International City Theatre winds up its 30th anniversary season with an intimate portrait of musical icon Stephen Sondheim in his own words and music. DJ Gray directs and stages the Los Angeles premiere of James Lapine's award-winning Broadway hit, Sondheim on Sondheim. Previews were October 14 and 15, and opening night is tonight, October 16 at ICT's newly renovated home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!
Writing songs that reflect the complexity of his characters, Sondheim changed the way we define a great musical. Yet even though millions of fans know his songs by heart, few know much about Sondheim himself. Until now. Originally conceived as a tribute for Sondheim's 80th birthday party, Sondheim on Sondheim is a love letter from Lapine to his friend and frequent collaborator. Exclusive video footage, in which Sondheim offers an inside look at his personal life and artistic process, is combined with sparkling-new arrangements of over two dozen Sondheim tunes, delivered at ICT by Stephanie Fredricks, Barbara Carlton Heart, Shaina Knox,Kevin McMahon, Jake Novak and Josh Wise under Gerald Sternbach's musical direction.Stephen Sondheim is widely regarded as the most important composer and lyricist of musical theater in the second half of the 20th century. He is the winner of an Academy Award and eight Tony Awards (more than any other composer) including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, as well eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award. Hs best-known works as a composer and lyricist include 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 Assassins, and he wrote the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy. Sondheim has also written film music, contributing "Goodbye for Now" to Warren Beatty's 1981 Red and five songs to 1990's Dick Tracy, including "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" which was performed by Madonna and won the Academy Award for best song. Sondheim was president of the Dramatists Guild from 1973 to 1981. On September 15, 2010, in honor of his 80th birthday, the former Henry Miller's Theatre was renamed the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.Photo Credit: Suzanne Mapes
Jake Novak and Barbara Carlton Heart
Barbara Carlton Heart, Stephanie Fredricks, Josh Wise, Kevin McMahon, Jake Novak, Shaina Knox
Shaina Knox, Josh Wise, Jake Novak, Stephanie Fredricks
Kevin McMahon, Stephanie Fredricks, Josh Wise, Jake Novak, Shaina Knox
Jake Novak, Kevin McMahon, Stephanie Fredricks, Josh Wise
Barbara Carlton Heart, Kevin McMahon, Josh Wise, Stephanie Fredricks, Jake Novak, Shaina Knox
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