Community Chat

[Johnnyeager]

The West End will dim the lights on Monday night to honour Stephen Sondheim.

Composer and lyricist Sondheim, who died at the age of 91 on Friday, is responsible for some of the most iconic musicals of the second half of the 21st century, including Follies, Sunday in the Park with George, A Little Night Music, Merrily We Roll Along, Passion and Pacific Overtures.

An honour reserved for the theatre greats, the lights across London's theatreland will be dimmed for two minutes at 7pm on Monday 29 November.

[Somertime]

An amazing talent!  He wrote a fabulous screenplay with Anthony Perkins for a movie called:  The Last of Sheila.  If you haven'tseen it, I highly recommend it.  Smart, clever, funny and a great mystery with a stellar cast!  

He lived a fabulous and full life..............91 is an achievement to be celebrated!

[Shelbelle]

For me it doesnt get any better than West Side Story and Gypsy. For these 2 he wrote lyrics only, for others he wrote music and lyrics, another great one gone. They should dim the Broadway lights. 

[Johnnyeager]

Tributes begin to pile up outside a preview of the "Company" revival last night,  Bernard Jacob's Theater, West 45th Street.

[Pearlee]

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@Oznell wrote:

As a young man, the "wunderkind" Sondheim.

Brilliant composer and lyricist of Broadway and film, Stephen Sondheim has died at age 91.

His credits are never ending, but a few highlights:

West Side Story

Gypsy

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Follies

Pacific Overtures

Sweeney Todd

Sunday in the Park with George

I always think of "A Little Night Music".   His lyrics always so on point, often surprising.  One of the greats-- impossible to overestimate his influence on the theater!

A great talent.  RIP.

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His credits have now ended!

[aubnwa01]

Alison Martino (Al Martino's daughter & she also runs the Vintage LA site) posted a You Tube link to a production short for one of my favorite films, The Last Of Sheila (1973) last nigh in tribute to him.  I had forgotten that Sondheim & Tony Perkins wrote the screenplay for it.  Such a fun movie!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XanCQXL6y_M

[Johnnyeager]

The Broadway League has yet to announce a specific "light dimming" time to honor Mr. Sondheim,  but I'm sure something is in process.  Something larger and grander may be called for, given his status and importance to the industry. 

There is some discussion of dimming all of the Times Square district,  not just the theaters.  That would take some planning and coordination. 

[Vivian]

His music was so original, so beautiful. My favorite is "Send in the Clowns."

[golding76]

For those who are interested, Peter Marks, theater critic for The Washington Post, has written two parallel tribute pieces on Stephen Sondheim that are insightful and moving.  They are worthwhile, in my opinion, and contribute to a fuller understanding of Sondheim and his genius.

Theater&Dance

Perspective

There will never be another Stephen Sondheim

Theater&Dance

Tributes pour in for Sondheim, the greatest theater composer-lyricist of our time

[JamandBread]

An amazing talent and amazing life, right until the end.
I was surprised to learn he wrote the lyrics to WSS when he was only 26 years old!