Sondheim 101

OLLI Fall Semester 2018 • Alan Teasley, Instructor

Class 9 • Assassins & Passion

Today’s Focus: Shows of Love and DeathAssassins (1990) & Passion (1994)

Goals of the Course

You will: Be familiar with 12 of Sondheim’s major shows (and be able to hum at least one song from each!) Understand Sondheim’s aesthetic principles in writing music and lyrics for the stage Know some influences on Sondheim and how his collaborators have shaped his work Place Sondheim’s work in the context of 20th century musical theater.

Return to Into the Woods

Recorded at the Martin Beck Theater on May 23-25, 1989, with most of the original Broadway cast Featured Songs

“Agony” (reprise) “No One Is Alone” “Children Will Listen”

Into the Woods

“No One Is Alone” “Children Will Listen”

Assassins (Off-Broadway, 1990): Creative Team

Director: Jerry Zaks Score: Stephen Sondheim Book: John Weidman Choreography: D.J. Giagni Set Design: Loren Sherman Costumes: William Ivey Long Orchestrations: Michael Starobin Ran for 73 performances

Assassins Off-Broadway Cast (1990)

Proprietor: Willliam Parry Leon Czolgosz: Terence Mann John Hinkley: Greg Germann Charles Guiteau: Jonathan Hadary Giuseppe Zangara: Eddie Korbich Samuel Byck: Lee Wilkof “Squeaky” Fromme: Annie Golden Sara Jane Moore: Debra Monk John Wilkes Booth: Victor Garber Balladeer: Patrick Cassidy Lee Harvey Oswald: Jace Alexander

Assassins (Broadway, 2004): Creative Team

Director: Joe Mantello Score: Stephen Sondheim Book: John Weidman Musical Staging: Jonathan Butterell Set Design: Robert Brill Costumes: Susan Hilferty Orchestrations: Michael Starobin Ran for 101 performances

Assassins Broadway Cast (2004)

Proprietor: Marc Kudisch Leon Czolgosz: James Barbour John Hinkley:Alexander Gemignani Charles Guiteau: Denis O’Hare Giuseppe Zangara: Jeffrey Kuhn Samuel Byck: Mario Cantone “Squeaky” Fromme: Mary Catherine Garrison Sara Jane Moore: Becky Ann Baker John Wilkes Booth: Michael Cerveris Balladeer: Neil Patrick Harris Lee Harvey Oswald: Neil Patrick Harris

Assassins Won 5 Tony Awards Out of 7 Nominations (2004)

Best Revival of a Musical*

Direction of a Musical: Joe Mantello

Featured Actor: Michael Cerveris

Lighting Design: Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer

Orchestrations: Michael Starobin

Featured Actor: Denis O’Hare

Scenic Design: Robert Brill

*Not Eligible for Book or Score

Assassins: Two Songs

“The Ballad of Booth” Patrick Cassidy (Balladeer) and Victor Garber (Booth)

“Everybody’s Got the Right”

2004 Broadway Revival Cast

Passion Creative Team (1994)

Director: James Lapine Score: Stephen Sondheim Book: James Lapine Scenic Design: Adrianne Lobel Costume Design: Jane Greenwood Orchestrations: Jonathan Tunick Ran for 280 performances

Passion Original Broadway Cast (1994)

Fosca: Donna Murphy

Giorgio: Jere Shea

Clara: Marin Mazzie Colonel Ricci: Greg Edelman

Doctor Tambourri: Tom Aldredge Major Rizzoli: Cris Broenendaal

Passion Won 4 Tony Awards Out of 10 Nominations (1994)

Best Musical

Book of a Musical: James Lapine

Score: Stephen Sondheim

Actress: Donna Murphy

Actor: Jere Shea

Featured Actress: Marin Mazzie

Featured Actor: Tom Aldredge

Direction of a Musical: James Lapine

Lighting Design: Beverly Emmons

Costume Design: Jane Greenwood

Donna Murphy

Today’s Performance

Recorded with the original Broadway cast shortly after the show closed in January 1995

Broadcast on “American Playhouse” (PBS) in September 1996

Featured Songs “Happiness” “Loving You” “No One Has Ever Loved Me”