BROADWAY BABY – STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S MUSICAL THEATRE

If anyone can be said to have advanced the American musical after Rodgers and Hammerstein, it would have to be Stephen Sondheim. He redefined the Broadway musical, from early hits like West Side Story and Gypsy to mature masterworks like Company, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods.  We’ll trace his long award-winning career:  the great shows and their histories, the amazing songs and the stars who brought them to life.  To quote his song “Putting It Together” --“That is the state of the art, my friend!”   

Course Syllabus 

Session One (September 11):  “Something’s Coming” – College shows, Saturday Night, West Side Story

Session Two (September 18):  “Together Wherever We Go” – shows withArthur Laurents [Gypsy, Anyone Can Whistle, Do I Hear a Waltz?]

Session Three (September 25):  “Comedy Tonight!” – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; The Frogs

Session Four (October 2):  “Marry Me a Little” – Company and the Sondheim/Harold Prince ‘concept musical’

Session Five (October 9):  Theatrical Ghosts – Follies

Session Six (October 16):  Scandinavian Night Waltz – A Little Night Music

Session Seven (October 23):  Kabuki Meets Broadway – Pacific Overtures 

Session Eight (October 30):  Revenge and Meat Pies – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 

Session Nine (November 6):  “Our Time” – Merrily We Roll Along

Session Ten (November 13):  “The Art of Making Art” – Sunday in the Park with George

Session Eleven (November 20):  Fractured Fairy Tales – Into the Woods 

NO CLASS SESSION ON NOVEMBER 27 – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Session Twelve (December 4):  “Everybody’s Got the Right” – Assassins

Session Thirteen (December 11):  “Love without Reason” – Passion 

Session Fourteen (December 18):  Curtain Calls – Road Show; Here We Are