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SONDHEIM WEEK: Sondheim Trivia

By: Apr. 19, 2010
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Stephen Sondheim is widely acknowledged as the most innovative, most influential, and most important composer and lyricist in modern Broadway history. He is the winner of an Academy Award, numerous Tony Awards, multiple Grammy Awards and a Pulitzer Prize. Some of his other accolades include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors (1993), the National Medal of Arts (1996), the American Academy of Arts and Letters' Gold Medal for Music (2006) and a special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre (2008).

His extensive body of work has revolutionized the musical theatre canon and has made him perhaps the greatest stage composer of the last 100 years. Sondheim's musical sophistication, which combines intricate vocal lines and inventive harmonies with intelligent lyrics and subject matter, is an ability that is unmatched by many of his musical theatre peers. Simply put, he is a legend.

Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for Road Show (2008), Passion (1994), Assassins (1991), Into the Woods (1987), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sweeney Todd (1979), Pacific Overtures (1976), The Frogs (1974), A Little Night Music (1973), Follies (1971; revised in London, 1987), Company (1970), Anyone Can Whistle (1964) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), as well as the lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965) and additional lyrics for Candide (1997). Side by Side by Sondheim (1976), Marry Me a Little (1981), You're Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983) and Putting It Together (1993/99) are anthologies of his work, as is the new musical Sondheim on Sondheim. He composed the film scores of Stavisky (1974) and Reds (1981) and songs for Dick Tracy (Academy Award, 1990). He also wrote songs for the television production "Evening Primrose" (1966), co-authored, with Anthony Perkins, the film The Last of Sheila (1973) and, with George Furth, the play Getting Away with Murder (1996), and provided incidental music for the plays The Girls of Summer (1956), Invitation to a March (1961) and Twigs (1971). He won Tony Awards for Best Score for a Musical for Passion, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Follies and Company. All of these shows won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, as did Pacific Overtures and Sunday in the Park with George, the latter also receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Saturday Night (1954), his first professional musical, finally had its New York premiere in 1999 at Second Stage Theatre.

BroadwayWorld is proud to present a look at the extensive work
of Stephen Sondheim on Broadway!

Click here to see Sondheim's Broadway Credits, 1956-1981
Click here to see Sondheim's Broadway Credits, 1984-Current


Broadway's Most Frequent Sondheim Performers
Angela Lansbury 6 "Cora Hoover Hooper" in Anyone Can Whistle - Original Broadway Production (1964)
  "Performer" in Sondheim: A Musical Tribute - Concert [Broadway] (1973)
  "Rose" in Gypsy - Broadway Production (1974)
  "Mrs. Lovett" in Sweeney Todd - Original Broadway Production (1979)
  "Performer" in Short Talks on the Universe - Special Benefit Production (2002)
  "Madame Armfeldt" in A Little Night Music - Broadway Revival (2009)
     
Merle Louise 6 "Thelma" & "June" in Gypsy - Original Broadway Production (1959)
  "Susan" in Company - Original Broadway Production (1970)
  "Beggar Woman" in Sweeney Todd - Original Broadway Production (1979)
  "Cinderella's Mother/Giant/Grandmother" in Into The Woods - Original Broadway Production (1987)
  "Susan" in Company - Reunion Concert (1993)
  "Cinderella's Mother/Giant/Grandmother" in Into The Woods - Reunion Concert (1997)
     
Barbara Cook 5 "Performer" in Barbara Cook: A Concert for the Theatre - Concert [Broadway]  (1987)
  "Performer" in Mostly Sondheim - Original Broadway Production (2001)
  "Performer" in Barbara Cook's Broadway! - Concert [Broadway] (2004)
  "Performer" in Children And Art - Stephen Sondheim Tribute Benefit (2005)
  "Performer" in Sondheim on Sondheim - Roundabout Production (2010)
     
Alexander Gemignani 5 "John Hinckley" in Assassins - Roundabout Revival (2004)
  "Private Augenti" in Passion - 10th Anniversary Concert (2004)
  "Performer" in Children and Art - Stephen Sondheim Tribute Benefit (2005)
  "The Beadle" in Sweeney Todd - Broadway Revival (2005)
  "Boatman/Dennis" in Sunday in the Park with George - Roundabout Revival (2008)
     
