Putting It Together
| Musical dates | |
|---|---|
| Original title: | Putting It Together |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Stephen Sondheim |
| Book: | Stephen Sondheim, Julia McKenzie |
| Lyrics: | Stephen Sondheim |
| Original direction: | Julia McKenzie |
| Premiere: | January 27, 1992 |
| Place of premiere: | Oxford , England |
| Playing time: | 2 hours + break |
| Roles / people | |
|
|
Putting it Together is a musical revue about the music of Stephen Sondheim, premiered in 1992 . The title of the revue is taken from a song from Sunday in the Park with George . Sondheim wrote the book of the play himself in collaboration with Julia McKenzie . The revue has been staged several times: the world premiere in Oxford ( England ) in 1992 was followed by an Off-Broadway production from 1993, a Broadway production from 1999 (recorded on film in 2001) and finally the (Off) West End premiere in 2014 .
Framework story
Two originally unspecified couples meet at a dinner party. The older couple's marriage (The Wife and The Husband) has stagnated and their passion has cooled. The two are frustrated with life and have developed a bitterly sarcastic view of love. The young couple (The Young Man and The Young Woman) are in stark contrast to this: They are newly in love and look through rose-colored glasses with unshakable optimism at the world and love, which seems extremely naive to the older couple. By confronting the two opposing points of view, all four gain a new perspective on their lives. A narrator (The Narrator or The Observer) will moderate the evening.
From Eric Schaeffer's production in Los Angeles (1998), The Wife was named Amy, The Husband was named Charles, The Young Man was named Barry (in the program and other listings as Barry, a young associate ) and The Young Woman was named Julie (in the program booklet and other listings listed as Julie, his date ). The narrator also used the forms of address The Wife , The Husband , etc.
Productions
Ensemble overview
| Staging | occupation | Directors | Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Husband | The Wife | The Young Man | The Young Woman | The Narrator | |||
|
Oxford 1992 |
Clive Carter | Diana Rigg | Clarke Peters | Claire Moore | Kit Hesketh-Harvey | Julia McKenzie | 24 performances Production: Cameron Mackintosh |
|
Off-Broadway 1993 |
Stephen Collins | Julie Andrews | Michael Rupert | Rachel York | Christopher Durang | Julia McKenzie | 96 performances Production: Cameron Mackintosh and Manhattan Theater Club |
|
LA 1998 |
John McCook | Carol Burnett | John Barrowman | Susan Egan | Bronson Pinchot | Eric D. Schaeffer | approx. 90 performances Production: Center Theater Group, Music Center of Los Angeles County and Mark Taper Forum |
|
Broadway 1999 |
George Hearn | Ruthie Henshall | 123 Shows Kathie Lee Gifford replaced Burnett in most Tuesday shows on Broadway |
||||
|
Broadway DVD recording , 2000 |
Don Roy King | Production: Direct from Broadway; Released in 2002 | |||||
|
West End 2014 |
David Bedella | Janie Dee | Damian Humbley | Caroline Sheen | Daniel Crossley | Alastair Knights | |
|
Belfast 2015 |
Fra Fee | Carol Starks | Nicholas Pound | Christina Tedders | Brad Clapson | Stephen Whitson | |
World premiere: Oxford 1992
The revue was created as a result of high demand for a sequel to Side by Side by Sondheim , an older homage to Sondheim's works from 1976. Only theater producer Cameron Mackintosh ( Cats , Les Misérables , Phantom of the Opera ) was finally able to convince the hesitant Sondheim to accept the new project to tackle, Julia McKenzie was brought in to support him, she also took over the direction of the first productions. Putting It Together premiered on January 27, 1992 at the Old Fire Station Theater ( Oxford , England ). 24 performances followed.
First performance USA: Off-Broadway 1993
The Manhattan Theater Club production opened Off-Broadway on April 1, 1993 in New York City Center , where it had 37 previews and 59 performances. McKenzie was again directed, the choreography by Bob Avian and the set design by Robin Wagner . Theoni V. Aldredge was responsible for the costumes, Tharon Musser for the lighting. Julie Andrews returned to the New York City stage for the role after more than 30 years. A studio album with the original cast (cast recording) was released through RCA Records .
