''Putting it Together'' is a musical

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Drawing its title from a song in '' Sunday in the Park with George'', it was devised by Sondheim and

Julia McKenzie Julia Kathleen Nancy McKenzie (born 17 February 1941) is an English actress, singer, presenter, and theatre director. She has premièred leading roles written by both Alan Ayckbourn and Stephen Sondheim. On television, she is known for her BAFT ...

. The revue has received several productions, beginning with its premiere in England in 1992,

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in 1999 and the West End in 2014.

Production history

Original UK production (1992)

The revue came about due to many requests for an update to ''

Side by Side by Sondheim ''Side by Side by Sondheim'' is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from '' Company''. History The musical had its origins when David ...

'' (1976). Having resisted a new show, he was finally convinced by producer

Cameron Mackintosh Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "th ...

, and Julia McKenzie was brought in to assist. ''Putting It Together'' was first performed on January 27, 1992 at the

Old Fire Station Theatre __NOTOC__ Arts at the Old Fire Station ('The OFS') is an arts centre in Oxford comprising a Theatre, Gallery and Shop. There are also studios available to hire for classes, rehearsals and meetings. The organisation focuses on three key things: ...

Oxford, England Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...

, where it ran for 24 performances. Directed by Julia McKenzie and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, the cast included

Diana Rigg Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg (20 July 193810 September 2020) was an English actress of stage and screen. Her roles include Emma Peel in the TV series '' The Avengers'' (1965–1968); Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, wife of James Bond, in ''On H ...

, Clive Carter, Claire Moore,

Clarke Peters Peter Clarke (born April 7, 1952), known professionally as Clarke Peters, is an American-British actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in the television series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) and Albert Lambrea ...

, and

Kit Hesketh-Harvey Kit may refer to: Places * Kitt, Indiana, US, formerly Kit * Kit, Iran, a village in Mazandaran Province * Kit Hill, Cornwall, England People * Kit (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Kit (surname) Animals * Young animals ...

Original US production (1993)

The

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...

production opened Off-Broadway on April 1, 1993 at

New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama,. The name "City Center for Music and Drama Inc." is the organizational parent of the New York City Ballet and, until 2011, the New York City Opera. and t ...

, where it ran for 59 performances and 37 previews. It was directed by McKenzie and choreographed by

Bob Avian Robert Avedisian (December 26, 1937 – January 21, 2021), professionally known as Bob Avian, was an American choreographer, theatrical producer and director. Biography Born in New York City to an Armenian family in December 1937, Avian spent his ...

, with scenery by Robin Wagner, costumes by Theoni V. Aldredge, and lighting by Tharon Musser. The cast included

Stephen Collins Stephen Weaver Collins (born October 1, 1947) is an American former actor and writer. He is known for playing Eric Camden on the television series '' 7th Heaven'' from 1996 to 2007. Afterwards, Collins played the roles of Dayton King on the ABC ...

Christopher Durang Christopher Ferdinand Durang (born January 2, 1949) is an American playwright known for works of outrageous and often absurd comedy. His work was especially popular in the 1980s, though his career seemed to get a second wind in the late 1990s. ...

, Michael Rupert,

Rachel York Rachel York (born August 7, 1971) is an American actress and singer. She is known for stage roles in '' City of Angels'', ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'', ''Les Misérables'', ''Victor/Victoria'', ''Kiss Me, Kate'', ''Sly Fox'', '' Dirty Rotten Scound ...

, and Julie Andrews, making her return to the New York City stage after an absence of more than 30 years. The markedly revised revue now had a slight plot: At an all-night, black-tie party in a penthouse. The hosts, an older couple (Andrews and Collins) face their disillusions and marital troubles; a younger, less jaundiced couple (Rupert and York) struggle with their feelings and desires, and a commentator (Durang) oversees and influences the action. The spouses deal with infidelity and divorce but finally reconcile before dawn. A

cast recording A cast recording is a recording of a stage musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the voices of the sho ...

was released by

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

Broadway production (1999)

A production at the Mark Taper Forum (

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

) transferred to

the following year, opening November 21, 1999 at the

Ethel Barrymore Theatre The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theater at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1928, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles ...

