Charlie Rose - Stephen Sondheim / James Lapine

[Einhorntochter]

Passion is one of the deepest musicals I've ever seen and heard. I'm sorry for anyone who can't find the magic within Sondheims words. I've never cried as much as on this musical. It's not always about action, that's the problem so many people have. There are enought rock musicals out there. Passion is honest and every word captures my heart!!! That's to that. My congratulations to Sondheim and Lapine to this beautiful musical! :-)

[bluejade6]

yay a mac freek! i'm not alone

[olddeudynku]

I love sondheim but man passion is painful to watch

[Sondheimsbitch]

why painful?

[Sebastianswain]

Because it's painfully dull, the music especially.

[Sondheimsbitch]

Oh dear, it is not DULL. It has some of the most beautiful, and honest melodies ever to grace B'way. Clearly you are not listening.

[Sebastianswain]

Every single theater person I've mentioned Passion to agrees it's painfully dull. And, judging by your user name, you're probably a little biased.

[Sondheimsbitch]

I've seen Passion many times, and many different productions, and everytime the audience reaction has been different; from total boredom,to sobbing with emotion. I suppose it depends upon what your expectations are. So put the dark Passion next to Hairspray, and yes, i suppose it does seem dull. But while one is a musical cartoon, the other is a little more sophisticated. Yes I am a fan of Sondheim's but it doesnt stop me appreciating other work.I am a theatre person and I find it dark,not dull.

[Sebastianswain]

Notice I didn't mention Hairspray once. Quite honestly, I pretty much flat-out dislike Hairspray. I love most of Sondheim, however, Sunday, Into the Woods, Company, A Little Night. Passion just lacks something. You sound more like a theatre snob.

[Sondheimsbitch]

Oh dear, I mentioned Hairspray only to construct an argument as it is one of the most popular and recent hits. God everyone is so touchy on You Tube. As for being a "theatre snob", well its my work and i care. You may well be a theatre snob too judging by your comments about Wicked. Ok YOU dont like Passion; we get it.

[Ponchochickendoc]

You are kind of a jerk man. . .calling someone a theatre snob because they disagree doesn't paint you in a positive light.

[jimmydm64]

You definately are entitled to your opinion, but I'd love to know what other music is painfully dull to you? And what isn't? IMHO- I think the music is his best work yet. It is a rich score that compliments the emotions on stage.

[Sebastianswain]

Most of what I like is Sondheim. From Into the Woods: "Stay with Me," "Last Midnight"; from Company: "Another Hundred People," "Barcelona," "Ladies Who Lunch," "Being Alive"; from Sunday: "Sunday in the Park with George," "Color and Light," "Gossip"; from A Little Night Music: "The Glamorous Life," "Now/Later/Soon," "Every Day a Little Death," "A Weekend in the Country," "The Miller's Son."

[Sebastianswain]

The stuff I like that's not Sondheim is "Defying Gravity" (the only thing I really like from Wicked, for the composition and the orchestrations, the lyrics could've been writing by eight-year-old) and a lot of Lippa's The Wild Party. At least at the moment, I can't think of much more.

[Sebastianswain]

Getting back to Passion, it just seems to me REALLY mediocre for Sondheim. I'm gonna get bashed terribly for this--but most of "Happiness," for example, to me, sounds like a bad Andrew Lloyd Webber song.

[mikaboy13]

LOVE Sondheim... but Charlie NEEDS a new set... lol it's so dark and gloomy!

[spoonguard1989]

Sondheim is someone I could listen to for hours, fascinating, intriuging and insightful, truly wonderful.

[LukeWehner]

So intelligent.  So amazing. I love him. He is the greatest musical theatre composer. ever.

[vinder166]

Charlie Rose = The Best Interviewer In The English Language.

Stephen Sondheim = The Best Composer/Lyricist In The History Of Musical Theater.

Together? MAGIC!

[Bobbytoo]

he's so handsome. and a beautiful speaking voice. Wow!

[harriter88]

Foxy Sondheim was the "C" word.

[MSSiren]

Stephen Sondheim is my hero. Thank god he met Oscar Hammerstein!

[cattieloves]

Aww, Stephen Sondheim is the best. I got to do Into the Woods a few years back as Jack's Mother...I think it was probably my favorite show out of any I've done. It was really interesting doing it in my high school, though, because our drama teacher was endearingly conservative; everything had to be "rated G." Needless to say, this production was interesting!

[Mekroth]

I know what you mean. My director wasn't "Rated G"" but the administration of my school is. We even had to chang the "Witch" to the "Enchantress."

[cattieloves]

Wow, that is pretty hardcore! We just weren't allowed to put the naughty bits on the wolf suit, and we didn't discuss the underlying meaning of the whole play...haha.

[Mattbrain]

My old school system was so PC that we, the students, were scared to sing "There Is Nothing Like A Dame".

[franz0woyzeck]

Sondheim was a genius and Company was his finest. I loved Company though it makes you want to sob even at the opening number. Thank you Stephen for your hard work and passion and leaving the fruits of it. Hopefully we can attempt to match your ingenuity with an equal amount of "force".....

[anthemnv]

Was a genius? Honey, he still is...........

[franz0woyzeck]

yes....precisely *blushing*

[damone77]

In the year of just about 2008, who cares what Sondheim's sexuality is? It's such a bore to even bring up the subject; concentrate on his work:-)

[buster194]

When Charlie asks Sondheim, "I"m almost embarrassed to ask, but what comes first, the words or the music?" I was dying to hear Sonheim fire back, "Generally, THE CONTRACT"

[Jentany]

Wow, his mother telling him her greatest regret was his birth! OUCH!!

[morik1]

Actually I'm not discussing the fact if he's gay or not.

I just wonder , hasn't he ever had a boyfriend?

[ev13191]

To answer you guys who are wondering whether Sondheim really is gay, he is - he admits it, though prefers not to discuss it.

[blackpython]

Did Donna mess up the lyrics in the clip they showed at the beginning? Because I have both the OBCR and the DVD of the OBC, and the line is "Loving you I have a goal, for what's left of my life" not "Loving you I have a goal, a reason for my life." But she also sing a slightly different melody for the 2nd half of the lyric in that clip, so... I don't know.

[ItalianDivo101]

Judging from the placement of her mole, I'm guessing these clips were filmed during previews... so the song was probably revised later into the form that you and I know it as. However, this is just my assumption... take it as you will.

[morik1]

When was this aired?

and again: hasn't Sondheim ever had a boyfriend?

[rytoast1]

Passion began previews on March 24, 1994, so I'm guessing around then!

I love Stephen :-)

[TylerActs86]

i don't think Sondheim is gay

[blackpython]

No, he's definately gay, I just think he keeps his private life private.

[Awakening126]

He doesn't come off as gay to me at all, really.

How do you know he's gay?

Doesn't matter to me either way, I'm just curious.

[blackpython]

Well, the way I found out is I read it in "The Sondheim Review," the bi-monthly magazine about him and his works. But I don't know if it's ever really been a secret that he's gay.

[tinytimton]

He has been out for decades... it's pretty well known.

[fortunateizzi]

He came out around the time of his show Passion

[xanderoz]

You can't "come off" as gay. Some people are gay and effeminate, just like some people are straight and effeminate.

[gabsylv]

Hasn't Sondheim ever had a boyfriend?

[magoini]

I love Stephen Sondheim!