Five Favorite Sondheim Shows

fjlumia · Jul 18, 2017, 02:51 PM

I like your list but have to add GYPSY to it. It is a great musical with superb lyrics and a great story. Have seen it 5 times with a variety of Roses (Merman x2, Landsbury, Preters, and Ann Southern,lus the movie and Bette Midler's TV production. Each were different. But the show is super.
I think that Night Music is a diamond. Have seen it several times. The NYCOpera production with Jeremy Irons as Frederic was interesting in that he dominated the show and I do not know who played Desiree. Saw Johns, Zeta Jones and Peters in NYC. Elaine Stritch did the definitive Liasons.
Sweeny Todd is in a class by itself. In many ways the best musical ever written.
Follies and Sunday in the Park with George have some of the best music he has written.

What about songs?
I think that Sunday is one of the most beautiful songs. Joannah is hauntingly beautiful. Follies has really wonderful songs.
I could go on for pages but I'll stop here.
Frank J. Lumia, MD

Vera Charles · Jul 18, 2017, 03:02 PM

Quote from: fjlumia on Jul 18, 2017, 02:51 PMFollies and Sunday in the Park with George have some of the best music he has written.

What about songs?
I think that Sunday is one of the most beautiful songs. Joannah is hauntingly beautiful. Follies has really wonderful songs.
I could go on for pages but I'll stop here.
Frank J. Lumia, MD

Gosh @fjlumia I am rather envious of the great performers you have seen.
I absolutely agree re Sunday, Joanna and Follies. I also agree re the greatness of Gypsy.

Chris L · Jul 18, 2017, 03:52 PM

Quote from: fjlumia on Jul 18, 2017, 02:51 PMI like your list but have to add GYPSY to it. It is a great musical with superb lyrics and a great story. Have seen it 5 times with a variety of Roses (Merman x2, Landsbury, Preters, and Ann Southern,lus the movie and Bette Midler's TV production. Each were different. But the show is super.

You and I seem to be among the few people who saw Ann Sothern do Gypsy. I recall her as being sort of bored and listless, but maybe she had the flu the night I went. When did you catch Merman in the show?

fjlumia · Jul 19, 2017, 01:26 PM

Chris:
I saw Merman in NYC from row ! center. So "How do you like those egg rolls, Mr. Goldstone was said to me! Then saw her again from the second balcony of Chicago's Shubert Theater.

Chris L · Jul 19, 2017, 03:09 PM

Quote from: fjlumia on Jul 19, 2017, 01:26 PMChris:
I saw Merman in NYC from row ! center. So "How do you like those egg rolls, Mr. Goldstone was said to me! Then saw her again from the second balcony of Chicago's Shubert Theater.

You were very lucky!

By the way, have you posted over in the "Introduce Yourself" thread? Sounds like you've had a fascinating life watching musical theater that probably goes back further than mine. (My mother started taking me to musicals in 1960.) I'd love learn more.

fjlumia · Jul 27, 2017, 10:00 AM

I'm nor sure where the "introduce yourself" page is. I have been going to NYC to the theater since 1953. My first play was Teahouse of the August Moon with David Wayne. My first musical was at the St. John Tyrell Music Circus in Lambertville and was Roberta which made Smoke gets in your eyes a favorite song for years.
We still go to NYC but tickets are very expensive. We also have season tickets to 2 local professional theaters: McCarter in Princeton and George St. in New Brunswick. Most recent musicals I've seen include Something Rotten, Hamilton, and War Paint

I wanted to comment on songs from less popular shows which are probably very well known by people on this forum. Merrily We Roll Along I finally saw at the movies. It was the London production of a recent revival. Old Friends and Not a Day goes by are 2 good songs, frequently included in albums and concerts. From Anyone Can Whistle the title song and There will be Trumpets are in the same class

I frequently wish I lived in NYC and could just walk down Broadway to get tickets any time. Suburban living requires planning ahead. I have seen some wonderful straight plays too. The revival of A Delicate Balance with Rosemary Harris and Elaine Stritch was definitive. Paul Muni and Ed Begley in Inherit the Wind were wonderful. Royal Hunt of the Sun was very interesting and well done. So many more I can't list them all.

