This seminar examines the musicals of Stephen Sondheim, from page to stage. Focusing on a different musical each week from Gypsy (1959) to Road Show (2009), we will ask, how do musical theatre’s elements of music, lyrics, script, dance, and design cohere in Sondheim’s musicals? We will explore influences on his art, both personal and cultural, his collaborators, and the historical and theatrical milieu. We’ll study the musicals themselves by reading libretti, listening to music, seeing taped and live performances, researching production histories, and analyzing popular, critical, and scholarly reception.
