Top 10 Ultimate Stephen Sondheim Musicals
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Date: 2023-11-20
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Comments and reviews: 30
KINDNESS
Sweeney Todd is the show that turned me in to fan of Musicals (especially Sondheim. Just after I first discovered it I was looking for an apartment in NYC so I could move there. I ended up subletting from a composer that was leaving NYC for a while (it came with a Steinway piano in it) and part of the interview process was answering his questions about musicals. I said I knew nothing about musicals but my favorite was Sweeney Todd. I asked him what other musicals there were that were that good. He said there were no others that good but I had excellent taste. Of all the people vying to sublet his apartment he gave the sublet to me (thanks to rent control it was a mere $420 per month in 1986 and he was charging no more than he was being charged. My (now) wife and I owed our cheap NYC apartment to Stephen Sondheim (and my good taste.
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Sweeney Todd is the show that turned me in to fan of Musicals (especially Sondheim. Just after I first discovered it I was looking for an apartment in NYC so I could move there. I ended up subletting from a composer that was leaving NYC for a while (it came with a Steinway piano in it) and part of the interview process was answering his questions about musicals. I said I knew nothing about musicals but my favorite was Sweeney Todd. I asked him what other musicals there were that were that good. He said there were no others that good but I had excellent taste. Of all the people vying to sublet his apartment he gave the sublet to me (thanks to rent control it was a mere $420 per month in 1986 and he was charging no more than he was being charged. My (now) wife and I owed our cheap NYC apartment to Stephen Sondheim (and my good taste.
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Peter
Random thoughts: Overtures really is spectacular when you hear the full orchestration, has a great finale song. Assassins was very enjoyable, but the overwhelming sound of gunfire in the theater truly freaked me out. Company has great vibrant energy and the most brilliant song, Being Alive. Rose's Turn in Gypsy is fascinating in its simultaneous joy and terror, and Angela Lansbury really deserved that Tony. Into the Woods has brought me true comfort in difficult times. Sweeney is King, still learning from it, still in awe. I love that Sondheim, in his acceptance speeches, constantly brought attention to others' underappreciated musical achievements.
Steve, I blow kisses to you every day, and I'm looking forward to sitting with an appreciative audience for Into the Woods very soon!
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Random thoughts: Overtures really is spectacular when you hear the full orchestration, has a great finale song. Assassins was very enjoyable, but the overwhelming sound of gunfire in the theater truly freaked me out. Company has great vibrant energy and the most brilliant song, Being Alive. Rose's Turn in Gypsy is fascinating in its simultaneous joy and terror, and Angela Lansbury really deserved that Tony. Into the Woods has brought me true comfort in difficult times. Sweeney is King, still learning from it, still in awe. I love that Sondheim, in his acceptance speeches, constantly brought attention to others' underappreciated musical achievements.
Steve, I blow kisses to you every day, and I'm looking forward to sitting with an appreciative audience for Into the Woods very soon!
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Josh
You can get 10 ultimate Sondheim musicals without including those for which he only wrote lyrics. As great as Gypsy and West Side Story are, I'd rather see a production of Follies anytime. It's score is breathtaking from start to finish, and easily as great as Gypsy or WSS. It's fashionable to call it a flawed show, but that's only because it's fiendishly difficult to get right. But when it is right it's the greatest show ever. I'd also happily see Merrily and Passion on any list of ultimate Sondheim shows. Both are streets ahead of most recent Broadway musicals.
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You can get 10 ultimate Sondheim musicals without including those for which he only wrote lyrics. As great as Gypsy and West Side Story are, I'd rather see a production of Follies anytime. It's score is breathtaking from start to finish, and easily as great as Gypsy or WSS. It's fashionable to call it a flawed show, but that's only because it's fiendishly difficult to get right. But when it is right it's the greatest show ever. I'd also happily see Merrily and Passion on any list of ultimate Sondheim shows. Both are streets ahead of most recent Broadway musicals.
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jws1272
Could there be any other #1? Sweeney is the most operatic of his musicals, and anyone who judges it only by the Depp/Burton version, which I DID enjoy and paid TWICE to see on the big screen, really needs to seek out a live production of it, or one of the several productions that have been committed to video. (I recommend the 1982 version with George Hearn and Angela Lansbury as a starter) Before you start razzing me, this, as with everyone else's comments, is my own opinion.