The heavily revised revue has also been supplemented by a small storyline: the characters spend a whole night at an elegant party in a penthouse . The hosts, an elderly couple (Andrews and Collins), face their disillusionment and marital problems, while a younger and less cynical couple (Rupert and York) grapple with newfound feelings and longings. A butler (Durang) observes, comments and influences the action. The couples deal with infidelity and divorce, but can find each other again before sunrise.
First performed LA & Broadway 1998–2000
A successful production at the Mark Taper Forum ( Los Angeles 1998) moved to Broadway in New York the following year , where it opened on December 21, 1999 at the Ethel Barrymore Theater (47th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue). The production had 101 performances there after 22 previews. The choreography / musical realization came again by Bob Avian, Jonathan Tunick wrote the orchestra - Arrangements for this production. The set was designed by Bob Crowley, Howard Harrison designed the lighting. Carol Burnett , John Barrowman, and Bronson Pinchot returned to the play after the break between LA and Broadway staging. George Hearn replaced John McCook as The Husband , Ruthie Henshall replaced Susan Egan as The Young Woman . Kathie Lee Gifford replaced Carol Burnett in the role of wife on a few days (most Tuesday evening performances except December 21 and 28). Burnett returned to Broadway for the production after four years ( Moon Over Buffalo , 1995) (her last musical appearance at this point was 34 years ago). The (not used) understudy consisted of David Engel (The Observer, The Younger Man), Ronnie Farer (The Wife), John Jellison (The Husband) and Christina Marie Norrup (The Younger Woman). The play was regularly performed eight times a week on Broadway, including five evening and three matinee performances. On Boxing Day and on December 30th and January 2nd, 2000, there was an additional demonstration each, but there was no event on November 23rd and 30th as well as on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's. Tickets for the evening events were available in three seating categories for $ 40–80 , and for the afternoon performances for $ 30–70.
Hearn received a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance . The entire production also received a Drama Desk nomination as an Outstanding New Production of a Musical.
Video recording from 2001
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Putting It Together: A Musical Revue |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | October 14, 2001 |
| length | 105 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Don Roy King |
| script |
Stephen Sondheim Julia McKenzie |
| production | Broadway Worldwide (Direct from Broadway) |
| music | Stephen Sondheim |
| occupation | |
Entitled Putting It Together: A Musical Revue drew Direct from Broadway an evening performance of the Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim revue Putting It Together on. At the time of recording, the cast still consisted of the original 1999 Broadway cast: Carol Burnett , George Hearn , John Barrowman , Ruthie Henshall, and Bronson Pinchot . The video was recorded at the Ethel Barrymore Theater on February 20, 2000 with an HD multi-camera setting by the film company Broadway Worldwide. After several television broadcasts (from 14 October 2001 on cable and pay-per-view - satellite television in the US, Canada and Latin America), the recording was finally released on DVD and VHS (February 26, 2002 by Good Times Video and (only as DVD) again on December 12, 2006 by Image Entertainment). HBO bought a two-year license to the show in December 2002 and aired it repeatedly in the following years.
In addition to the recording of the play, the DVD also contains a Blooper as bonus material, because by chance there were several mishaps during the filming of the show: In the first act, Barrowman's trousers tore, which he held together with black tape for the rest of the performance; At the beginning of the second act, Burnett's skirt slipped off his hip, at which point the performance had to be briefly interrupted. After a few minutes, the ensemble began the entire opening scene again, the mistake could be easily cut out of the already slightly shortened television recording.
In addition to the DVD, Sound Of Music also sells a sound recording of the Broadway production as a double CD.
First performed West End 2014
In January 2014, the revue finally celebrated its West End premiere in the St. James Theater, which opened in 2012 (now The Other Place ). Strictly speaking, this is the Off-West End premiere, but unlike Off-Broadway , this distinction is not yet widespread worldwide (and not yet established even in the UK). Theaters in and around London's theater district continue to be commonly referred to as the West End . The choreography was done by Matthew Rowland, Alex Parker was in charge of the musical supervision of the production. It ran as a strictly limited run , i.e. H. the duration of the presentation was clearly limited from the outset (in this case to 3 weeks) and not dependent on reviews and audience numbers. The last curtain fell on February 1, 2014.
First performance Ireland: Belfast 2015
In December 2015 the Ireland premiere of the revue took place at the Belfast Lyric Theater. Alex Parker was the musical director.
