Biography
Stephen Sondheim is arguably the most important theatrical composer-lyricist in the latter half of the Twentieth Century. Building on the framework created by such early musical theater figures as Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, he has been responsible for redefining stage musicals in the last three decades. Subjects that were not considered viable (i.e., the opening of Japan to the West, a Victorian murder-revenge story) have in Sondheim's …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Wrote first amateur musical, "By George" while still in boarding school | ||
1940 | At age ten, moved with mother to Pennsylvania after parents' separation; neighbor Oscar Hammerstein II served as mentor | |
1953 | Wrote for the CBS TV series, "Topper" | |
1954 | Wrote first musical score, "Saturday Night"; show was optioned for production, but the producer died before funding had been raised; project was shelved until a 1997 production at London's Bridewell Theatre; received a professional recording in 1998 | |
1956 | First professional stage work, composed incidental music for "Girls of Summer" | |
1957 | Wrote lyrics to Broadway show, "West Side Story"; adapted into a film in 1961 | |
1959 | Only original teleplay produced, "In an Early Winter" | |
1960 | Contributed to the CBS special "The Fabulous 50s" | |
1962 | Wrote lyrics and music for "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"; adapted into a film in 1966 | |
1966 | Composed and wrote lyrics for first TV score, "Evening Primrose" | |
1970 | First collaboration with Harold Prince as director, "Company"; recording of the cast album was the subject of D. A. Pennebaker's documentary | |
1972 | Wrote the score for the cult musical "Follies" | |
1973 | With Anthony Perkins, co-wrote first original screenplay, "The Last of Sheila"; directed by Herbert Ross | |
1974 | Composed first original film score, "Stavisky" | |
1974 | TV acting debut in a PBS' production of "June Moon" | |
1976 | First stage revue based on his work, "Side by Side by Sondheim" | |
1976 | Wrote song "I Never Do Anything Twice/The Madam's Song" for the Herbert Ross-directed film "The Seven Per Cent Solution" | |
1977 | Wrote new songs for the Harold Prince directed film adaption of the Tony-winning musical, "A Little Night Music" | |
1979 | Wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical, "Sweeney Todd"; final collaboration with book writer Hugh Wheeler | |
1981 | Contributed to the score of Warren Beatty's "Reds" | |
1981 | Last collaboration to date with Prince, "Merrily We Roll Along" | |
1981 | Stage revue, "Marry Me a Little"; included songs cut from various productions; show assembled by Craig Lucas | |
1982 | First TV adaption of one of his musicals, "Sweeney Todd"; aired on The Entertainment Channel; later rebroadcast on PBS | |
1984 | First collaboration with James Lapine, "Sunday in the Park With George"; received Pulitzer Prize in Drama | |
1985 | An all-star concert version of "Follies" was performed at Lincoln Center; filmed for broadcast on PBS | |
1986 | "Sunday in the Park With George" broadcast on PBS with the original cast | |
1987 | A revised version of "Follies" opened in London's West End with Diana Rigg, Julia McKenzie and Daniel Massey | |
1987 | Second collaboration with Lapine, "Into the Woods" | |
1990 | Appointed first visiting professor of drama and musical theater at Oxford University | |
1990 | Provided the song score for Warren Beatty's feature "Dick Tracy"; won Oscar for song "Sooner or Later" | |
1990 | The City Opera production of "A Little Night Music" aired on PBS' "Live From Lincoln Center" | |
1990 | The controversial musical "Assassins" opened; main characters were all successful or would-be presidental assassins | |
1992 | Second stage revue of Sondheim work, "Putting It Together"; show marked the return to the stage of Julie Andrews | |
1992 | Was subject of tribute, "Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall"; filmed for TV and aired in 1993 on PBS | |
1994 | Third collaboration with James Lapine, "Passion"; based on Ettore Scola's 1981 film "Passione d'amore" | |
1995 | Made debut as playwright, co-authoring "Getting Away With Murder" with George Furth | |
1996 | Wrote several songs for Mike Nichols' feature "The Bird Cage"; most songs not used in the final cut | |
1998 | Yet another revised version of "Follies" staged at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey | |
1999 | Revised version of Off-Broadway revue "Putting It Together" starring Carol Burnett opened in L.A.; production re-staged (with some cast changes) on Broadway | |
1999 | Workshop version of "Wise Guys" staged; directed by Sam Mendes; never transfer to Broadway | |
2000 | Off-Broadway premiere of "Saturday Night" at the Second Stage Theatre | |
2001 | First Broadway revival of "Follies" produced under auspices of Roundabout Theater | |
2001 | The Kennedy Center devoted entire season to works | |
2002 | Broadway revival of "Into the Woods" | |
2004 | Tony award winning Broadway revival of Sondheim's "Assassins" | |
2008 | Broadway revival of "Sunday in the Park with George" | |
2010 | Earned two Grammy nominations for Best Musical Show Album as the lyricist for "A Little Night Music" and "Sondheim On Sondheim" | |
Awards
1963 | Tony Award for Musical |
1970 | Grammy Award for Best Score From the Original Cast Show Album |
1971 | Tony Award for Lyrics (Musical) |
1971 | Tony Award for Score |
1972 | Tony Award for Score |
1973 | Grammy Award for Best Score From the Original Cast Show Album |
1973 | Tony Award for Score (Musical) |
1975 | Grammy Award for Song Of The Year |
1979 | Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album |
1979 | Tony Award for Score |
1984 | Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album |
1988 | Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Show Album |
1988 | Tony Award for Score (Musical) |
1990 | Academy Award for Music (Original Song) in Dick Tracy |
1990 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in Dick Tracy |
1994 | Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album |
1994 | Tony Award for Original Music Score |
2008 | Tony Award for Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |