ABOUT STEPHEN SONDHEIM
STEPHEN SONDHEIM (MUSIC & LYRICS) - BORN IN 1930, STEPHEN SONDHEIM IS AN AMERICAN COMPOSER AND LYRICIST KNOWN FOR HIS IMMENSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO MUSICAL THEATRE FOR OVER 50 YEARS. HE IS THE WINNER OF AN ACADEMY AWARD, EIGHT TONY AWARDS (MORE THAN ANY OTHER COMPOSER) INCLUDING A SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE, EIGHT GRAMMY AWARDS, A PULITZER PRIZE AND THE LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARD. DESCRIBED BY FRANK RICH OF THE NEW YORK TIMES AS "NOW THE GREATEST AND PERHAPS BEST-KNOWN ARTIST IN THE AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATER."
HIS MOST FAMOUS WORKS INCLUDE (AS COMPOSER AND LYRICIST) A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, COMPANY, FOLLIES, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, SWEENEY TODD, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, aND INTO THE WOODS. HE ALSO WROTE THE LYRICS FOR WEST SIDE STORY AND GYPSY.
SONDHEIM HAS WRITTEN MATERIAL FOR MOVIES, INCLUDING THE 1981 WARREN BEATTY FILM REDS, FOR WHICH HE CONTRIBUTED THE SONG "GOODBYE FOR NOW". HE ALSO WROTE FIVE SONGS FOR THE 1990 MOVIE DICK TRACY, INCLUDING "SOONER OR LATER (I ALWAYS GET MY MAN)" WHICH WON THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SONG.
HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE DRAMATISTS GUILD FROM 1973 TO 1981. IN CELEBRATION OF HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY, THE FORMER HENRY MILLER'S THEATRE WAS RENAMED THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM THEATRE ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010, AND THE BBC PROMS STAGED A CONCERT IN HIS HONOR. CAMERON MACKINTOSH HAS DESCRIBED SONDHEIM AS "POSSIBLY THE GREATEST LYRICIST EVER."
HIS MOST FAMOUS WORKS INCLUDE (AS COMPOSER AND LYRICIST) A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, COMPANY, FOLLIES, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, SWEENEY TODD, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, aND INTO THE WOODS. HE ALSO WROTE THE LYRICS FOR WEST SIDE STORY AND GYPSY.
SONDHEIM HAS WRITTEN MATERIAL FOR MOVIES, INCLUDING THE 1981 WARREN BEATTY FILM REDS, FOR WHICH HE CONTRIBUTED THE SONG "GOODBYE FOR NOW". HE ALSO WROTE FIVE SONGS FOR THE 1990 MOVIE DICK TRACY, INCLUDING "SOONER OR LATER (I ALWAYS GET MY MAN)" WHICH WON THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SONG.
HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE DRAMATISTS GUILD FROM 1973 TO 1981. IN CELEBRATION OF HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY, THE FORMER HENRY MILLER'S THEATRE WAS RENAMED THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM THEATRE ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010, AND THE BBC PROMS STAGED A CONCERT IN HIS HONOR. CAMERON MACKINTOSH HAS DESCRIBED SONDHEIM AS "POSSIBLY THE GREATEST LYRICIST EVER."
ABOUT JAMES LAPINE
JAMES LAPINE (BOOK) - LAPINE HAS ALSO WORKED WITH STEPHEN SONDHEIM ON SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE AND PASSION AS WELL AS THE RECENT BROADWAY SHOW, SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM. HE ALSO DIRECTED THE FIRST REVIVAL OF MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG AT LAJOLLA PLAYHOUSE IN 1985.
WITH WILLIAM FINN, HE HAS COLLABORATED ON FALSETTOS, A NEW BRAIN, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, AND THE SOON TO BE PRODUCED LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.
OTHER BROADWAY CREDITS: THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, GOLDEN CHILD, AND AMOUR. HE HAS WRITTEN THE PLAYS TABLE SETTINGS; TWELVE DREAMS; LUCK, PLUCK & VIRTUE; THE MOMENT WHEN; FRAN'S BED; AND MRS. MILLER DOES HER THING.
WITH WILLIAM FINN, HE HAS COLLABORATED ON FALSETTOS, A NEW BRAIN, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, AND THE SOON TO BE PRODUCED LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.
OTHER BROADWAY CREDITS: THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, GOLDEN CHILD, AND AMOUR. HE HAS WRITTEN THE PLAYS TABLE SETTINGS; TWELVE DREAMS; LUCK, PLUCK & VIRTUE; THE MOMENT WHEN; FRAN'S BED; AND MRS. MILLER DOES HER THING.