''Side by Side by Sondheim'' 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 ...

featuring the songs of

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 ...

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 Kernan was asked by Cleo Laine and her husband John Dankworth to put together a revue as a benefit for The Stables, a theatre they owned in

Wavendon Wavendon is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the south east of the Milton Keynes urban area, in Buckinghamshire, England. History and geography The village name is an Old English, Old English language word, and means 'Wa ...

. Kernan contacted director

Ned Sherrin Edward George Sherrin (18 February 1931 – 1 October 2007) was an English broadcaster, author and stage director. He qualified as a barrister and then worked in independent television before joining the BBC. He appeared in a variety of r ...

and suggested that they do a revue of Sondheim material. 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 ...

saw the benefit revue, which featured

Millicent Martin Millicent Mary Lillian Martin (born 8 June 1934) is an English actress, singer, and comedian. She was the lone female singer of topical songs on the weekly BBC Television satire show ''That Was the Week That Was'' known as TW3 (1962–1963), a ...

, Julia McKenzie, Kernan, and Sherrin as the narrator, and agreed to produce it."''Side by Side by Sondheim'' Article"
Sondheim.com In the TV documentary ''Cameron Mackintosh: The Music Man'', Mackintosh admits that he never saw the benefit performance, but Christopher Biggins did, and Mackintosh went on Biggins' recommendation.

Synopsis

The musical is in the form of a revue, with various sections tied together by being from a particular Sondheim musical, or having a common theme, and all of it is tied together by the Narrator. He explains what show the songs are from, and in some cases provides background on why a song was written. He also notes comparing and contrasting Sondheim themes for the audience. As the cast enters, they sing "Comedy Tonight", and then "Love Is in the Air"; the Narrator explains that the latter song was the original opener for ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'', but was dropped in favor of the more explicit lyrics of "Comedy Tonight". The Narrator notes that a theme that Sondheim has explored in many of his works is marriage, which introduces the next set of songs. Next are the unknown songs, one cut and one from a television program ("I Remember"). The medley from ''Company'' follows, and Act 1 closes with ''Follies'', with the Narrator pointing out the different musical styles Sondheim has used in these songs, such as Vaudeville ("Buddy's Blues"). The female trio sing "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" as the act ends.

Songs

''Songs included have varied from production to production; the following is the song list from the original Broadway production'' ;Act I * Comedy Tonight - '' A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' * Love Is in the Air - Dropped from ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' * If Momma Was Married (music by Jule Styne) - '' Gypsy: A Musical Fable'' * You Must Meet My Wife - ''

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 Little Things You Do Together - '' Company'' * Getting Married Today - ''Company'' * I Remember - ''

Evening Primrose ''Oenothera'' is a genus of about 145 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to the Americas. It is the type genus of the family Onagraceae. Common names include evening primrose, suncups, and sundrops. They are not closely related to ...

'' * Can That Boy Foxtrot - dropped 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 ...

'' * Company - ''Company'' * Another Hundred People - ''Company'' * Barcelona - ''Company'' * Marry Me a Little - dropped from ''Company'' * I Never Do Anything Twice - '' The Seven-Per-Cent Solution'' * Bring on the Girls - ''Follies'' * Ah, Paree! - ''Follies'' * Buddy's Blues - ''Follies'' * Broadway Baby - ''Follies'' * You Could Drive a Person Crazy - ''Company'' ;Act II * Everybody Says Don't - '' Anyone Can Whistle'' * Anyone Can Whistle - ''Anyone Can Whistle'' * Send in the Clowns - ''A Little Night Music'' * We're Gonna Be All Right (music by Richard Rodgers) - ''

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' ...

'' * A Boy Like That/ I Have a Love (music by Leonard Bernstein) - ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

'' * The Boy From... (music by Mary Rodgers) - '' The Mad Show'' * Pretty Lady - ''

Pacific Overtures ''Pacific Overtures'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by John Weidman, with "additional material by" Hugh Wheeler. Set in 19th-century Japan, it tells the story of the country's westernization starting in 185 ...

'' * You Gotta Get a Gimmick (music by Jule Styne) - '' Gypsy: A Musical Fable'' * Losing My Mind - ''Follies'' * Could I Leave You? - ''Follies'' * I'm Still Here - ''Follies'' * Conversation Piece * Side By Side By Side - ''Company''

Productions

The revue had its première on May 4, 1976, at

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

Mermaid Theatre The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre encompassing the site of Puddle Dock and Curriers' Alley at Blackfriars in the City of London, and the first built in the City since the time of Shakespeare. It was, importantly, also one of the first new the ...

, where it ran for 59 performances. It subsequently transferred to

Wyndham's Theatre Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c.1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the archit ...

, and then the

Garrick Garrick may refer to: * Garrick (name), for the name's origin and people with either the surname or given name, the most famous being: ** David Garrick (1717–1779), English actor * Garrick Club, a London gentlemen's club named in honour of David ...

for a total of 806 performances. Ned Sherrin directed, but Sondheim also worked with the cast and made many suggestions.

, Julia McKenzie, David Kernan, and Sherrin comprised the original cast.

Hal Prince Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre. One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...

produced the Broadway version, and persuaded

Actors' Equity Association The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a boo ...

to allow the original British cast to transfer with the show. The production, again directed by Sherrin, opened on April 18, 1977, at the

Music Box Theatre The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, the Music Box Theatre was designed by C. Howard Crane in a Palladian-inspir ...