, where it ran for 101 performances and 22 previews. Directed by

Eric D. Schaeffer Eric D. Schaeffer is an American theater director and producer based in Arlington, Virginia. He is the co-founder and former Artistic Director of Signature Theatre., and is well known nationally for his re-invention of large American musicals for ...

and choreographed by Bob Avian, the Broadway cast included

Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hosted ...

(Wife),

George Hearn George Hearn (born June 18, 1934) is an American actor and singer, primarily in Broadway musical theatre. Early years Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hearn studied philosophy at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College before he embarked on ...

(Husband),

Ruthie Henshall Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End d ...

(Young Woman),

John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' and '' Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowv ...

(Young Man), and Bronson Pinchot (Observer).

Kathie Lee Gifford Kathryn Lee Gifford ( née Epstein; born August 16, 1953) is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show '' Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee''. Gifford is ...

replaced Burnett at some performances. The production marked the return of Burnett to the Broadway stage after performing in ''

Moon Over Buffalo ''Moon Over Buffalo'' is a 1995 comic play by Ken Ludwig set in Buffalo, New York in 1953. This play marked the return, after a 30-year absence, of Carol Burnett to the Broadway stage. Characters *George Hay, a traveling actor. *Charlotte Hay, ...

'' in 1995. Hearn was nominated for the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

for Best Actor in a Musical. A video recording of the Broadway production (directed by Don Roy King) was released for television and home media as Putting It Together: Direct from Broadway. The DVD release includes blooper footage of Burnett's skirt falling down during the opening of the second act.

West End production (2014)

The revue received its West End premiere in January 2014 at St. James Theatre, London with a cast that included Janie Dee,

David Bedella David Bedella (born September 25, 1962) is an American actor. He is currently based in London and is best known for his Olivier award-winning roles in ''Jerry Springer – The Opera'', ''In The Heights'' and ''& Juliet''. Early life Bedella wa ...

Damian Humbley Damian Humbley (born 13 February 1979) is an Australian singer and actor. Born in Queensland, he trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He is best known for his work on the stage in the UK, notable credits including accl ...

Caroline Sheen Caroline Sheen is a Welsh actress who has played leading roles on stage in the West End alongside TV and film appearances. She won a Helen Hayes award for playing the role of Mary Poppins on the National Tour of America. Background Born and ...

, and Daniel Crossley. It was directed by Alastair Knights, with choreography by Matthew Rowland and Musical Supervision by Alex Parker. It ran for a strictly limited 3-week run, closing on the 1st February 2014.

Original Ireland production (2015)

The revue received its Irish premiere in December 2015 at

Lyric Theatre, Belfast The Lyric Theatre, or simply The Lyric, is the principal, full-time producing theatre in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The theatre's current Executive Producer is Jimmy Fay, previously the founder and Artistic Director of Bedrock Productions. His ...

with

Fra Fee Francis Martin "Fra" Fee (born 20 May 1987) is an Irish actor and singer. He is known for portraying Courfeyrac in Tom Hooper's film adaptation of ''Les Misérables''. He portrayed the role of Michael Carney in Jez Butterworth's ''The Ferryman ...

Carol Starks Carol Starks is a British actress. She studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and landed her first role with the National Theatre in ''Sweeney Todd''. She later found wider audiences through her ongoing role in the soap opera ''Famil ...

, Nicholas Pound, Christina Tedders, and Brad Clapson, directed by Stephen Whitson, and musical supervision by Alex Parker.

Songs

Original production

Act I *Invocation and Instructions ''(The Frogs)'' *Putting It Together ''(Sunday in the Park with George)'' *Rich and Happy ''(Merrily We Roll Along)'' *Merrily We Roll Along ''(Merrily We Roll Along)'' *Lovely ''(A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)'' *Everybody Ought to Have a Maid ''(A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)'' *Sequence: **Sooner or Later ''(Dick Tracy)'' **I'm Calm ''(A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)'' **Impossible ''(A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)'' **Ah, But Underneath ...! ''(Follies - London)'' *Hello Little Girl ''(Into the Woods)'' *My Husband the Pig/ Every Day a Little Death ''(A Little Night Music)'' *Have I Got a Girl for You ''(Company)'' *Pretty Women ''(Sweeney Todd)'' *Now ''(A Little Night Music)'' *Bang! ''(A Little Night Music)'' *Country House ''(Follies - London)'' *Could I Leave You? ''(Follies)'' Act II *Entr'acte/ Back in Business ''(Dick Tracy)'' *Rich and Happy ''(Merrily We Roll Along)'' *Night Waltzes ''(A Little Night Music-stage and film)'' *Gun Song ''(Assassins)'' *The Miller's Son ''(A Little Night Music)'' *Live Alone and Like It ''(Dick Tracy)'' *Sorry-Grateful ''(Company)'' *Sweet Polly Plunkett ''(Sweeney Todd)'' *I Could Drive a Person Crazy ''(Company)'' *Marry Me a Little ''(Company) '' *Getting Married Today ''(Company)'' *Being Alive ''(Company)'' *Like It Was ''(Merrily We Roll Along)'' *Old Friends ''(Merrily We Roll Along)''

