Product Description

First published in 1993, Sondheim reveals an extraordinary portrait of the most celebrated Broadway composer of our time-the man who gave us A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and other acclaimed musicals.

Revised and reissued to coincide with the April 2000 Broadway premiere of Sondheim's latest musical, Wise Guys, starring Nathan Lane, this richly illustrated biography now covers all of the composer's work since 1990, including Passion, Putting It All Together, and, of course, Wise Guys.

Drawing on lengthy conversations with Sondheim, including new interviews for this updated edition, critic Martin Gottfried takes readers through the composer's career production by production, analyzing the music and lyrics and revealing intimate details of how Sondheim creates his theater magic. A wealth of photographs bring Sondheim's shows to life.

112 illustrations, 60 in full color, 9 x 11"

MARTIN GOTTFRIED, a veteran theater and music critic, is the author of many books, including Abrams' Broadway Musicals and More Broadway Musicals, as well as biographies of Bob Fosse, George Burns, and Angela Lansbury.

MARTHA SWOPE was Broadway's preeminent photographer until her recent retirement.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #820947 in Books
• Published on: 2000-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 207 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Every theatergoer knows of the immeasurable contribution that Steven Sondheim has made to the performing arts. The ability to unite original music, lyrics and unusual subjects give his theatrical creations intelligence and distinctiveness, whether it's the macabre Sweeney Todd , the exotic Pacific Overtures , or his latest, controversial Assassins. In this biography, illustrated with 100 photos, 50 in color, the composer/lyricist's life and work are examined in sharp detail. Recounted are his middle-class Manhattan upbringing in the 1930s, his college years at Williams in Massachusetts and his apprenticeship under Oscar Hammerstein II. We witness the process involved in his numerous successes, including West Side Story and the artistic collaborations with producer Harold Prince and artists like Angela Landsbury and Lee Remick. Gottfried, author of Broadway Musicals , uses Sondheim's personal recollections to make this an exciting collectible for theater fans.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Gottfried's "Sondheim" earns my applause, but no ovation.
Quite a book, but not truly a definitive ''in depth" analysis of Mr. Sondheim's shows. Mr. Gottfried brings up many interesting points about Sondheim's shows, but doesn't really, fully completely explore each show, as I was expecting.

His "Sweeney Todd" analysis is basically just a long plot summary, with lyrical highlights from a few songs. I was most disappointed by the way Mr. Gottfried barely broke the surface in his analysis of "Assassins". However, there are many wonderful reviews, interviews, commentaries, and photographs. Perhaps my favorite is a portrait of Mr. Sondheim surrounded by his "Sunday in the Park with George" set

Glossy analysis of Stephen Sondheim's career
An authorized look at Sondheim's Broadway career, with numerous glossy photos and interesting commentary from Gottfried, a no-nonsense critic. Gottfried's analysis of Sondheim's works is interesting, but doesn't go enough in-depth into Sondheim's personal life. Still, it's worth it