Larry Kert 5 "Tony" in West Side Story - Original Broadway Production (1957)
  "Tony" in West Side Story - Return Engagement [Broadway] (1960)
  "Robert" in Company - Original Broadway Production (1970)
  "Performer" in Sondheim: A Musical Tribute - Concert [Broadway] (1973)
  "Performer" in Side by Side by Sondheim - Broadway Production (1977)
     
Patti LuPone 5 "Host" in Company - Reunion Concert (1993)
  "Performer" in Patti LuPone: Matters of the Heart - Original Broadway Production (2000)
  "Performer" in Children and Art - Stephen Sondheim Tribute Benefit (2005)
  "Mrs. Lovett" in Sweeney Todd - Broadway Revival (2005)
  "Rose" in Gypsy - Broadway Revival (2008)
Tony Awards Won For Sondheim Shows 
    Total: 75 Awards Received  
       
Best Actor in a Musical 1963 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Zero Mostel
  1972 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Phil Silvers
1979 Sweeney Todd Len Cariou
1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway Jason Alexander
1996 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Nathan Lane
       
Best Actress in a Musical 1972 Follies Alexis Smith
  1973 A Little Night Music Glynis Johns
1975 Gypsy Angela Lansbury
1979 Sweeney Todd Angela Lansbury
1988 Into the Woods Joanna Gleason
1990 Gypsy Tyne Daly
1994 Passion Donna Murphy
2008 Gypsy Patti LuPone
       
Best Actress in a Play 1972 Twigs Sada Thompson
       
Best Author of a Musical 1963 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
       
Best Book of a Musical 1971 Company George Furth
  1973 A Little Night Music Hugh Wheeler
1979 Sweeney Todd Hugh Wheeler
1988 Into the Woods James Lapine
1994 Passion James Lapine
       
Best Choreography 1958 West Side Story Jerome Robbins
  1972 Follies Michael Bennett
       
Best Costume Design 1972 Follies Florence Klotz
  1973 A Little Night Music Florence Klotz
1976 Pacific Overtures Florence Klotz
1979
Sweeney Todd Franne Lee
1997 Candide Judith Dolan
       
Best Direction of a Musical
1963
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
George Abbott

1971
Company
Harold Prince
1972 Follies
Harold Prince and Michael Bennett
1979
Sweeney Todd
Harold Prince
1989
Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Jerome Robbins
2004
Assassins
Joe Mantello
2006 Sweeney Todd
John Doyle

     
Best Featured Actor in a Musical
1963
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum David Burns
  1972 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Larry Blyden
1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway Scott Wise
2004 Assassins Michael Cerveris
2008 Gypsy Boyd Gaines
       
Best Featured Actress in a Musical 1973 A Little Night Music Patricia Elliott
  1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway Debbie Shapiro
2008 Gypsy Laura Benanti
2009 West Side Story Karen Olivo
       
Best Lighting Design 1972 Follies Tharon Musser
  1984 Sunday in the Park with George Richard Nelson
1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway Jennifer Tipton
2002 Into the Woods Brian MacDevitt
2004 Assassins Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer
       
Best Lyrics
1971 Company Stephen Sondheim
       
Best Musical 1963 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum  
  1971 Company  
1973 A Little Night Music  
1979 Sweeney Todd  
1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway  
1994 Passion  
       
Best Orchestrations 2004 Assassins Michael Starobin
  2006 Sweeney Todd Sarah Travis
       
Best Original Score 1971 Company Stephen Sondheim
  1972 Follies Stephen Sondheim
1973 A Little Night Music Stephen Sondheim
1979 Sweeney Todd Stephen Sondheim
1988 Into the Woods Stephen Sondheim
1994 Passion Stephen Sondheim
       
Best Producer of a Musical 1963 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Harold Prince
       
Best Revival 1990 Gypsy  
       
Best Revival of a Musical 2002 Into the Woods  
  2004 Assassins
2007 Company
       
Best Scenic Design 1958 West Side Story Oliver Smith
  1971 Company Boris Aronson
1972 Follies Boris Aronson
1976 Pacific Overtures Boris Aronson
1979 Sweeney Todd Eugene Lee
1984 Sunday in the Park with George Tony Straiges
       
Best Special Theatrical Event 2002 Elaine Stritch At Liberty  
       

 

Most Frequently Used Theatres
Winter Garden Theatre
Previously Named: Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre,  Winter Garden Theatre
Address: 1634 Broadway, New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 6

