How Sondheim Found His Sound

A Chronology of Sondheim’s Creative Career

— — — — — A Chronology of Sondheim’s Creative Career 1946 By George (musical; book, music, and lyrics by Miriam Dubin, James Lincoln, and Steve Sondheim; George School) 1948 Phinney’s Rainbow (musical; book and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Josiah T. S. Horton; Williams College) 1949 All That Glitters (musical; book by Stephen Sondheim; Williams College) (ca.) Bequest (novel; abandoned) Variations on a Theme (Katie Malone) for Piano 1950 Sonata for Piano in C major “No Sad Songs for Me” (song in revue, Where To From Here, Williams College) Mary Poppins (musical; abandoned) 1951 High Tor (musical; abandoned) I Know My Love (play by S. N. Berman; song, a Christmas carol) Sonata in G minor for Violin Solo (“A Very Short Violin Sonata”) 1952 (ca.) Concertino for Two Pianos (three out of a projected four movements) 1953 Topper (screenplays for television series [with George Oppenheimer ]) Climb High (musical; unproduced) The Man with the Squeaky Shoes (television show; unproduced) 1954 The Lady or the Tiger? (television musical [with Mary Rodgers]; song, “I Wonder Why”; unproduced) Saturday Night (musical, ‹rst version; book by Julius J. Epstein) 1955 A Mighty Man Is He (play by George Oppenheimer and Arthur Kober; song, “Rag Me That Mendelssohn March”) The Madwoman of Chaillot (musical treatment; based on play by Jean Giraudoux; abandoned) 1956 The Girls of Summer (play by N. Richard Nash; song, “The Girls of Summer”) I Believe in You (television play; song, “They Ask Me Why I Believe in You”; unproduced) The Last Resorts (musical; song, “Pour le sport”; abandoned) 1957 West Side Story (musical; lyrics; music by Leonard Bernstein; book by Arthur Laurents) Ring Round the Moon (musical; abandoned) 1958 The Jet-Propelled Couch (television musical; abandoned) 1959 Gypsy (musical; lyrics; music by Jule Styne; book by Arthur Laurents) Happily Ever After (television musical; abandoned) 1960 Invitation to a March (play by Arthur Laurents; incidental music) 1962 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical; book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart) The World According to Jules Feiffer (revue by Jules Feiffer; song, “Truly Content,” and incidental music for Passionella ; incidental music for monologue, George’s Moon) 1963 Hot Spot (musical; music [with Mary Rodgers]; lyrics [with Martin Charnin]; book by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert; two songs: “Don’t Laugh” and “That’s Good, That’s Bad”) 1964 Anyone Can Whistle (musical; book by Arthur Laurents) 1965 Do I Hear a Waltz? (musical; lyrics; music by Richard Rodgers; book by Arthur Laurents) 1966 Evening Primrose (television musical; screenplay by James Goldman) The Mad Show (revue; book by Larry Siegel and Stan Hart; song: “The Boy From. . . ,” lyrics by “Estaban Ria Nido”) — — — — — xiv 1968 The Exception and the Rule (alternately, The Race to Urga and A Pray by Blecht) (musical; lyrics; music by Leonard Bernstein ; book by John Guare; abandoned) crossword puzzles for New York magazine 1969 The Thing of It Is (‹lm; screenplay by William Goldman; song, “No, Mary Ann”; unproduced) 1970 Company (musical; book by George Furth) 1971 Follies (musical; book by James Goldman) Twigs (one-act plays by George Furth; incidental music) 1973 A Little Night Music (musical; book by Hugh Wheeler) The Last of Sheila (‹lm; coauthor with Anthony Perkins) The Enclave (play by Arthur Laurents; incidental music) 1974 Candide (musical; additional lyrics; music by Leonard Bernstein ; book by Hugh Wheeler) Stavisky . . . (‹lm score; Alain Resnais, director) The Frogs (musical; book by Burt Shevelove) 1976 Paci‹c Overtures (musical; book by John Weidman; additional material by Hugh Wheeler) Side by Side by Sondheim (musical revue) The Seven Per Cent Solution (‹lm; song: “I Never Do Anything Twice”) 1979 Sweeney Todd (musical; book by Hugh Wheeler) Madwoman of Central Park West (play; book by Phyllis Newman and Arthur Laurents; two songs [see Hot Spot, 1963]) 1980 Marry Me a Little (musical revue; book by Craig Lucas) 1981 Merrily We Roll Along (musical; book by George Furth) Reds (portion of ‹lm score; Warren Beatty, director; song: “Goodbye for Now”) 1984 Sunday in the Park with George (musical; James Lapine, director) 1985 Merrily We Roll Along (La Jolla production; additional material by James Lapine) 1987 Follies (revised for London production) Into the Woods (musical; book by James Lapine) 1990 Dick Tracy (‹lm; Warren Beatty, director; ‹ve songs: “Sooner — — — — — xv or Later (I Always Get My Man),” “More,” “Live Alone and Like It,” “Back in Business,” and “What Can You Lose?”) 1991 Assassins (musical; book by John Weidman) 1992 Putting...