“One of the greatest American composers, clearly the greatest lyricist — and, by virtue of those two rarely linked greatnesses, the essential musical dramatist of our time…leaving a life’s outpouring of rapturous, hilarious, gorgeous and tortuous song in his wake…”
-Jesse Green, NYT 11/26/21
Much has been written and broadcast about the genius of Stephen Sondheim since his death last week at age 91. It is fair to say that everyone who has been involved with lyric theatre since 1950 has been significantly effected by his genius. I’m one of millions, but I offer the following selected personal experiences.
The very first Broadway musical that I saw on a Broadway stage in New York City was Sondheim’s A Little Night Music with the original cast in 1973. I was 21 years old and I was enthralled by the words, music, and production. It remains my favorite musical.
During the Spring of 1988, I was in NYC and saw Into the Woods at the J.Martin Beck Theatre starring Phylicia Rashad as The Witch. It had opened the preceding November. For context, Sweeney Todd had opened in 1980 and by 1988, Sondheim had distilled his musical style that resulted in a more angular, repetitive, quasi-minimalist melodic one than the sophisticated waltzes of A Little Night Music.
Fortunately, for 45 years, I found myself in positions to be involved with several productions of works by Sondheim. Please indulge me, and enjoy the selected lyrics.
A Little Night Music
Musical Director, Pit Conductor; Faculty/Student production at Austin Peay State University, 1980
Stage Director; Faculty/Student production at The Ohio State University, 1992
Producer; stage direction by Paul Curran; Faculty/Student production, at The Ohio State University, 2003
Side by Side by Sondheim
Musical Director, Stage Director, Producer; Student production at The Ohio State University, 1995
Sweeney Todd
Executive Director; A. Scott Parry, Producing Artistic Director; Student production at The Ohio State University, 2016
A Little Night Music
Marjorie Stephens, Desiree; Dean Hardesty, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm;
"Perpetual" Sunset by Mary Tarantino;
OSU 1992
It Would Have Been Wonderful
If she'd only been faded, if she'd only been fat If she'd only been jaded and bursting with chat If she'd only been perfectly awful It would have been wonderful If, if, if she'd been on a twitter or elusively cold If she'd only been bitter or better, looked passably old If she'd been covered with glitter or even been covered with mold It would have been wonderful But the woman was perfection to my deepest dismay Well, not quite perfection, I'm sorry to say If the woman were perfection, she would go away And that would be wonderful If she'd only looked flustered or admitted the worst If she only had blustered or simpered or cursed If she weren't so awfully perfect It would have been wonderful If, if, if she'd tried to be clever, if she'd started to flinch If she'd cried or whatever, a woman would do in a pinch If I'd been certain she never again could be trusted an inch It would have been wonderful But the woman was perfection, not an action denied The kind of perfection I cannot abide If the woman were perfection, she'd have simply lied Which would have been wonderful If she'd only been vicious, if she'd acted abused Or a bit too delicious, or been even slightly confused If she had only been sulky or bristling, or bulky, or bruised It would have been wonderful If, if, if she'd only been willful, if she only had fled Or a little less skillful, insulted, insisting in bed If she had only been fearful or married, or tearful, or dead It would have been wonderful.
Noelle Woods, Countess Charlotte Malcolm; Julia Kogan, Anne Egerman;
OSU 1992
CHARLOTTE:
Every day a little death In the parlor, in the bed In the curtains, in the silver In the buttons, in the bread Every day a little sting In the heart and in the head Every move and every breath And you hardly feel a thing Brings a perfect little death He smiles sweetly Strokes my hair, says he misses me I would murder him right there But first I die He talks softly of his wars And his horses and his whores I think love's a dirty business So do I, so do I
Men are stupid, men are vain Love's disgusting, love's insane A humiliating business Oh, how true....