West Side Story - Original Broadway Production: 9/26/1957 - 2/28/1959
West Side Story - Original Broadway Production: 5/11/1959 - 6/27/1959
West Side Story - Return Engagement  [Broadway]: 4/27/1960 - 10/22/1960
Follies - Original Broadway Production: 3/24/1971 - 7/1/1972
Gypsy - Broadway Production: 9/19/1974 - 1/4/1975
Pacific Overtures - Original Broadway Production: 12/31/1975 - 6/27/1976
 
Neil Simon Theatre
Previously Named: Alvin Theatre
Address: 250 W. 52nd St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 5

West Side Story - Return Engagement [Broadway]: 10/24/1960 - 12/10/1960
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Original Broadway Production: 5/1/1962 - 3/7/1964
Company - Original Broadway Production: 4/26/1970 - 1/1/1972
Merrily We Roll Along - Original Broadway Production: 10/1/1981 - 11/28/1981
Elaine Stritch At Liberty - Broadway Transfer: 2/6/2002 - 5/27/2002
 
Vivian Beaumont Theatre
Address: 150 W. 65th St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 5

Company - Reunion Concert: 4/11/1993 - 4/12/1993
Patti LuPone: Matters of the Heart - Original Broadway Production: 10/15/2000 - 12/17/2000
Mostly Sondheim - Original Broadway Production: 12/30/2001 - 8/25/2002
Barbara Cook's Broadway! - Concert [Broadway]: 3/19/2004 - 4/18/2004
The Frogs - Original Broadway Production: 6/22/2004 - 10/10/2004
 
ST. James Theatre
Previously Named: Erlanger's Theatre
Address: 246 W. 44th St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 4

Gypsy - Broadway Revival: 10/27/1989 - 1/6/1991
Sunday in the Park with George - Reunion Concert: 5/15/1994 - 5/15/1994
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Broadway Revival: 3/18/1996 - 1/4/1998
Gypsy - Broadway Revival: 3/3/2008 - 1/11/2009
 
Studio 54
Previously Named: Studio 54 (Nightclub), CBS Studio No. 52, CBS Radio Playhouse No. 4, New Yorker Theatre, Federal Music Theatre, Palladium Theatre, Casino de Paris, New Yorker Theatre, Gallo Opera House
Address: 254 W. 54th St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 4

Assassins - Roundabout Revival: 3/31/2004 - 7/18/2004
Pacific Overtures - Roundabout Revival: 11/12/2004 - 1/30/2005
Sunday in the Park with George - Roundabout Revival: 1/25/2008 - 6/29/2008
Sondheim on Sondheim - Roundabout Production: 3/19/2010 - Currently Running
 
Broadhurst Theatre
Address: 235 W. 44th St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 3

Twigs - Original Broadway Production: 11/9/1971 - 1/3/1972
Getting Away With Murder - Original Broadway Production: 2/20/1996 - 3/31/1996
Into the Woods - Broadway Revival: 4/13/2002 - 12/29/2002
 
Majestic Theatre
Address: 247 W. 44th St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 3

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Original Broadway Production: 5/11/1964 - 8/29/1964
Anyone Can Whistle - Original Broadway Production: 3/24/1964 - 4/11/1964
A Little Night Music - Original Broadway Production: 9/17/1973 - 8/3/1974
 
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
Previously Named: Plymouth Theatre
Address: 236 W. 45th St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 3

Twigs - Original Broadway Production: 1/5/1972 - 7/23/1972
Passion - Original Broadway Production: 3/24/1994 - 1/7/1995
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life - Original Broadway Production: 11/23/2005 - 2/19/2006
 
Shubert Theatre
Address: 225 W. 44th St., New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 3

A Little Night Music - Original Broadway Production: 2/15/1973 - 9/15/1973
Sondheim: A Musical Tribute - Concert [Broadway]: 3/11/1973 - 3/11/1973
Gypsy - Broadway Revival: 3/31/2003 - 5/30/2004
 
Broadway Theatre
Previously Named: Broadway Theatre, Cine Roma, B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre, Broadway Theatre, Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre, B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre, Universal's Colony Theatre, B.S. Moss's Colony Theatre
Address: 1681 Broadway, New York, NY

Sondheim show runs: 3

West Side Story - Original Broadway Production: 3/2/1959 - 5/10/1959
Gypsy - Original Broadway Production: 5/19/1959 - 7/9/1960
Into the Woods - Reunion Concert: 11/9/1997 - 11/9/1997
 
Click here to see Sondheim's Broadway Credits, 1956-1981
Click here to see Sondheim's Broadway Credits, 1984-Current



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