Songs
Broadway
|
|
Original version
|
|
reception
Awards
- 2000: Drama Desk Award "Outstanding Revival of a Musical" - Broadway 1999/2000 - nominated
- 2000: Tony Award " Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical " for George Hearn - Broadway 1999/2000 - nominated
Reviews
Musical World reviewer Stephan Drewianka describes Putting It Together as “a somewhat headstrong show about the works of musical composer Stephen Sondheim, who is adored by critics and has even been awarded the Pulitzer Prize.” See the 2002 film recording he did a "convincing DVD production live from Broadway" "with clear 5.1 sound and sharp 16: 9 widescreen"; “The 5 top-class actors” ensured “a special musical experience without an elaborate stage design”, so that “even those who don't know the individual musicals [...] will have fun with this top-class theater performance”. "Musical favorite", "series star" and "Sunnyboy" John Barrowman as well as " Chicago star [...] with erotic charisma" Ruthie Henshall "provide for exciting moments"; "Tony Award winner George Hearn ( La Cage Aux Foll [e] s )" has "still a remarkable voice"; "Carol Burnett, who has returned to the stage after 35 years [...] sparkles with elegant charm and fresh pun, and convinces with her breathless verbiage in Not Getting Married Today ". “Cinema star” Bronson Pinchot was “good for a few laughs in his first musical role [...]. With this mixed ensemble, classics such as Being Alive , Marry Me A Little , the Oscar-winning song Sooner Or Later , Pretty Women and, of course, Putting It Together become an experience for musical fans who are not in Sondheim, too, and without an elaborate one Stage design and with only a minimal costume change for the 2nd act. "
To classify, he compared Sondheim's musicals with Wagner's operas and contrasted them with those of his colleague Andrew Lloyd Webber : “If Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is a Guiseppe [sic] Verdi of the opera for the musical, Stephen Sondheim is something like a Richard for the musical Wagner for the opera: instead of catchy and light, his compositions are demanding and difficult, despite their depth in almost dissonant spoken chant, they still have charm and always come with a wink. But [...] even with a Sondheim there is plenty of room for rhythm, lively punch lines and a lot of romance and harmony. "
The scenario presented ("As part of a dinner party, a narrator introduces two couples. The elderly couple hardly has anything to say to each other, [d] the young, newly in love couple, on the other hand, is naive on cloud nine [...]. Despite their Both couples find opposites again and again and finally discover that in life only love counts. ”) He describes as“ admittedly something constructed ”. “Connecting” the element is “Sondheim's music, which lets the characters interact with one another. All Sondheim jewels were extracted from [twelve different] shows [...] and given a unifying plot through the new framework. "
The "convincing" DVD offers "[n] the cast biographies [also] a longer interview with the old star of the show, Carol Burnett, in which she freely tells about the little accident at the beginning of the second act [... ]. When she shows the surprised audience what could have happened by quickly dropping the covers, partner John Barrowman can no longer contain himself with laughter. The best: the complete “ Onstage Blooper ” is also documented on the DVD. ”Drewianka concludes: Putting It Together, A musical review with songs by Stephen Sondheim offers an enjoyable evening in which the text counts almost more than the music . "
The theater site Courtain Up (engl .: curtain up ) was full of praise for the Broadway production of the play. In addition to the actors (above all "national treasure" Carol Burnett, whose "smile still spreads over the whole face" and whose "voice has lost none of its foghorn power"), Jonathan Tunick in particular "as always impeccable orchestral arrangements" of the Sondheim songs. The reviewer basically describes Sondheim's melodies and texts as a “complete triumph of refined sophistication combined with emotional depth”. In this he sees the problem of the revue, however, because “like a good poem, Sondheim's songs dig so deep into the emotions that each one already condenses a whole story into a few stanzas. For this reason, they tend to have a firm footing outside the context of their respective show. Side by Side , Sondheim's first and most successful revue, therefore worked without trying to overlay the songs with an additional framework story. "This framework story seems more like an excuse for the (unusual for revues) rather elaborate, but very successful stage design: “Bob Crowley's imaginative stage design beautifully reflects Sondheim's laid-back, witty wit. Instead of the usual chairs for revues, the singers squat on various boxes, which emerge from the stage floor at various points during the show and then disappear again. There is also an abstract, three-dimensional diagram made of boxes, stacked on several levels and framed by horizontally aligned high-rise buildings and neon-colored tubes. The diorama is also equipped with lounge chairs in various sizes, which together look like an exhibition in the Museum of Modern Art . The undersized little room in which The Younger Woman with the song It's Hot Up Here (from Sunday in the Park With George discussed) to himself, reaps great laughter (presumably by people who at the half-height hallway on the hilarious Being John Malkovich recalls become)."
