Broadway News Makers #2: 80 Becomes Him

I think it is obvious why Stephen Sondheim made the list as a top Broadway news maker of 2010.  But in case you missed it, here is a list of what made him newsworthy this year:

 

• Productions of West Side Story and A Little Night Music both open to critical praise, earn Tonys, and the former sets a record for the longest running Broadway production of that show ever.  Both will run throughout 2010, closing in January 2011. (ABOVE)
• February 2010: The New Broadway Cast Recording of West Side Story wins the Grammy Award for Best Show Album.
• March 15-16, 2010: The New York Philharmonic presents Sondheim: The Birthday Concert.  It is subsequently aired by PBS on Great Performances and is released on DVD.
• March 19, 2010: Previerws begin for a limited engagement of Sondheim on Sondheim, a musical revue (BELOW) devised by James Lapine and featured Sondheim himself as  narrator/central character of the piece.  The Roundabout Theatre Company produced the show at Studio 54.

• March 22, 2010:  Sondheim turns 80 years old.
• March 22, 2010: The Roundabout presents Sondheim at 80, an evening of celebration including a performance of Sondheim on Sondheim, a star-studded tribute show and dinner.
• April 26, 2010: New York City Center presents a benefit concert and celebration featuring more than 20 of Sondheim's leading performers.
• July 2010: JK's TheatreScene names Sondheim "Male Artist of the Decade."
• July 31, 2010: The Royal Albert Hall in London is the venue for another tribute to the theatre legend on the other side of the Atlantic.
• In 2010, London saw critically acclaimed revivals of Passion and Into the Woods.

• September 15, 2010:  The Henry Miller's Theatre is re-named and re-lit as The Stephen Sondheim Theatre. (ABOVE)
• October 2010: Sondheim publishes Finishing the Hat, part 1 of 2 books about his lyrics, stories from his career and life, and how he sees other musical theatre writers.  The second volume, Look, I Made a Hat will be published in 2011.  Both volumes contain complete lyrics from all of his musicals.
• November/December:  The Grammy Award nominees are announced and the New Broadway Cast Recording of A Little Night Music and the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Sondheim on Sondheim are nominated for Best Show Album.

I only hope to be half as active when I am 80!

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Jeff
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