Maureen McKay as Anne Egerman; Maureen's many successes can be found at: http://maureenmckay.com/biography.html
OSU 2003
ANNE: Soon, I promise, Soon, I won't shy away, Dear old-- Soon, I want to. Soon, whatever you say. Even now, When you're close and we touch, And you're kissing my brow, I don't mind it too much. And you'll have to admit I'm endearing, I help keep things humming, I'm not domineering-- What's one small shortcoming? And think of how I adore you, Think of how much you love me. If I were perfect for you, Wouldn't you tire of me Soon, All too soon, Dear old--
Ben Werth as Fredrik Egerman; Ben continues a successful operatic career in Europe and presently lives in Berlin.
OSU 2003
Now, as the sweet imbecilities
Tumble so lavishly
Onto her lap,
Now, there are two possibilities:
A, I could ravish her,
B, I could nap.
Say
It's the ravishment, then we see
The option
That follows, of course:
A,
The deployment of charm, or B,
The adoption
Of physical force.
Now, B might arouse her,
But if I assume
I trip on my trouser
Leg crossing the room...
Her hair getting tangled,
Her stays getting snapped,
My nerves would be jangled,
My energy sapped...
Removing her clothing
Would take me all day,
And her subsequent loathing
Would turn me away,
Which eliminates B
And which leaves us with A….
Maureen McKay as Anne Egerman; Michele Angelini as Henrik Egerman; Michele's many successes can be found at: http://www.micheleangelini.com/
OSU 2003
HENRIK: Later... When is later? All you ever hear is "Later, Henrik, Henrik, later." "Yes, we know, Henrik, Oh, Henrik, Everyone agrees, Henrik, Please, Henrik!" You have a thought you're fairly bursting with, A personal discovery or problem, and it's: "What's your rush, Henrik? Shush, Henrik! Goodness, how you gush, Henrik! Hush, Henrik!" You murmur: "I only-- It's just that--" "For God's sake, later, Henrik!" "Henrik... Who is Henrik? Oh, that lawyer's son, the one who mumbles. Short and boring, Yes, he's hardly worth ignoring, And who cares if he's all dammed--" I beg your pardon-- "Up inside?" As I've often stated, It's intolerable being tolerated. "Reassure Henrik, Poor Henrik. Henrik, you'll endure Being pure, Henrik." Though I've been born, I've never been! How can I wait around for later? I'll be ninety on my deathbead And the late, or, rather, later, Henrik Egerman. Doesn't anything begin?
Kara Speicher, Fredericka Armfeldt; Professor Emeritus Eileen Davis, Mme.Armfeldt; OSU 2003
Mme. Armfeldt: "The Midsummer night smiles three times. The first on the young who know nothing; the second on the fools, who love and know not why; and the third on the old, who know too much."
"To lose a husband, or a lover or two, during one's lifetime can be vexing - but to lose one's teeth is a catastrophe!"
OSU 1995
Side by Side by Sondheim
I Remember
I remember sky It was blue as ink Or at least I think I remember sky I remember snow Soft as feathers Sharp as thumb tacks Coming down like lint And it made you squint When the wind would blow And ice like vinyl On the streets Cold as silver White as sheets Rain like strings And changing things Like leaves I remember leaves Green as spearmint Crisp as paper I remember trees Bare as coat racks Spread like broken umbrellas And parks and bridges Ponds and zoos Ruddy faces Muddy shoes Light and noise and Bees and boys And days I remember days Or at least I try But as years go by They're sort of haze And the bluest ink Isn't really sky And at times I think I would gladly die For a day of sky
Sweeney Todd
Brian Hupp, Sweeney Todd; Emily Brand, Nellie Lovett
OSU 2016
[TODD] Ah, these are desperate times, Mrs. Lovett. Desperate measures are called for [MRS. LOVETT] Here we are now, hot out of the oven [TODD] What is that? [MRS. LOVETT] It's priest Have a little priest
[TODD] Is it any good? [MRS. LOVETT] Sir, it's too good, at least! Then again, they don't commit sins of the flesh So it's pretty fresh [TODD] Awful lot of fat [MRS. LOVETT] Only where it sat [TODD] Haven't you got poet, or something like that? [MRS. LOVETT] No, y'see, the trouble with poet is How do you know it's deceased? Try the priest!
