|
Headlines
 |
| HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SONDHEIM!: Pictured backstage at the Hollywood Bowl at Stephen Sondheim's 75th birthday celebration are (l-r) ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman, Sondheim, Warren Beatty and Barbra Streisand. |
Honorary Chairs Barbra Streisand and Warren Beatty joined ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman in presenting Stephen Sondheim with an award commemorating the creation of Sondheim's Children Will Listen, a program of the ASCAP Foundation. The new program has been established to bring the musical theatre experience to young students nationwide. The presentation took place on stage at the Hollywood Bowl during a sold-old gala celebration of Sondheim's work on July 8th.
A stellar line-up of performers paid tribute to Stephen Sondheim in celebration of his 75th birthday year, including Jason Alexander, Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, Jason Danieley, Josh Groban, Angela Lansbury, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Bernadette Peters, Emmy Rossum, Elaine Stritch and Vanessa Williams. The performers were accompanied by The Los Angeles Philharmonic with Paul Gemignani as Musical Director and Conductor. The event was produced and directed by Paul Lazarus.
The show kicked off with Krusty the Clown from The Simpsons onscreen singing his own deranged version of Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns." Then the all-star cast of performers proceeded to treat the 18,000 listeners in the audience to the genius of Sondheim.
The night featured one show-stopping Sondheim number after another: Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou returned to roles they created in Sweeney Todd and delivered a devilish duet on "A Little Priest." Barbara Cook captivated with "Move On" from Sunday in the Park With George. Josh Groban then joined Cook in a stand-out performance of "Move On." Carol Burnett expertly articulated the speed lyrics of "I'm Not Getting Married." Bernadette Peters dazzled with "Children Will Listen."
Other highlights included Jason Alexander's theatrical rendition of "Merrily We Roll Along;" Audra McDonald and Vanessa Williams' blazing duet on "Tonight;" and a powerful performance by Elaine Stritch on "Broadway Baby."
The career of Stephen Sondheim, who is considered one of the greatest composer-lyricists of musicals, has spanned almost 50 years since his Broadway debut in 1957 as the lyricist of West Side Story. Sondheim went on to write many scores that challenged musical theatre conventions including: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins and Passions.
Sondheim's newest musical, Bounce, has played Chicago and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His revised productions of The Frogs and Pacific Overtures were on Broadway stages earlier this year, and the 2004 staging of Assassins won five Tonys, including one for Best Revival of a Musical. Sondheim was also feted at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in summer 2002 with all-star stagings of six of his musicals.
TOP
|
