How well do you know Sunday in the Park with George? This insightful musical, inspired by the famous painting by Georges Seurat, combines art and drama to explore creativity across generations. Test your knowledge of this Pulitzer Prize-winning show that examines both the struggles and triumphs of artists. Dive into these fascinating trivia facts and see how many you can remember!
International Productions
- Mezzo TV aired a video registration of the 2013 Paris production of 'Sunday in the Park with George'.
- An audio registration of the 2013 Paris production of 'Sunday in the Park with George' at the Théâtre du Châtelet was broadcast on Radio France.
- The 2017 revival was so well-received that it prompted plans for a West End transfer, although it has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no new date set as of the end of 2023.
- The 2005 London revival of 'Sunday in the Park with George' at the Menier Chocolate Factory was highly successful, leading to a transfer to London's West End and several Olivier Award wins.
Musical Composition
- Leonard Bernstein, a renowned composer, upon seeing an early performance of the show, praised it as the most personal statement from Sondheim that he had heard.
- The 2005 London revival cast recording includes the original, extended version of the cut 'soldier song', 'The One on the Left'.
- A remastered version of the 1984 original Broadway cast recording was released in March 2007.
- The original 1984 Broadway cast recording of 'Sunday in the Park with George' released by RCA won the 1984 Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album.
- The musical's music and lyrics were created by the acclaimed composer Stephen Sondheim.
- The landmark painting at the center of the musical, 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte', utilizes the technique of pointillism, pioneered by Seurat.
- The second act of the musical fast forwards a century to 1984, linking the past with the present through the artistic legacy left by the character George's great-grandson.
Notable Tours
- Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell both reprised their roles in the 2008 Broadway revival after starring in the 2005 London production.
- The musical has been revived multiple times, including notable productions in 2005-06 in the UK and on Broadway in 2008 and 2017.
- Multiple productions of the musical have been mounted over the years, including notably at the Kennedy Center in 2002 and by Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2002 and 2012.
Production Facts
- The 2017 Broadway revival starred Jake Gyllenhaal and received glowing reviews for its limited run.
- The plot of Sunday in the Park with George features the 19th century and a contemporary setting, reflecting the challenges and artistic endeavors across generations.
- The Broadway production of Sunday in the Park with George opened in 1984, the same century mark after Georges Seurat began painting 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte' in 1884.
- Several 'Desperate Housewives' episodes are named after songs or lyrics from 'Sunday in the Park with George', including episodes titled 'Move On', 'Sunday in the Park with George', and 'Finishing the Hat'.
- In addition to its Pulitzer Prize, the musical has won two Tony Awards specifically for its design elements and received numerous Drama Desk Awards.
- The character George in the musical is a fictionalized version of Georges Seurat, who interacts with other characters in a park that comes to life on stage.
- The DVD and laserdisc of 'Sunday in the Park with George' were released by Image Entertainment on March 23, 1999, featuring full-length commentary by Sondheim, Lapine, Patinkin, and Peters.
- Warner Home Video released 'Sunday in the Park with George' on VHS on April 1, 1992.
- Sunday in the Park with George was adapted into a taped television broadcast in 1985 with most of the original Broadway cast, which later aired on American television.
- The 2008 Broadway revival of the musical was praised for its innovative design and received multiple award nominations, including seven Drama Desk Award nominations.
- Sunday in the Park with George, a musical inspired by Georges Seurat's painting, won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
- The character Dot in the musical is a fictional representation, as in real life, Georges Seurat's common-law wife was Madeleine Knobloch, with whom he had two sons.
- Despite mixed reviews and financial losses, the musical was profoundly impactful, earning two Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
- The original Broadway production of 'Sunday in the Park with George' opened in 1984 and ran for 604 performances and 35 previews.
- The original Broadway production was notable for its technical innovations, including the use of projection mapping and high powered lasers during performances.
- 'Sunday in the Park with George' began as an Off-Broadway show in 1983 at Playwrights Horizons before transferring to Broadway.
- The 1991 and 2007 Olivier Awards acknowledged the musical's excellence with awards for Best Musical and Outstanding Musical Production respectively.