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Could there be any other #1? Sweeney is the most operatic of his musicals, and anyone who judges it only by the Depp/Burton version, which I DID enjoy and paid TWICE to see on the big screen, really needs to seek out a live production of it, or one of the several productions that have been committed to video. (I recommend the 1982 version with George Hearn and Angela Lansbury as a starter) Before you start razzing me, this, as with everyone else's comments, is my own opinion.
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Drinking
All you have to do is mention Stephen Sondheim and you get all of us who are in love with his work CRAZY about which is better, lol! My top 10 are #1 Into the Woods, #2 Sweeney Todd, #3 Sunday in the Park with George, #4 A Little Night Music, #5 Assassins, #6 Company, #7 Follies, #8 Passion, # 9 A Funny Thing #10 Merrily we Roll Along. I know he wrote the lyrics to West Side and Gypsy but for me he took off after those when he wrote lyrics and score. Thanks for the review.
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All you have to do is mention Stephen Sondheim and you get all of us who are in love with his work CRAZY about which is better, lol! My top 10 are #1 Into the Woods, #2 Sweeney Todd, #3 Sunday in the Park with George, #4 A Little Night Music, #5 Assassins, #6 Company, #7 Follies, #8 Passion, # 9 A Funny Thing #10 Merrily we Roll Along. I know he wrote the lyrics to West Side and Gypsy but for me he took off after those when he wrote lyrics and score. Thanks for the review.
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Hornytoad
My mom-in-law (a constant Broadway attendee between 1950 and 1980) thinks the British have a national flaw that impedes their ability to give what is necessary to the American musical. So it's nice that Steve wrote a dank and dreadful musical specifically for the English. It's no coincidence that Lansbury is the granddaughter of a great British Labour reformer and a woman who may have seen real London music-hall in her girlhood.
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My mom-in-law (a constant Broadway attendee between 1950 and 1980) thinks the British have a national flaw that impedes their ability to give what is necessary to the American musical. So it's nice that Steve wrote a dank and dreadful musical specifically for the English. It's no coincidence that Lansbury is the granddaughter of a great British Labour reformer and a woman who may have seen real London music-hall in her girlhood.
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Eric
10 Sunday in the Park with George
9 Into the Woods
8 Pacific Overtures
7 Merrily We Roll Along (the recent Fiasco Theater production was a revelation)
6 Company
5 Follies
4 A Little Night Music (Sondheim biggest hit is not even in the top ten songs from the show)
3 Sweeney Todd
2 Gypsy
1 West Side Story
1 and 2 are widely regarded as among the top 5 greatest Broadway musicals of all time.
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10 Sunday in the Park with George
9 Into the Woods
8 Pacific Overtures
7 Merrily We Roll Along (the recent Fiasco Theater production was a revelation)
6 Company
5 Follies
4 A Little Night Music (Sondheim biggest hit is not even in the top ten songs from the show)
3 Sweeney Todd
2 Gypsy
1 West Side Story
1 and 2 are widely regarded as among the top 5 greatest Broadway musicals of all time.
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delfin7461
My favorite will always be A Little Night Music followed by Company. But really they are all good, it's a pity that more people don't know Pacific Overtures
The brilliance and influence of West Side Story goes without saying.
Actually 'A Little Night Music is all in waltz time, though some of the songs are in cut time, so the phrasing is hard. That's why it's so great.
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My favorite will always be A Little Night Music followed by Company. But really they are all good, it's a pity that more people don't know Pacific Overtures
The brilliance and influence of West Side Story goes without saying.
Actually 'A Little Night Music is all in waltz time, though some of the songs are in cut time, so the phrasing is hard. That's why it's so great.
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Timothy
You left out EVENING PRIMROSE, with its aching Take Me to the World and I Remember Sky. And bows to Ms. Lupone, but, Mrs. Lovett belongs to Angela Lansbury; America belongs to Chita; and, the Send In The Clowns clip should have been Glynis Johns (or, Judi Dench. I guess this was posted long before Daniel Craig sang a snippet of Losing My Mind in the film, KNIVES OUT (Hilarious.
