Link to Stephen Sondheim Podcast
The S&M Show
Stephen Sondheim. Now that is more like it.
Let me explain. Rodgers and Hammerstein was important. I wouldn’t ever dream of cutting them from the lineup. But, believe you me, I am so glad to move on from them. We had a week hiatus due to Shepherd University’s Spring Break (my posting about my viewing of Hair has been added and I’ll put my posting about Phantom of the Opera up after next week’s show, The British Invasion). But our return week went quite well.
The music issue is still relevant, but luckily, I had a bit more material in actual physical format. Into the Woods is always at my apartment as well as about three versions of Sweeney Todd. What we missed out on were selections from his works Company, Follies, Assassins and sadly, A Little Night Music.
Gypsy
Perhaps the saddest exclusion due to my computer issues was that of Gypsy. Gypsy was the first Sondheim work I got to see. Of course it was the film version with Natalie Wood but it was still my first introduction.
Into the Woods
We played a great deal from Into the Woods, West Side Story and Sweeney Todd. In preparation for this show specifically, I actually convinced the library at Shepherd University to purchase the stage version of Into the Woods on DVD. I had originally inter library loaned the DVD but because of my interest in it (and the fact I used to work for the library), I was able to convince them that it was worthy to be in our collection. I am always glad when I can get a musical added into circulation.
I have to say, rather quickly, that I ADORE Bernadette Peters. I think that is perhaps the best part of doing the Stephen Sondheim show. I get to listen to so many different recordings with Bernadette, who I’ve not really seen since her cameo bits on Ugly Betty. After viewing the staged version (which was a real treat) I went on a hunt for more Bernadette Peters recordings. I had played the song ‘No One is Alone,’ which is my favorite song from Into the Woods, during our very first broadcast, so I had chosen to omit it from the actual Sondheim focused show. But during my hunt for Bernadette Peters, I stumbled across her singing it at one of her concerts. It is AMAZING! You must watch it.
West Side Story
On another matter, West Side Story is the kind of musical I think that everyone has seen from Sondheim’s collective. After all, it is an essential film classic. Natalie Wood, featured earlier in this entry, plays the part of Maria in top form. Natalie Wood, may she rest in peace, was a true movie star and is easily one of my favorite actresses. I can’t really fathom the concept of picking a favorite song from the collective of West Side Story, though it’d probably have to be America. I like big ensemble numbers.
West Side Story is currently back on Broadway in a new revival. I am really interested in this revival as the rumors has it that they’ve changed some of the lyrics, making some of the songs actually song in Spanish. I think that this is an acceptable and welcoming change. I am very eager to see it on stage and I do hope I have the chance to see it before it closes. Unlike Sweeney Todd.
Sweeney Todd
I first became aware of Sweeney Todd during a book signing for Anthony Rapp. I was waiting to get to meet him and was positioned rather close to the music listening station. One of the CD’s you could choose to listen to was the revival cast of Sweeney Todd with Michael Cerveris and Patti Lupone.
I listened to it for a good twenty minutes before I grabbed the CD and headed straight for the checkout counter. I didn’t get a chance to listen to the full CD until I was home but I spent a good portion of the drive home looking over the case and the CD’s. I listened to the CD on my way to work the next day and was so entranced by it that I had to go out to my car during my lunch break just so I could hear the rest. It was of course during my listening moments in the car that I reached the song ‘A Little Priest,’ and quickly jumped for the libretto so I could fully grasp what I thought I was hearing. In shock, I laughed along with the song and felt my stomach churn just slightly from the imagery, but it didn’t matter. For I had fallen in love by that point with the entire album.
I never did get a chance to see the revival and I so wish that I had. Unfortunately, plans fell through as they so often do. But I still cherish that recording the most in the Sweeney Todd archieve. Angela Lansbury and Helena Bonham Carter are very good at playing Mrs. Lovett in their incarnations, as are many others, but Patti LuPone will always be my Mrs. Lovett. Below is another great video of her in the role of Mrs. Lovett.
Though this version isn’t from the revival, I really do love it. Neil Patrick Harris has a wonderful voice and we don’t get to see it in action as often as I’d like. However, at least we always have Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog to turn to when we want to hear Neil Patrick Harris sing for more then one single song. He pairs wonderfully with Patti LuPone.
The Sweeney Todd Film
Sweeney Todd is the most recent film to be added to the Sondheim collective and I’ve barely said much about it. I think it was a good adaptation of the musical but I am still a bit sore from the omission of ‘The Ballad of Sweeney Todd,’ easily one of my favorite songs. However, I love Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd, which was something I had been rather skeptical about when the film was first announced. Perhaps the best scene, in my opinion, is that of ‘Epiphany,’ which I sadly could not play during the broadcast of the Sondheim show. But the song is below and really worth checking out if you’ve not had a chance to see the film yet.
Check out next week for our post about British Musicals!
The Stage and Musical Show 