When one talks about Stephen Sondheim, most people immediately think of Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, or Sunday in the Park with George. They may even gush about the beautifully-written lyrics of West Side Story and Gypsy, which Sondheim wrote and for which he received critical acclaim. He is considered by Sir Cameron Mackintosh as "possibly the greatest lyricist ever."
That being said, it is quite unfortunate that a lot of his work remain relatively unknown. Today’s musical actors focus more on his popular musicals and completely forget about the others. One example is the critically acclaimed Passion.
This musical, in particular, should be discussed because it deviates from standard formats in two distinct ways. First, the musical begins with a love song. This may not seem drastic, but an actor should remember that most musicals normally start with either a fun introduction or some sort of catchy song.
Love songs are usually done in the middle, when the audience already feels emotionally invested in the characters. However, Passion immediately begins with a song of love and happiness. The audience is instantly introduced to the underlying theme of the musical (if the title was not clear enough) and is somehow prepared for the more emotional songs as the play progresses.
Second, Passion is more gritty and raw. Compared to Sondheim’s other works, which are often cheeky and chockfull of innuendo and witticisms, Passion’s lyrics are often very simple and direct – the characters clearly stating their desires. When Passion was initially released, most critics found the change refreshing but were themselves unsure how to receive it. The musical clearly was so different. This led to its modest popularity and its status as second fiddle to Sondheim’s more well-known musicals.
Louis P. Habash is a musical actor passionate about everything Broadway. Join his quest to learn more about the exciting life on stage by liking this Facebook page.
Image Source: sondheimguide.com
That being said, it is quite unfortunate that a lot of his work remain relatively unknown. Today’s musical actors focus more on his popular musicals and completely forget about the others. One example is the critically acclaimed Passion.
This musical, in particular, should be discussed because it deviates from standard formats in two distinct ways. First, the musical begins with a love song. This may not seem drastic, but an actor should remember that most musicals normally start with either a fun introduction or some sort of catchy song.
Love songs are usually done in the middle, when the audience already feels emotionally invested in the characters. However, Passion immediately begins with a song of love and happiness. The audience is instantly introduced to the underlying theme of the musical (if the title was not clear enough) and is somehow prepared for the more emotional songs as the play progresses.
Image Source: broadway.com
Second, Passion is more gritty and raw. Compared to Sondheim’s other works, which are often cheeky and chockfull of innuendo and witticisms, Passion’s lyrics are often very simple and direct – the characters clearly stating their desires. When Passion was initially released, most critics found the change refreshing but were themselves unsure how to receive it. The musical clearly was so different. This led to its modest popularity and its status as second fiddle to Sondheim’s more well-known musicals.
Louis P. Habash is a musical actor passionate about everything Broadway. Join his quest to learn more about the exciting life on stage by liking this Facebook page.
