CRITICAL SURVEY . C68 2603 OF

DRAMA Critical Survey of Drama Critical Survey of Drama SONDHEIM, STEPHEN

Second Revised Edition covers both his life and his works. Index. Stavisky (1974) and Reds (1981) and songs for Dick during his adolescence. Stephen Sondheim asked Krzyzanowski, Julian. A History of Polish Literature. Tracy (1990) and The Birdcage (1996). However, Hammerstein to read a musical he wrote as a teenager Warszawa: PWN-Polish Scientific Publishers, Sondheim's reputation is based primarily on his mu- at the George School; Hammerstein critiqued the 1978. A study of Polish literature that includes sic and lyrics for Broadway-style musicals. piece, giving Sondheim valuable training in writing BIBLIOGRAPHY coverage of Slowacki. Bibliography and index. for musical theater. He also hired Sondheim to work Babinski, Hubert F. The Mazeppa Legend in Euro- Milosz, Czeslaw. The History of Polish Literature. 2d ACHIEVEMENTS ; on the set of one of his plays. ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, pean Romanticism. New York: Columbia Univer- ~~"'—Stephen Sondheim was the most critically ac- Sondheim attended Williams College; initially, he 1983. A scholarly study of Polish literature that sity Press, 1974. The Mazeppa legend as it ap- claimed figure in American musical theater during the majored in English but changed to music. During his includes a discussion of the role of Stowacki. Bib- peared in the works of Slowacki and others is last three decades of the twentieth century. Sondheim college years, he pursued a training program devised analyzed. liography and index. has won the Tony Award for Best Original Score five by Hammerstein to learn musical theater; the plan in- Victor Anthony Rudowski Dernalowicz, Maria. Juliusz Siowacki. Warsaw: Inter- times, more than any other individual. These awards volved writing four plays. The first step was to set a press, 1987. This biography of the Polish writer were for Follies (1972), A Little Night Music (1973), play he liked to music, the second was to fix the flaws Sweeney Todd (1979), Into the Woods (1988), and in a play and set it to music, the third was to write a Passion (1994). In 1971 only, separate Tonys were musical based upon a nondramatic source, and the awarded for score and lyrics, and Sondheim won both fourth was to write an original work. After gradua- for Company. Numerous plays on which Sondheim tion, Sondheim studied music in New York City with STEPHEN SONDHEIM has collaborated have won Tony Awards and New Milton Babbitt, an avant-garde composer. As part of York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Best Musi- his studies, he performed in-depth analyses of classi- cal; these awards were not presented specifically to Born: New York, New York; March 22, 1930 Pacific Overtures, pr. 1976, pb. 1977 (lyrics and cal works; his seriousness about music would be ap- music; book by John Weidman) Sondheim. Sunday in the Park with George won the parent in the complexity of his later compositions. 1985 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Sondheim's first big break was as a lyricist for ^PRINCIPAL DRAMA • Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sondheim turned down the National Medal of ~" West~Side"sioiy, pr. 1957, pb. 1958 (lyrics; music pr., pb. 1979 (lyrics and music; book by West Side Story; he followed by writing lyrics for Arts in 1992 in protest because the National Endow- by Leonard Bernstein; book by Arthur Wheeler) Gypsy. He finally got to write both music and lyrics ment for the Arts, the granting agency, had canceled for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Fo- Laurents) Marry Me a Little, pr. 1980 (lyrics and music; some of its more controversial grants. He accepted Gypsy, pr. 1959, pb. 1960 (lyrics; music by Jule book by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene) rum, which opened in 1962. Sondheim's reputation that award in 1997. Styne; book by Laurents) Merrily We Roll Along, pr. 1981, pb. 1982 (lyrics and success continued to grow such that he became a A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and music; book by Furth) central figure in musical theater. BIOGRAPHY _^ pr., pb. 1962 (lyrics and music; book by Larry Sunday in the Park with George, pr. 1983, pb. 1986 Sondheim's most serious romantic involvement Stephen Joshua Sondheim was bom on March 22, Gelbart and Burt Shevelove) (lyrics and music; book by James Lapine) has been with Peter Jones, with whom he exchanged 1930, in New York City, the only child of Herbert and Anyone Can Whistle, pr. 1964, pb. 1965 (lyrics and Into the Woods, pr. 1987, pb. 1988 (lyrics and wedding rings in 1994. Janet Fox Sondheim. His parents owned a clothing music; book by Laurents) music; book by Lapine) company and were both very involved in the busi- (/ rtJ^ALIMS ) Do I Hear a Waltz?, pr. 1965, pb. 1966 (lyrics; Assassins, pr. 1990, pb. 1991 (lyrics and music; ness. The Sondheims separated when Stephen was music by Richard Rodgers; book by Laurents) book by Weidman) ^ The most critically acclaimed writer of music and ten, and he attended military school for two years and Candide, pr. 1974, pb. 1976 (lyrics with Richard Passion, pr., pb. 1994 (lyrics and music; book by lyrics for Broadway-style musicals in the late twenti- then attended the George School, a prep school. He Wilbur and John Latouche; music by Bernstein; Lapine) eth century, Stephen Sondheim has advanced the so- was an exceptional student who had skipped two book by Hugh Wheeler) Getting Away with Murder, pr. 1995, pb. 1997 phistication of the musical form through his experi- grades and who showed an early talent for music. Company, pr., pb. 1970 (lyrics and music; book by (with George Furth) mentation with content and musical style. One of In the early 1940's, Sondheim and his mother George Furth) Gold!, pr. 2002 (lyrics and music; book by American musical theater's contributions to drama is became close friends with the family of Oscar Follies, pr, pb. 1971 (lyrics and music; book by Weidman; originally pr. 1999 as Wise Guys) the integration of spoken words and music within a Hammerstein II, one of the leading figures in musical James Goldman) production. The majority of Sondheim's lyrics make theater at the time. Sondheim and the Hammersteins' The Frogs, pr. 1974, pb. 1975 (lyrics and music; OTHER LITERARY FORMS sense only when sung by the character for whom they son were close in age, and Sondheim even spent book by Shevelove) Stephen Sondheim wrote a film script, The Last of are written. Much popular American music earlier in a summer with the family at their home in Bucks A Little Night Music, pr., pb. 1973 (lyrics and Sheila (1973), with Anthony Perkins. He has com- the century came from musical theater. With the ex- music; book by Wheeler) posed music for films as well. He wrote the scores for County, Pennsylvania. Janet Sondheim bought a house ception of "Send in the Clowns" from A Little Night near the Hammersteins' home where her son lived Music, Sondheim's songs have not enjoyed popular-

