkins, co-wrote first original screenplay, "The Last of Sheila"; directed by Herbert Ross
1974
Composed first original film score, "Stavisky"
1974
TV acting debut in a PBS' production of "June Moon"
1976
First stage revue based on his work, "Side by Side by Sondheim"
1976
Wrote song "I Never Do Anything Twice/The Madam's Song" for the Herbert Ross-directed film "The Seven Per Cent Solution"
1977
Wrote new songs for the Harold Prince directed film adaption of the Tony-winning musical, "A Little Night Music"
1979
Wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical, "Sweeney Todd"; final collaboration with book writer Hugh Wheeler
1981
Contributed to the score of Warren Beatty's "Reds"
1981
Last collaboration to date with Prince, "Merrily We Roll Along"
1981
Stage revue, "Marry Me a Little"; included songs cut from various productions; show assembled by Craig Lucas
1982
First TV adaption of one of his musicals, "Sweeney Todd"; aired on The Entertainment Channel; later rebroadcast on PBS
1984
First collaboration with James Lapine, "Sunday in the Park With George"; received Pulitzer Prize in Drama
1985
An all-star concert version of "Follies" was performed at Lincoln Center; filmed for broadcast on PBS
1986
"Sunday in the Park With George" broadcast on PBS with the original cast
1987
Second collaboration with Lapine, "Into the Woods"
1987
A revised version of "Follies" opened in London's West End with Diana Rigg, Julia McKenzie and Daniel Massey
1990
Appointed first visiting professor of drama and musical theater at Oxford University
1990
The City Opera production of "A Little Night Music" aired on PBS' "Live From Lincoln Center"
1990
The controversial musical "Assassins" opened; main characters were all successful or would-be presidental assassins
1990
Provided the song score for Warren Beatty's feature "Dick Tracy"; won Oscar for song "Sooner or Later"
1992
Second stage revue of Sondheim work, "Putting It Together"; show marked the return to the stage of Julie Andrews
1992
Was subject of tribute, "Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall"; filmed for TV and aired in 1993 on PBS
1994
Third collaboration with James Lapine, "Passion"; based on Ettore Scola's 1981 film "Passione d'amore"
1995
Made debut as playwright, co-authoring "Getting Away With Murder" with George Furth
1996
Wrote several songs for Mike Nichols' feature "The Bird Cage"; most songs not used in the final cut
1998
Yet another revised version of "Follies" staged at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey
1999
Revised version of Off-Broadway revue "Putting It Together" starring Carol Burnett opened in L.A.; production re-staged (with some cast changes) on Broadway
1999
Workshop version of "Wise Guys" staged; directed by Sam Mendes; never transfer to Broadway
2000
Off-Broadway premiere of "Saturday Night" at the Second Stage Theatre
2001
First Broadway revival of "Follies" produced under auspices of Roundabout Theater
2001
The Kennedy Center devoted entire season to works
2002
Broadway revival of "Into the Woods"
2004
Tony award winning Broadway revival of Sondheim's "Assassins"
2008
Broadway revival of "Sunday in the Park with George"
2010
Earned two Grammy nominations for Best Musical Show Album as the lyricist for "A Little Night Music" and "Sondheim On Sondheim"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
In a 1998 biogrpahy by Meryle Secrest, Sondheim openly discussed his homosexuality.
Sondheim received a 1996 National Medal of Freedom from the National Endowment for the Arts; he had declined the same honor in 1992 citing the climate of censorship and repression surrounding the NEA.
"I love to write in dark colors about gut feelings." --Stephen Sondheim in The New York Times Magazine, April 1, 1990.
"I like neurotic people. I like troubled people. Not that I don't like squared-away people, but I prefer neurotic people. What 'neurotic people' means to me is people with conflicts. And that's like saying I like to write about character. I don't like to write about oversimplified people unless it's for something like farce, like 'Forum'. Songs can't develop uncomplicated characters or unconflicted people. You can't just tell the sunny side and have a story with any richness to it. Good drama is the study of human passions." --Stephen Sondheim in The New York Times Magazine, April 1, 1990.
There is a magazine, The Sondheim Review, devoted to the works of the composer-lyricist.
There is an Internet website devoted to Sondheim at www.sondheim.com.
