Sondheim! The Birthday Concert was a concert celebrating the 80th birthday of Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim. The concert was directed by Lonny Price and hosted by David Hyde Pierce. The event was performed at Avery Fisher Hall within Lincoln Center in New York City on March 15 and 16 in 2010. The New York Philharmonic accompanied performers including Michael Cerveris, Alexander Gemignani, Joanna Gleason, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, Marin Mazzie, and the 2009 Broadway revival cast of West Side Story.Gans, Andrew. "Benanti, Gleason, Pierce, Stritch, Walton, Zien Join Philharmonic Sondheim Celebration" . Playbill.com, January 8, 2010Ross, Blake. "About Last Night: The Stars on Sondheim" . Playbill, March 16, 2010Gans, Andrew and Hetrick, Adam. "Sondheim! The Birthday Concert DVD, with Patti LuPone and Bernadette Peters, Arrives Nov. 16", Playbill, November 16, 2010, accessed October 31, 2016
It was broadcast as an episode of Great Performances on PBS on November 16 of the same year.Hetrick, Adam."Starry Sondheim: The Birthday Concert Airs on "Great Performances" Nov. 24" . Playbill, November 24, 2010 A DVD of the concert was also released.
Performances In order of appearance Performer(s)SongShowSignificanceNew York Philharmonic"Organ Prelude"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"Birthday Overture"Karen Olivo and company of 2009 revival of West Side Story"America"West Side StoryOlivo played Anita in the 2009 revival of West Side StoryAlexander Gemignani"Something's Coming"Played John Hinckley in the 2004 revival of Assassins; Beadle Bamford in the 2005 revival of Sweeney Todd; Boatman/Dennis in the 2008 revival of Sunday in the Park with George; Addison Mizner in original off-Broadway production of Road ShowMarin Mazzie and Jason Danieley"We're Gonna Be All Right"Do I Hear a Waltz?Mazzie: Played Clara in the original production of Passion; was a replacement for Rapunzel in the original production of Into the WoodsVictoria Clark"Don't Laugh"Hot SpotPlayed Sally Durant Plummer in two productions of Follies; the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd in Concert.Nathan Gunn"Johanna"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetSweeney Todd in a production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetMatt Cavenaugh, Jenn Colella, Laura Osnes and Bobby Steggert"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through"FolliesCavenaugh: Henrik in the 2000 production of A Little Night MusicOsnes: Beth in the HBO television documentary Six by Sondheim in 2013Nathan Gunn and Audra McDonald "Too Many Mornings"McDonald: Clara in the Live from Lincoln Center production of Passion; Beggar Woman in the Live from the Lincoln Center production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetJohn McMartin"The Road You Didn't Take"Benjamin Stone in the original production of Follies; The Mysterious Man/Narrator in the 2002 revival of Into the Woods; Doctor Tambourri in a benefit concert of PassionChip Zien and Joanna Gleason"It Takes Two"Into the WoodsZien: The Baker in the original cast of Into the WoodsGleason: The Baker's Wife in the original cast of Into the WoodsJim Walton"Growing Up"Merrily We Roll AlongFranklin Shepard in the original cast of Merrily We Roll Along; Anthony in the 1989 Broadway revival of Sweeney ToddMandy Patinkin"Finishing the Hat"Sunday in the Park with GeorgePatinkin: Georges Seurat in the original cast of Sunday in the Park With George; Buddy Plummer in a concert production of FolliesPeters: Dot in the original cast of Sunday in the Park With George; the Witch in the original Broadway cast of Into the Woods; Rose Thompson Hovick in the 2003 revival of Gypsy; Desiree Armfeldt in the first Broadway revival of A Little Night Music; Sally Durant Plummer in the 2011 revival of FolliesMandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters"Move On"George Hearn and Michael Cerveris"Pretty Women"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetHearn: Sweeney Todd in several productions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetCerveris: Sweeney Todd in the 2005 Broadway Revival of Sweeney Todd; John Wilkes Booth in the Original Broadway Production of Assassins; Giorgio in the Live from Lincoln Center production of Passion; Wilson Mizner in the 2008 Off-Broadway production of Road ShowLuPone: Mrs. Lovett in the 2005 revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Joanne in several productions of Company; Fosca in the Lincoln Center concert of Passion; Rose Thompson Hovick in the 2008 revival of GypsyGeorge Hearn, Michael Cerveris, and Patti LuPone"A Little Priest"New York Philharmonic, Blaine Hoven, María Riccetto"Goodbye For Now"RedsLaura Benanti"So Many People"Saturday NightCinderella in the 2002 revival of Into the Woods; Gypsy Rose Lee in the 2008 revival of GypsyDavid Hyde Pierce "Beautiful Girls"FolliesPatti LuPone"The Ladies Who Lunch"CompanySee aboveMarin Mazzie"Losing My Mind"FolliesSee aboveAudra McDonald"The Glamorous Life"A Little Night MusicSee aboveDonna Murphy"Could I Leave You?"FolliesFosca in the original production of PassionBernadette Peters"Not a Day Goes By"Merrily We Roll AlongSee aboveElaine Stritch"I'm Still Here"FolliesJoanne in the original production of Company; Played Hattie Walker in a concert production of FolliesCompany"Sunday"Sunday in the Park with George"Happy Birthday"
References
External links
Sondheim! The Birthday Concert on IMDb Special Events at the Sondheim Database