“A couple of times during this two-act Stephen Sondheim songfest she even manages to put her own souped up Burnettian spin on the darker Sondheimian sensibility - notably in her caustic rebuttal to Ruthie Henshall's Lovely (from A Funny Thing Happened to Me On the Way to the Forum) and in a show-stopping "Not Getting Married" (Company) during the second and more energetic half of the show.
Even though Burnett's 'Ladies Who Lunch' lacks some of the tang of Elaine Stritch's 100% Sondheim rendition, it's got enough of the bitter sweet flavor to be an Act II high spot. Ms. Henshall, while still too young to be an icon is nevertheless a rising young British musical star (Chicago's Roxie Hart in London and Velma Kelley in New York). She works well in tandem with Burnett and in her own show-stopper solo, 'More' (Dick Tracy).
[...] Wendell K. Harrington's first and final projections of an Edward Gorey cocktail party group smartly offsets the otherwise underpopulated cocktail party. The overall abstract flavor of the design is, I suppose, meant to complement the feather light plot and avoid questions as to why this party jumps from the stage level to these boxed- in views of life in the lonely New York skyscraper world. As for the plot per se - an older couple (Burnett and George Hearn) unpack their disillusions and marital troubles. The other human threads used to connect the musical dots are a younger less jaundiced couple (Henshall and John Barrowman ably represented by his stand in David Engel at the performance I attended) and a commentator (the gifted young comic, Bronson Pinchot). Pinchot, like Burnett, tries to lighten up the somber mood that is Sondheim's trademark. His opening act as a pretend usher who in a Sondheim for Dummies routine (written by Sondheim) demystifies the cerebral composer. This and his one word introductions to various scenes actually work very well. His explanation as to why this revue is tagged as a review (because Sondheim wants you to think) remains as flimsy as the plot. A review is what you get. A review is what I'm writing - an appraisal of any creative work.
When judged as the latest (actually it's a reworking of an earlier version) of Mr. Sondheim's three revues, Side by Side, even without a big-bang star like Carol Burnett stand superior to Putting It Together. Another book-revue I covered during its revival at the Queens Theater in the Park a few seasons ago (see link below), Marry Me A Little, more successfully overlayed songs with a story, using just two actors on a kitchen-sink style set . Still, as one of the lyrics states, art isn't easy . With the much anticipated big new Sondheim musical, Wise Guys, having just become a no show maybe we should enjoy what's to enjoy and forgive Mr. Schaeffer's for putting this show together - imperfectly. ”
Talkin 'Broadway also criticized the framework of Putting It Together as an “absurd and ostentatious” odyssey through Stephen Sondheim's career, but advised readers to simply overlook it and instead enjoy it to the fullest, like “five of your favorite entertainers a whole lot singing fantastic songs, all written by the same composer. ”Anyone who goes into the evening with this attitude will“ have a great time on this show. ”
“And, I suppose, if you're one of those people who see Putting it Together as yet another chance to publicly worship at the shrine of The Great God Sondheim, you'll get something out of it too - but, heaven knows what . Just spare me all the earnest, in-depth analysis of every last lyric and musical phrase. He's damn good. I agree. Let's move on.
(Personally, I can't wait for someone to come out and debunk the Myth of Stephen Sondheim, that his work can only be properly appreciated if approached with an attitude of intellectual reverence. Those of us who enjoy a well-adjusted, real life know him for what he is, a guy who writes clever, pithy lyrics and some of the best, most "hummable" music ever heard on or off the Broadway stage. Sadly, Mr. Sondheim seems to have recently bought in to his own reputation , vaingloriously insisting that Putting it Together be termed a 'review' of his work, rather than what it actually is, a 'revue' in the grand and wonderfully entertaining tradition of sophisticated amusements concocted to no greater purpose than providing a pleasurable evening at the theater.)