, and later transferred to the now-demolished Morosco Theatre. Between the two venues, it ran for 384 performances and six previews. It is one of the few shows to have the distinction of its entire cast being nominated for

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 ...

s (Best Featured Actor in a Musical and Best Featured Actress in a Musical). A subsequent 1978 U. S. national tour starred Martin,

Larry Kert Lawrence Frederick "Larry" Kert (December 5, 1930 – June 5, 1991) was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He is best known for his role of Tony in the original Broadway production of the musical ''West Side Story''. Early life Kert was ...

, Barbara Heuman, and

Hermione Gingold Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold (; 9 December 189724 May 1987) was an English actress known for her sharp-tongued, eccentric character. Her signature drawling, deep voice was a result of nodules on her vocal cords she developed in the 1920s and e ...

as the Narrator. The Australian production opened 21 September 1977 at

Canberra Theatre Canberra Theatre Centre (CTC), also known as the Canberra Theatre, is the Australian Capital Territory’s central performing arts venue and Australia’s first performing arts centre, the first Australian Government initiated performing arts c ...

, and subsequently toured to Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. The cast included Jill Perryman, Geraldene Morrow, and Bartholomew John, with

Noel Ferrier Noel Ferrier AM (20 December 193016 October 1997) was an Australian television personality, comedian, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He was a regular panelist in Graham Kennedy's popular game show '' Blankety Blanks ( ...

was the Narrator.

John Laws Richard John Sinclair Laws CBE (born 8 August 1935) is a Papua New Guinean-born Australian radio announcer. For 50 years, until 2007, he was the host of an Australian morning radio program combining music with interviews, opinion, live advert ...

was featured as the Narrator for the Sydney season, as well as on the cast album. The Australian

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 The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

in 1978. A revised production produced by John Edward Thomas ('' Little Women'' and '' Lizzie the Musical'') and directed by

Rob Marshall Robert Doyle Marshall Jr.http://www.alumni.cmu.edu/s/1410/images/editor_documents/alumnirelations/getinvolved/alumniawards/all_honorees_2018june1.pdf (born October 17, 1960) is an American film and theater director, producer, and choreographer. ...

made its debut September 29, 1989, at Playhouse Square's State Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. The cast featured

Paige O'Hara Paige O'Hara (born Donna Paige Helmintoller; May 10, 1956) is an American actress, singer, and painter. O'Hara began her career as a Broadway actress in 1983 when she portrayed Ellie May Chipley in the musical ''Showboat''. In 1991, she made her m ...

, Marsha Waterbury, and Kurt Peterson, with music direction by Brad Garside. A London West End revival opened at the Venue Theatre on May 1, 2007, and closed June 23, 2007, after 62 performances and four previews. The cast included Abbie Osman, Alasdair Harvey, and

Josie Walker Josie Walker is a Northern Irish actress. Career Musicals * The Phantom of the Opera (Manchester, 1992), (London, 1996) * ''Cats'' (English tour, 1995) * ''The Beautiful Game'' (London, 2000) - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Music ...

, with rotating narrators. The musical was directed by Hannah Chissick, with musical staging by Adam Cooper. ;International Numerous international productions have been mounted, including a production in Ireland in 1996, which starred Rebecca Storm,

Brendan O'Carroll Brendan O'Carroll (born 17 September 1955) is an Irish actor, comedian, director, producer and writer. He is best known for portraying foul-mouthed matriarch Agnes Brown on stage and in the BBC and RTÉ television sitcom '' Mrs. Brown's Boys''. ...

as the Narrator, Susie Fenwick, Enda Markey, and Sarah-Jane Bourne. A production at the Seymour Centre in Sydney ran in 2011, and starred Amelia Cormack, Margi De Ferranti, Enda Markey, and

Jessica Rowe Jessica June Rowe (born 22 June 1970) is an Australian journalist, author and television presenter. She was the co-host of ''Studio 10'' on Network Ten until March 2018, and is Member of the Order of Australia for her mental health advocacy. Ea ...

as the Narrator. This production toured Australia in 2012, with

Rachael Beck Rachael Elizabeth Beck (born 9 February 1971) is an Australian stage and television singer-actress. From 1991 to 1994 Beck had a major role on the popular sitcom, '' Hey Dad..!'', as Samantha Kelly. From 2006 to 2008, Beck appeared on all thre ...

and then Lucy Maunder replacing Amelia Cormack; Michael Falzon replacing Markey, and Geraldine Turner replacing De Feranti. On Friday 20 April 2012, a gala performance of the show took place at Theatre Royal, Sydney. Headlined by

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 ...

and starring an array of Australia's leading musical theatre talent, including Rachael Beck, Geraldine Turner,

Peter Cousens Peter Cousens (born 2 November 1955) is an Australian actor and singer born in Tamworth, New South Wales. He is the Artistic Director of the Talent Development Project. He attended The Armidale School in Armidale from 1969 to 1973 and then Go ...

, Enda Markey (who also produced), Lucy Durack, Ben Lewis,

Stephen Mahy Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

, Amanda Muggleton, Michael Falzon, Virginia Gay, and many more.

Awards and nominations

Original London production

Original Broadway production

References

External links

*
''Side By Side By Sondheim'' on The Stephen Sondheim Reference Guide''Side by Side by Sondheim''
at the Music Theatre International website
sondheim.com Side-By-SideTheatre.com review of 2007 London revival
{{DEFAULTSORT:Side by Side by Sondheim 1976 musicals West End musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Stephen Sondheim Revues