Broadway honors the late Stephen Sondheim with a traditional light dimming. All Broadway marquees will go dark for exactly one minute December 8 at 6:30 PM ET. The Tony- and Pulitzer-winning composer-lyricist died November 26 at the age of 91 at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut.
Farther downtown, Classic Stage Company will also take part in the marquee dimming; the Off-Broadway venue is currently home to a revival of Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins.
“It is impossible to measure Stephen Sondheim's impact on the world of musical theatre,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League. “During a career that spanned nearly 65 years, he created music and lyrics that have become synonymous with Broadway—from Gypsy and West Side Story to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Follies, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and too many more to name. It is hard to imagine Broadway without him, but we know his legacy will live on for many years to come, including in this season's revival of Company opening December 9.”
The awards can be counted—a Pulitzer for Sunday in the Park With George, a Kennedy Center Honors, eight competitive Tony Awards and one for Lifetime Achievement, eight Grammys, an Oscar, and on, and on—but as St. Martin says, the mark Sondheim has left on American musical theatre is immeasurable.
The prolific writer had early success on Broadway as a lyricist with West Side Story in 1957 and Gypsy in 1959. His first work as composer-lyricist was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, for which he also won his first Tony for Best Musical. Other Tony Awards followed for the scores of Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Passion.
A revival of Company is currently playing on Broadway at the Bernard J. Jacobs Theatre (opening night is set for December 9).
The four-time Drama Desk winner was responsible for the original Broadway productions of Grease, White Christmas, Yentl, and more.
Mr. Durang was a playwright and lyricist known for his outrageous and often-absurdist comedic flair.
Mr. Gossett was the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Known for creating the role of the Scarecrow in the original company of The Wiz, Mr. Battle died January 30 at the age of 67.
Mr. Lawrence was a beloved singer, actor, and comedian on both the stage and screen.
A frequent interpreter of Andrew Lloyd Webber's works, Ms. Balgord was Broadway's final Grizabella in the long-running musical's original run.
Mr. Bond was a prolific British playwright, penning more than 50 plays in addition to his work as a director and poet.
The late three-time Tony winner made his Broadway debut as the original Scarecrow in The Wiz.
In addition to his work as an actor, Mr. Flaherty was an accomplished playwright.
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