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You left out EVENING PRIMROSE, with its aching Take Me to the World and I Remember Sky. And bows to Ms. Lupone, but, Mrs. Lovett belongs to Angela Lansbury; America belongs to Chita; and, the Send In The Clowns clip should have been Glynis Johns (or, Judi Dench. I guess this was posted long before Daniel Craig sang a snippet of Losing My Mind in the film, KNIVES OUT (Hilarious.
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KINDNESS
With Pacific Overtures I think Sondheim tried to set as many bars as high as possible for himself- pushing to see just what he was capable of achieving creatively. He know it would rarely if ever be produced in the future because the people who created it refused to make any compromises whatsoever.
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With Pacific Overtures I think Sondheim tried to set as many bars as high as possible for himself- pushing to see just what he was capable of achieving creatively. He know it would rarely if ever be produced in the future because the people who created it refused to make any compromises whatsoever.
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Bethany
10: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
9: Pacific Overtures
8: Assassins
7: Gypsy
6: Company
5: A Little Night Music
4: Sunday in the Park With George
3: West Side Story
2: Into the Woods
1: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
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10: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
9: Pacific Overtures
8: Assassins
7: Gypsy
6: Company
5: A Little Night Music
4: Sunday in the Park With George
3: West Side Story
2: Into the Woods
1: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
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Howard
There will never be concensus on these things, which is absolutely fine.
However, I find the inclusion of no more than the last few lines of a concert performance of Losing my Mind and the inclusion of Follies under 'honourable mentions' odd to say the least. .
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There will never be concensus on these things, which is absolutely fine.
However, I find the inclusion of no more than the last few lines of a concert performance of Losing my Mind and the inclusion of Follies under 'honourable mentions' odd to say the least. .
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KINDNESS
Sondheim won Tonys for best score in 1970, 1971 and 1973. When another composer won that Tony in 1972 (or 1974) the winner thanked Sondheim (in his acceptance speech) for not writing a score that year so that someone else could win that Tony for a change.
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Sondheim won Tonys for best score in 1970, 1971 and 1973. When another composer won that Tony in 1972 (or 1974) the winner thanked Sondheim (in his acceptance speech) for not writing a score that year so that someone else could win that Tony for a change.
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Julia
West Side Story definitely should be first in the sense that it not only integrated different genres of music, but tackled massively controversial social topics like racism, which Sondheim sensitively and powerfully addressed in the music he created
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West Side Story definitely should be first in the sense that it not only integrated different genres of music, but tackled massively controversial social topics like racism, which Sondheim sensitively and powerfully addressed in the music he created
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Diane
I saw Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in New York on Broadway, original cast and was completely blown away! Whenever I get the chance to see it again, I don't hesitate. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the best musical ever!
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I saw Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in New York on Broadway, original cast and was completely blown away! Whenever I get the chance to see it again, I don't hesitate. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the best musical ever!
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Tom
You can't really rate his work. He travelled through so many philosophical, societal, psychosocial concepts. Everything he did was genius -- the critics be damned. Any Sondheim is a masterpeice. There is something in every show he wrote.
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You can't really rate his work. He travelled through so many philosophical, societal, psychosocial concepts. Everything he did was genius -- the critics be damned. Any Sondheim is a masterpeice. There is something in every show he wrote.
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hello
My favourites (in terms of music) are
1) Company
2) Assassins
3) West Side Story
4) Gypsy
5) Merrily we roll along
6) A Little Night Music
7) Follies
8) A Funny Thing.
9) Sweeney Todd
10) Into the woods
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My favourites (in terms of music) are
1) Company
2) Assassins
3) West Side Story
4) Gypsy
5) Merrily we roll along
6) A Little Night Music
7) Follies
8) A Funny Thing.