Chris L · Jul 27, 2017, 10:19 AM

@fjlumia - The Introduce Yourself thread is at this link. Feel free to repost about yourself over there, though I'll forgive you if you don't.

fjlumia · Aug 02, 2017, 02:41 PM

I know that working with Richard Rodgers was difficult but I have to say a little about Do I Hear a Waltz? I saw it in NYC. It was not great but it was entertaining. There are a couple of Sondheim touches that I remember. The song about flying and a song sung by the 3 women standing in their windows looking at the moon over the canal. Each woman has a different viewpoint well said, typical Sondheim.

I also have to mention Carol Bruce who played the owner of the pensione. She ends up seducing the juvenile (Stuart Damon). The lady was one of the sexiest women I have ever seen. She was in her 50's, moved like a cat, was always fully clothed and when she took the younger man with her into a gondola, there wasn't a man in the audience who would not have gone with her! That was over 40 years ago (1965?) and I remember her well.

Bobster · Aug 03, 2017, 12:48 PM

I wish we had footage of Ms Bruce to see her sensuality. Heck I wish we had a video of the show! I'm glad we have the footage we have!

fjlumia · Sep 07, 2017, 10:06 AM

Merrily We Roll Along -- This has been creeping up the list for me in the past couple of years as my wife and I went through a rather traumatic separating of ourselves from a very toxic and dangerous situation, and we've lost (or left, rather) all of those 'old friends' we once relied on.

I have to agree with this. I :did not see the show because a good friend hated it. Wish I had seen it. I did see the London recent production at the movies. The music is really good. I think the original was not well received because the young cast could not play the characters when older. Too bad.

fjlumia · Sep 07, 2017, 10:07 AM

Quote from: fjlumia on Sep 07, 2017, 10:06 AMMerrily We Roll Along -- This has been creeping up the list for me in the past couple of years as my wife and I went through a rather traumatic separating of ourselves from a very toxic and dangerous situation, and we've lost (or left, rather) all of those 'old friends' we once relied on.

I have to agree with this. I :did not see the show because a good friend hated it. Wish I had seen it. I did see the London recent production at the movies. The music is really good. I think the original was not well received because the young cast could not play the characters when older. Too bad.

fjlumia · Oct 20, 2017, 10:40 AM

I guess I posted twice by accident (see above).

I see that several people listed Passion.
I saw the original production. Donna Murphy was wonderful. My problem is that I never believed that Giorgio could fall in love with Fosca and that's the whole point. Maybe I'm just not a romantic.

The costumes that Mazin wore were perfect. 1870 was the transition from hoop shirts to bustles and her gowns showed the beginnings of that transition. Costumes are very important to me. War Paint had exquisite costumes. The costumer must have search through every Vogue magazine from 1935 to 1975.

Bobster · Nov 15, 2017, 05:02 AM

I agree; I can never look stylish but do love great costumes. Passion and War Paint were truly wonderful.

PS I got an "inside scoop"

about the WP costumes: as gorgeous as they were, they weren't practical for changing during a performance.

Amy · Mar 25, 2018, 08:20 AM

Hi everyone. I'm new here. This discussion board has been closed to new members for a long time, but I just tried again on a lark yesterday and voila, here I am. I know this thread is pretty old, but here you go:

1. Sweeny Todd
2. Merrily We Roll Along
3. A Little Night Music
4. Company
5. Into the Woods

I do love Assassins too - I guess that would be number 6. Sunday in the Park... would be 7. Although I love some of the songs from Follies, I found it to be "a show about nothing", and I was disappointed.

Chris L · Mar 25, 2018, 12:11 PM

Hi, @Amy! We haven't been closed to members. You may be thinking of sondheim.com, which closed to new members years ago, then shut down completely three or four years ago. We opened to provide a home for the original members and new ones, like yourself, who want to apply. I hope you keep posting. Feel free to start some new discussions or join old ones. Good to see you!