3154 3155 CRITICAL SURVEY OF DRAMA Second Revised Edition SONDHEIM, STEPHEN SONDHEIM, STEPHEN Critical Survey of Drama

framed as a play-within-a-play, a theatrical device lyrics both at the beginning and later in the show that ment is that the piece of art hides the tensions of life, of the musical theater, arguing that his work is the that allows a play to be self-conscious about itself and comment on the play's main action. This use of and at the same time, the artwork turns ordinary life culmination of the form's development since the its intentions. Beginning with the chorus of Greek choruslike characters serves to distance the audience into something beautiful. late 1920's. The earlier chapters provide a useful drama, a tradition has long existed in the theater of from identification with the main characters because The second act continues to explore the meanings history of musical theater. voices external to the drama offering commentary on of the obvious artifice involved. This distancing of art as Seurat's daughter and her grandson George Goodhart, Sandor, ed. Reading Stephen Sondheim: A the events. However, most twentieth century drama evokes an intellectual or critical response from the attend an opening for the grandson's artwork. In con- Collection of Critical Essays. New York: Garland, presents characters going about their business as if audjence^— ^^ trast to his grandfather, who was focused solely on 2000. The essays in this volume, written by liter- unaware of the audience. The framing of Sondheim's (^ SWEENEY TODD > his artistic vision and never sold a painting, the youn- ary critics, treat Sondheim with the seriousness af- drama both ties the play to its classical sources and Sweeney Todd blurs the boundaries between musi- ger George works the crowd of art patrons and critics, forded other twentieth century playwrights. The invites the audience to adopt, despite the lighthearted cal theater and opera and has, in fact, been performed seeking funding for his work. As the play ends, he essays range from general treatments to explora- subject matter, a critical attitude toward the work, as by various opera companies. The play retells a story has decided to move on to new projects rather than tions of specific features of the plays. the play offers an explanation of itself as comedy about a mass murderer originally written for the stage repeating variations of his current work. His great- Gordon, Joanne. Art Ain't Easy: The Achievement of with details about what that means. in the nineteenth century, rewritten by contemporary grandmother practiced writing in a book that has Stephen Sondheim. Carbondale: Southern Illinois A LITTLE NIGHT Music British playwright Christopher Bond, and finally set to been passed down, and George reads from it some of University Press, 1990. Gordon argues for the rec- A Little Night Music is a romantic comedy that music by Sondheim. The play presents the challenges his grandfather's favorite words about art, including ognition of Sondheim and musical theater as art draws on the conventional comedic topic of mis- of portraying murders onstage without disgusting the order, design, and tension. The grandfather is able, rather than merely as escapist entertainment. This matched lovers trying to find their true loves. The audience or resorting to slapstick. Further, although through this medium, to instruct his grandson on the study notes many connections between Sond- idea originally began with a desire by Sondheim and the nineteenth century sources were not notable for importance of following his own artistic vision. heim's works and works considered high art. others to make a musical from Jean Anouilh's play their psychological subtlety, Sondheim's version seeks Gordon's analysis of the musical qualities of Sond- L'Invitation au chateau (pr. 1947; Ring Round the to offer insight into the mind of the deranged killer. OTHER MAJOR WORKS heim's numbers is thorough. Moon, 1950). When Anouilh declined an adaptation Beyond the psychological intrigue, the musical ex- SCREENPLAY: The Last of Sheila, 1973 (with An- Secrest, Meryle. Stephen Sondheim: A Life. New of his play, Sondheim viewed films with similar plots plores the themes of revenge and justice. Despite thony Perkins) York: Delta, 1998. This full-length biography is including Jean Renoir's 1939 Rules of the Game and these serious themes, the drama contains significant, TELEPLAY: Evening Primrose, 1966 (lyrics and based primarily on interviews with Sondheim's Ingmar Bergman's 1956 Smiles of a Summer Night. albeit black, humor. Todd's accomplice, Mrs. Lovett, music) friends and associates. It describes not only the The themes and mood of the play draw from a bakes the meat from the corpses into pies that she events of Sondheim's life but also the history of long theatrical tradition, evoking, for example, Wil- sells in her shop. BIBLIOGRAPHY each of the musicals on which Sondheim worked, liam Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (pr. The play's significant accomplishment is its abil- Janfield,"Stephen. Sondheim's Broadway Musicals. including the inspiration for the story, the process c. 1595-1596), which also portrays mismatched lov- ity to interweave tragedy and comedy as well as so- Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1993. the collaborators went through to see the project ers seeking their true loves on a magical evening. In phistication and base humor within a musical score A very thorough study of Sondheim's work, this to production, and the critical and audience re- proper comedic form, A Little Night Music ends with that draws on sources ranging from Gregorian chant book is particularly useful in its discussions of his sponse to the play. the lovers properly matched. to contemporary, popular music. music. Although perhaps at times too technical for Zadan, Craig. Sondheim and Company. 2d ed. New Beyond the follies and maneuvering of the lovers, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE the typical reader, this book provides much valu- York: Da Capo, 1994. This book provides analysis the theme of youth and age is important to both the Inspired by the life and work of Georges Seurat, able information on Sondheim's life and his musi- and history of each of Sondheim's musicals. Its play's meaning and its structure. Most of the action especially the painting Un Dimanche, Apres-Midi a cals. Sondheim himself reviewed the manuscript many photographs offer a good sense of the style takes place at the country house of an old woman I'lle de la Grande Jane (A Sunday Afternoon on the before publication. of the productions as well as the process of their who, with her young granddaughter, watches the ac- Island of La Grande Jatte), Sunday in the Park with Block, Geoffrey. "Happily Ever After: West Side preparation. A useful appendix lists who worked tion. The grandmother teaches her young charge that George explores what it means to be an artist and the Story with Sondheim." In Enchanted Evenings: on the various productions, provides Broadway a summer night smiles three times: at the young who relationship between life and art. In the musical's The Broadway Musical from "Show Boat" to performance histories, and lists nonmusical proj- know nothing, the fools who know too little, and the first act, the people in the painting go about their lives Sondheim. New York: Oxford University Press, ects in which Sondheim participated. old who know too much. The primary plot could oc- as George sketches them. For example, his pregnant 1997. This chapter places Sondheim in the context Joan Hope cur without the older and younger characters, but girlfriend Dot decides to marry the baker Louis, and they deepen the drama's scope by showing the lovers' two young women pursue an attractive soldier. At the plots as part of a stage of life between youth and age. end of the act, as the characters argue among them- The musical opens with a quintet of characters selves, the painter stops them and arranges them into who are not part of the main story but who perform the poses and positions for his picture. The dual state-

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