[TODD] Mm, heavenly! Not as hearty as bishop, perhaps, but then not as bland as curate, either! [MRS. LOVETT] And good for business, too because it always leaves you wantin' more! Trouble is, we only get it on Sundays! Lawyer's rather nice [TODD] If it's for a price [MRS. LOVETT] Order something else, though, to follow Since no one should swallow it twice! [TODD] Anything that's lean? [MRS. LOVETT] Well, then, if you're British and loyal You might enjoy Royal Marine Anyway, it's clean Though of course, it tastes of wherever it's been! [TODD] Is that squire On the fire? [MRS. LOVETT] Mercy no, sir, look closer You'll notice it's grocer! [TODD] Looks thicker More like vicar! [MRS. LOVETT] No, it has to be grocer It's green! [TODD] The history of the world, my love [MRS. LOVETT] Save a lot of graves Do a lot of relatives favours! [TODD] Is those below serving those up above!
[TODD] But fortunately, it's also clear [MRS. LOVETT/TODD] That ev'rybody goes down well with beer! [MRS. LOVETT] Since marine doesn't appeal to you, how about... rear admiral? [TODD] Too salty. I prefer general [MRS. LOVETT] With, or without his privates? With is extra [TODD] What is that? [MRS. LOVETT] It's fop Finest in the shop Or we have some shepherd's pie peppered With actual shepherd on top! And I've just begun Here's the politician, so oily It's served with a doily Not one! [TODD] Put it on a bun Well, you never know if it's going to run! [MRS. LOVETT] Try the friar Fried, it's drier! [TODD] No, the clergy is really Too coarse and too mealy! [MRS. LOVETT] Then actor That's compacter! [TODD] Yes and always arrives overdone! I'll come again when you have judge on the menu! [MRS. LOVETT] Wait, true, we don't have judge... yet But we've got something you might fancy even better! [TODD] What is that? [MRS. LOVETT] Executioner! [TODD] Have charity towards the world, my pet! [MRS. LOVETT] Yes, yes, I know, my love! [TODD] We'll take the customers that we can get! [MRS. LOVETT] High-born and low, my love! [TODD] We'll not discriminate great from small! No, we'll serve anyone Meaning anyone! [MRS. LOVETT/TODD] And to anyone! At all!
Kate Merryman, Johanna Barker
OSU 2016
JOHANNA:
Green Finch and Linnet bird Nightingale, Blackbird How is it you sing? How can you jubilate Sitting in cages Never taking wing? Outside the sky waits Beckoning, beckoning Just beyond the bars How can you remain Staring at the rain Maddened by the stars? How is it you sing anything? How is it you sing? Green Finch and Linnet bird Nightingale, Blackbird How is it you sing? Whence comes this melody Constantly floating? Is it rejoicing or merely a loaming? Are you discussing? Or fussing Or simply dreaming? Are you crowing? Are you screaming? Ring dove and Robinet Is it for wages? Singing to be sold? Have you decided it's safer in cages Singing when you're told? My cage has many rooms Damask and dark Nothing there sings Not even my Lark Larks never will, you know When they're captive Teach me to be more adaptive Green Finch and Linnet bird Nightingale, Blackbird Teach me how to sing If I cannot fly Let me sing
Mark Thress, Anthony Hope
OSU 2016
[ANTHONY] I feel you, Johanna I feel you
I was half convinced I’d waken
Satisfied enough to dream you Happily I was mistaken Johanna
I’ll steal you, Johanna
I’ll steal you Do they think that walls could hide you? Even now, I'm at your window I am in the dark beside you Buried sweetly in your yellow hair! I feel you, Johanna And one day I'll steal you! Till I'm with you then, I'm with you there Sweetly buried in your yellow hair!
Lauren Doucet, Beggar Woman
OSU 2016
Bravo, Mr. Sondheim. Genius! RIP.
CPW
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