Five Favorite Sondheim Shows

[fjlumia]

I saw the original production of Pacific Overtures and was amazed.  Using Kabuki for the production was wonderful and struck a chord in me.  I think this show is under rated.  Saw the Roundabout revival several years later and it could not compare with the original production.  Some of the music is beautiful and some quite funny.  I know that the MASTER referred to the Chrysanthemum Tea number as a Yiddish Mama number (or something similar) but I loved it.  Someone in a Tree and Its a Bowler Hat are also fascinating numbers.  Also the Kabuki allowed a man to play a delicate woman and later a strong Samuri warrior.

[Chris L]

I thought I'd bump up this thread to show any incoming members that we actually do talk about Sondheim. If you're new here, or returning, feel free to contribute.

[aliveandfullofjoy]

Why not!

My top five is probably something like
01. Sweeney Todd (in a solid tie with Fiddler on the Roof as my favorite musical of all time) - I'm tempted to make the claim that, my subjective feelings aside, this is SJS's ~biggest~ score, and that there's very few dips in momentum or quality in it is nothing sort of miraculous. Like, no, I don't really need all of "The Contest," and I know the man himself isn't thrilled with "Wait," but the scope, the tragedy, the everything about this one is perfect. The OBC is my preferred recording (smaller Sweeney doesn't quite do it for me as much). 
02. Sunday in the Park with George - I don't revisit it quite as often as others, and I'm not entirely convinced there's a way to make the second act not feel a bit awkward or extraneous, but this score is just about flawless and Lapine's book is strong. All of the act 1 finale is perfection, but those last 30 seconds or so? "On an ordinary Sunday," and the bells are ringing and the horns are screaming and the strings are rising and dipping like the tide? That's transcendence. 
03. A Little Night Music - I'm a fan of the Bergman original, but I think Sondheim and Wheeler managed to improved the source material here (not something that often happens with musicals based on movies, in my experience). The book is equal parts witty and tragic, and I want to drown in the score. 
04. Pacific Overtures - I MUST see a production of this one day. "Someone in a Tree" alone is pantheon-worthy, but most of the score is magic. Thank goodness for the video recording of the original production -- it could have been an ingenious production lost to time. 
05. Into the Woods - Sentiment wins the day here, as I've been in Into the Woods twice before, and while it feels cooler to say I like Follies or Assassins or Company or Passion better, I know I'm lying to myself, because I spend pretty much the entire second act weeping.