Stephen Sondheim
Born 1930 Composer, Lyricist
Sondheim’s impact on musical theatre cannot be underestimated.
Over a 60-plus-year career he continued to think outside of the box, producing some of the world’s most beloved shows. Sure there was glitz, there were showstoppers, but there was also complexity and depth. No two shows were ever the same; their style, subject matter and format were always innovative. Born in New York, he studied music at Williams College in Massachusetts and then composition under composer Milton Babbitt. Writing for shows and plays at college, Sondheim found his place in the world, though he would do other things like write screenplays for television and even the occasional crossword for the New York Magazine. Under the wing of Oscar Hammerstein II he honed his craft, debuting his first professional show in 1954: Saturday Night. If that didn’t light up the stage, his next two projects would – Bernstein’s West Side Story (1957) and Jule Styne’s Gypsy (1959) featured his lyrics. Then came the 1960s and the beginning of a remarkable run. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods… the list goes on. And the awards came thick and fast, including a clutch of Tonys, an Oscar and a Pulitzer. We will be paying fuller tribute in a future issue.