The impact of the works of Stephen Sondheim cannot be understated. Through his witty, insightful lyrics and gorgeous, complex music, his shows revolutionized the American musical theater in more ways than can be comprehended, being awarded with eight Tonys, eight Grammys, and an Oscar over the course of his career. Not to mention, there are the generations of composers he mentored, both directly and indirectly, to write in their own voices to push the form even further. At the time of his recent death at the age of 91, a gender swapped revival of his musical Company was in previews on Broadway, a well reviewed revival of Assassins was running Off-Broadway, and a new film adaptation of West Side Story from the legendary Steven Spielberg was to have its premiere a few days later. These works created decades ago are still thrilling and moving audiences today.
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Author: Mike Shutt