Carol Burnett is Carol Burnett, nothing more nothing less. With Carol, you know what you're going to get going in, and you're never disappointed. And that's as good a definition of 'star quality' as I know.
George Hearn is in excellent voice, and his presence adds the necessary note of depth and resonance to the evening. John Barrowman and Ruthie Henshall provide a surprisingly welcome undercurrent of sex appeal, both in their songs and to the show in general. Bronson Pinchot (or, as he refers to himself in his Playbill bio, 'The Artist Formerly Known as Balki') saves the evening on several occasions from becoming just a bit too serious and self-indulgent.
Eric D. Schaeffer's direction and Bob Avian's staging keep the evening moving along at a brisk pace. Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations are superb, as usual, but suffer from an orchestra pushed off stage and amplified to the point of sounding like a cheap FM radio.
To date, this season has produced two absolutely must see musical entertainments, Kiss Me, Kate and now Putting it Together. Perhaps Broadway is relearning an old and dependable truth, that sometimes audiences just want to have fun! "
Music Theater International describes the play in its database entries for Off-Broadway (1993) and Broadway (1999) productions as follows:
“In this Sondheim review, two couples reflect on the complexities of modern relationships. Putting It Together is a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd, Follies, A Funny Thing Happened ...). Drawing its title from a song in Sunday in the Park with George, it celebrates Sondheim's incomparable career in musical theater.
Featuring nearly thirty Sondheim tunes, Putting It Together is performed by only five people who are thrown together at a party in a Manhattan penthouse. With a bit of imagination, the guests transform the apartment into the stage of an abandoned theater, an estate in Sweden, an island outside of Paris, a street off the Roman Forum, the woods of a fairy tale and a mythical town in the Southwest . This tribute in the form of a revue provides a wonderful opportunity for simple sets and costumes.
Sondheim's music will allow performers to showcase their vocal and acting abilities. "
Web links
- Putting It Together in the Internet Broadway Database - Broadway 1999
- Putting It Together in the Internet Off-Broadway Database - Off-Broadway 1993
- Putting It Together in the Stephen Sondheim Reference Guide (English) - overview of the most important productions, status 2003
- Putting it Together in the Music Theater International database - Off-Broadway 1993
- Putting it Together in the Music Theater International - Broadway 1999 database
- Putting It Together in the Direct-from-Broadway database
- Putting It Together in the Internet Movie Database (English) - Broadway 1999
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Thomas Burke: Talkin'-Broadway review of the Broadway production, published November 22, 1999 (performance attended / discussed presumably Sunday matinee, November 21, or Saturday, November 20, matinee or evening performance).
- ↑ June Abernathy: 'Putting It Together' history on Sondheim.com, accessed August 31, 2010.
- ^ Putting it Together - Oxford Production on SondheimGuide.com, accessed August 31, 2010.
- ^ Frank Rich: Review / Theater; Julie Andrews Sings in a Sondheim Revue (p. 2) In: The New York Times, April 2, 1993
- ^ Robert Simonson: The Mark Taper Forum's acclaimed and extended production of the Sondheim revue Putting It Together will end its run on December 6. In: Playbill of December 4, 1998.
- ^ R. Thomas Umstead: BTN Puts 'Together' Third PPV Musical. In: MultiChannel News of August 20, 2001. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved on July 22, 2018.
- ↑ Andrew Gans: HBO To Offer Jekyll & Hyde, Smokey Joe's Cafe & Putting It Together. In: Playbill of December 2, 2002. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved on July 22, 2018.
- ^ Turner Classic Movies : Putting It Together. In: Turner Broadcasting System ( Time Warner , Atlanta). Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ↑ Mark Shenton: Sondheim Revue 'Putting it Together' to Receive London Premiere at St. James Theater In: Playbill, November 8, 2013. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
- ^ Putting it Together at Lyric Theater, Belfast .
- ↑ Stephan Drewianka: Putting It Together. DVD review on Musical-World.de, accessed on April 10, 2018.
- ^ Curtain Up review - Broadway 1999.
- ^ Putting it Together - Broadway 1999 in the Music Theater International database
- ^ Putting it Together - Off-Broadway 1993 in the Music Theater International database