9) Sweeney Todd
10) Into the woods
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Howard
If we restrict it to shows for which he wrote both lyrics and music, my list would be:
1 Follies
2 Sunday
3 Sweeney
4 Passion
5 Merrily
6 Night Music
7 Forum
8 Into the Woods
9 Assassins
10 Company
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If we restrict it to shows for which he wrote both lyrics and music, my list would be:
1 Follies
2 Sunday
3 Sweeney
4 Passion
5 Merrily
6 Night Music
7 Forum
8 Into the Woods
9 Assassins
10 Company
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Marshall
A Little Night Music may be the greatest. The story is memorable, the lyrics are both biting and poignant; it contains a real hit, Send in the Clowns, and the score is arguably his most beautiful and subtly complex.
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A Little Night Music may be the greatest. The story is memorable, the lyrics are both biting and poignant; it contains a real hit, Send in the Clowns, and the score is arguably his most beautiful and subtly complex.
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VoiceOfNoOne
AFTHOTWTTF is great but the fact that it made this list and Follies didn't is insane. Also really shocked to see Pacific Overtures which is amazing, just didn't think that many people would have heard of it.
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AFTHOTWTTF is great but the fact that it made this list and Follies didn't is insane. Also really shocked to see Pacific Overtures which is amazing, just didn't think that many people would have heard of it.
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Henrik
Merrily We Roll Along deserves a proper place on this list. Ive seen two productions on the West End. Its amazing.
It plays backwards in time, so you get the reprise before the main number! Outstanding.
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Merrily We Roll Along deserves a proper place on this list. Ive seen two productions on the West End. Its amazing.
It plays backwards in time, so you get the reprise before the main number! Outstanding.
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Esther
I love west side story! I think this make sense to be number 3.
But I think into the woods can't be number 2, the story is good but the music is not that good, there even don't have a famous song!
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I love west side story! I think this make sense to be number 3.
But I think into the woods can't be number 2, the story is good but the music is not that good, there even don't have a famous song!
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JeffreyStock
Top 10 does NOT narrow it down very much at all: D. If you consider the musicals that debuted on Broadway for which he wrote both music and lyrics, there are probably only about 11.
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Top 10 does NOT narrow it down very much at all: D. If you consider the musicals that debuted on Broadway for which he wrote both music and lyrics, there are probably only about 11.
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Bennett
How are yall gonna make a best musicals of all time list, make the only Sondheim show on the list West Side Story, and then put West Side Story as his third best? Consistency, please.
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How are yall gonna make a best musicals of all time list, make the only Sondheim show on the list West Side Story, and then put West Side Story as his third best? Consistency, please.
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Paolo
Company
Into The Woods
Sunday in the Park
Sweeney Todd
Follies
A Little Night Music
Passion
All of these are great musicals that you cannoT rank. Periodt!
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Company
Into The Woods
Sunday in the Park
Sweeney Todd
Follies
A Little Night Music
Passion
All of these are great musicals that you cannoT rank. Periodt!
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Robert
Not just anyone can Sondheim! Though there are many imitators and would-be's, nobody comes anywhere near the Master's achievements of the last half century and more.
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Not just anyone can Sondheim! Though there are many imitators and would-be's, nobody comes anywhere near the Master's achievements of the last half century and more.
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AGMundy
Send in the Clowns I think you meant to say despite Frank Sinatra covering it - Sinatra didn't have a clue what the song was about so his interpretation was awful.
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Send in the Clowns I think you meant to say despite Frank Sinatra covering it - Sinatra didn't have a clue what the song was about so his interpretation was awful.
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fanjoy
In my opinion, Sweeney Todd is absolutely one of the most ingenious musical works of all time. R. I. P Stephen Sondheim. Thank you for everything you've given us.
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In my opinion, Sweeney Todd is absolutely one of the most ingenious musical works of all time. R. I. P Stephen Sondheim. Thank you for everything you've given us.
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Lord
this is literally the worst list ever created but the fact you included a clip of road show and didnt mention it at ALL is incredibly hilarious. redeeming, even.
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this is literally the worst list ever created but the fact you included a clip of road show and didnt mention it at ALL is incredibly hilarious. redeeming, even.
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melted
Sondheim has such a unique, epic, and beautiful sound/style. He is one of my all-time favorites even though most of my favorite shows aren't his pieces.
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Sondheim has such a unique, epic, and beautiful sound/style. He is one of my all-time favorites even though most of my favorite shows aren't his pieces.
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