Broadway production (1999)

Act I *Invocation and Instructions to the Audience (from ''

The Frogs ''The Frogs'' ( grc-gre, Βάτραχοι, Bátrakhoi, Frogs; la, Ranae, often abbreviated ''Ran.'' or ''Ra.'') is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It was performed at the Lenaia, one of the Festivals of Dionysus in ...

'') — The Observer *Putting It Together (from '' Sunday in the Park with George'') —The Company *Rich and Happy (from '' Merrily We Roll Along'') — The Company *Do I Hear a Waltz? (from ''

Do I Hear a Waltz? ''Do I Hear a Waltz?'' is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Richard Rodgers, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was adapted from Laurents' 1952 play ''The Time of the Cuckoo'', which was the basis for the 1955 film '' Summertime' ...

'') — The Wife, The Husband *Merrily We Roll Along #1 (from ''Merrily We Roll Along'') — The Observer *Lovely (from '' A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'') — The Younger Woman, The Wife *Hello Little Girl (from ''

Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...

'') — The Husband, The Younger Woman *My Husband the Pig (from ''

A Little Night Music ''A Little Night Music'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film ''Smiles of a Summer Night'', it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a ...

'') — The Wife *Everyday a Little Death (from ''A Little Night Music'') — The Wife, The Younger Woman *Everybody Ought to Have a Maid (from ''A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum'') — The Wife, The Observer *Have I Got a Girl for You (from '' Company'') — The Younger Man, The Husband *Pretty Women (from ''

Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial '' The String of Pearls'' (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London legend. A barber from Fleet Stre ...

'') — The Younger Man, The Husband *Sooner or Later (from '' Dick Tracy'') — The Younger Woman *Bang! (from ''A Little Night Music'') — The Younger Man, The Observer, The Younger Woman *Country House (from ''

Follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Fol ...

'') — The Wife, The Husband *Unworthy of Your Love (from '' Assassins'') — The Younger Man, The Younger Woman *Merrily We Roll Along #2 (from ''Merrily We Roll Along'') — The Observer *Could I Leave You? (from ''Follies'') — The Wife *Rich and Happy (Reprise) — The Company Act II *Back in Business (from ''Dick Tracy'') — The Company *It's Hot Up Here (from ''Sunday in the Park with George'') — The Company *The Ladies Who Lunch (from ''Company'') — The Wife *The Road You Didn't Take (from ''Follies'') — The Husband *Live Alone and Like It (from ''Dick Tracy'') — The Younger Man *More (from ''Dick Tracy'') — The Younger Woman *There's Always a Woman (from ''

Anyone Can Whistle ''Anyone Can Whistle'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Described as "a satire on conformity and the insanity of the so-called sane," the show tells a story of an economically depressed town w ...

'') — The Wife, The Younger Woman *Buddy's Blues (from ''Follies'') — The Observer *Good Thing Going (from ''Merrily We Roll Along'') — The Husband *Marry Me a Little ( from ''Company'') — The Younger Man *Not Getting Married Today (from ''Company'') — The Wife *Merrily We Roll Along #3 (from ''Merrily We Roll Along'') — The Company *Being Alive (from ''Company'') — The Company *Like It Was (from ''Merrily We Roll Along'') — The Wife *Old Friends (from ''Merrily We Roll Along'') — The Company

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

References

External links

* * *
''Putting It Together'' on The Stephen Sondheim Reference Guide''Putting it Together'' (1999 Broadway version)
Music Theatre International

(1999 production)

(1999 production) {{Stephen Sondheim 1992 musicals Broadway musicals Off-Broadway musicals Revues Musicals by Stephen Sondheim