RIALTO CHATTER: Sondheim's COMPANY Headed to Big Screen?

The Broadway revival of Company directed by John Doyle in 2006, arouse the interest of the film and theater director Neil LaBute, who is now considering bringing Stephen Sondheim's musical to the big screen.

The latest work of LaBute, was In A Forest, Dark And Deep, a black comedy written by himself to star Matthew Fox and Olivia Williams. At the play's press launch, LaBute told press that he's had discussions with Sondheim about a possible film version of his 1970 musical. LaBute reportedly described the show as "Carnal Knowledge, with songs." 

Company, is one of Stephen Sondheim's most beloved musical classics and his first commercial success. The show was directed by Hal Prince and awarded with the New York Drama Critics' Award and six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Music, Best Lyrics and Best Book. Neil LaBute (Playwright/Director) received his Master of Fine Arts degree in dramatic writing from New York University and was the recipient of a literary fellowship to study at The Royal Court Theatre. Films include In the Company of Men (New York Critics Circle Award for Best First Feature, Filmmakers' Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival), Your Friends and Neighbors, Nurse Betty, Possession, The Shape of Things - a film adaptation of his play by the same title - The Wicker Man, Lakeview Terrace and Death at a Funeral. Plays include bash: reasons to be pretty, latter-day plays, The Shape of Things, The Distance From Here, The Mercy Seat, Autobahn, This Is How It Goes, Some Girl(s), Wrecks, In a Dark Dark House, Helter Skelter, The Furies and The War on Terror. LaBute is the author of several fictional pieces that have been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar and Playboy, among others. A collection of his short stories was published by Grove/Atlantic.