The tributes to Sondheim continue with a series of his films and a two-disc release of his songs

When Pulitzer Prize recipient and multiple-award winner Stephen Sondheim died at the age of 91 on November 26, 2021, he left the world with an extraordinary canon of work that forever changed the course of musical theater and left an indelible mark on the movies, with his fully integrated narrative songs and exceedingly complex stories and melodies. In honor of his inestimable contributions, the Museum of the Moving Image, in collaboration with Reverse Shot, has launched See It Big: Sondheim, paying tribute to the late legendary composer, lyricist, and librettist with a series of his films, and Yellow Sound Label released the two-disc set of Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions – Volume Two, containing 44 favorites and lesser-known selections sung by an array of Broadway’s finest voices, in recognition of his birthday on March 22.

Photo courtesy of the Museum of the Moving Image.

The MoMI film series opened on Friday, April 1, with a big-screen presentation of West Side Story (2021), directed by Steven Spielberg, followed by screenings of the original movie version of 1961. Presentations will continue from Saturday, April 9-Sunday, May 1, with screenings of Gypsy (1962), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), Original Cast Album: Company (1970), Stavisky (1974), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Into the Woods (2014), The Last of Sheila (1973), and Dick Tracy (1990). Through this survey, audiences will have the chance to see a selection of filmic interpretations of Sondheim’s stage work, musicals written for the screen, unexpected dramas to which he contributed scores or screenplays, and a documentary that gives viewers access to his artistic process.

All screenings take place in the Redstone Theater at the Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Avenue, Astoria, Queens. For the full schedule of dates and times, visit the MoMI website. Museum timed admission tickets are $15 for adults, $11 for students and seniors, and $9 for ages 3-17. Proof of vaccination is no longer required, but face masks are required in the theater and strongly recommended for other areas of the building.

Yellow Sound Label’s second installment of the three-volume set Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions captures performances from the smash NYC revue at Feinstein’s/54 Below, which has been a celebrated monthly event since 2010. Produced by the series’ creator and host Phil Geoffrey Bond, Sondheim Unplugged, in contrast to some of the grand concert presentations of the composer’s work, strives to convey each song simply and essentially, enhanced only by the elegant piano accompaniment of Music Director Joseph Goodrich.

This newly released edition highlights some of the best-loved tunes from the master composer’s prolific collection of works (“Being Alive,” “Losing My Mind,” “Children Will Listen,” “Anyone Can Whistle”), as well as infrequently heard treasures from projects like Evening Primrose and Reds. Recorded in the studio throughout 2020 and 2021, it represents a once-in-a-generation compendium of some of the most classic songs in contemporary musical-theater history, sung by some of Broadway’s and the nightclub scene’s most impressive vocalists (who collectively boast over 100 Broadway credits to their names).

Several of the key performers originated roles in Sondheim musicals, including George Lee Andrews (A Little Night Music), George Dvorsky (Passion), Danielle Ferland (Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George), Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music), Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd), Melanie Vaughan (Sunday in the Park with George), and Jim Walton (Merrily We Roll Along). The collection also includes singers currently on Broadway in the new revival of Sondheim’s Company (Jeff Kready, Manu Narayan, Nicholas Rodriguez, Tally Sessions), and performers from recent Sondheim revivals of A Little Night Music (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka), Company (Leenya Rideout), The Frogs (Eric Michael Gillett), and Pacific Overtures (Telly Leung), in addition to Tony Award nominees Dee Hoty, Sally Mayes, and Emily Skinner, and the acclaimed vocal quintet Marquee Five.

Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions – Volume Two is available for purchase and streaming on Amazon Music. The series will continue with the release of the third volume on June 1, and will ultimately encompass 70 singers and 120 songs.

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