"Great Performances"
Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1993)

Director:

Kirk Browning

Writer:

David Thompson (written by)

TV Series:

"Great Performances" (1972)

Original Air Date:

3 March 1993 (Season 21, Episode 3)

Genre:

Music | Musical

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Concert | Carnegie Hall | Composer | Songwriter | Musical Stage Production

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Kevin Anderson	...	Performer: song 'A Weekend in the Country' from musical 'A Little Night Music'
George Lee Andrews	...	Performer: song 'A Weekend in the Country' from musical 'A Little Night Music'
Harolyn Blackwell	...	Performer: song "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" from 'Sweeney Todd'
Peter Blanchet	...	Himself
The Boys Choir of Harlem	...	Choir
Betty Buckley	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Children Will Listen'
Patrick Cassidy	...	Himself - Performer: song 'The Ballad of Booth'
Glenn Close	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Send In the Clowns' from 'A Little Night Music'
Daisy Eagan	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Broadway Baby' from 'Follies'
Victor Garber	...	Himself - Performer: song 'The Ballad of Booth'
Jerry Hadley	...	Performer: song 'Johanna / Pretty Women' from Sweeney Todd
Kent Heacock	...	Serving Gentleman
Bill Irwin	...	Master of Ceremony
Matthew Alan Jacobs	...	Serving Gentleman
Mark Jacoby	...	Himself - Performer: song 'Getting Married Today' from 'Company'
Michael Jeter	...	Himself
Madeline Kahn	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Getting Married Today' from 'Company'
Ron Kelley	...	Serving Gentleman
Ian Klapper	...	Serving Gentleman
Beverly Lambert	...	Herself - Performer: song 'A Weekend in the Country' from 'A Little Night Music' (qv)
Jeanne Lehman	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Getting Married Today' from 'Company'
Dorothy Loudon	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Losing My Mind' from Follies / 'You Could Drive a Person Crazy' from Company
Patti LuPone	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Being Alive' from Company
Carole Meyer	...	Herself
Liza Minnelli	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Back in Business' from Dick Tracy
Maureen Moore	...	Herself - Performer: song 'A Weekend in the Country'
Richard Muenz	...	Himself
James Naughton	...	Himself
Carolann Page	...	Herself
Eugene Perry	...	Himself - Performer: song 'Johanna / Pretty Women' from Sweeney Todd
Herbert Perry	...	Himself - Performer: song 'Johanna / Pretty Women' from Sweeney Todd
Bernadette Peters	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Not a Day Goes By'
Stephen Sondheim	...	Himself
Billy Stritch	...	Himself - Performer: song 'Back in Business' from Dick Tracy
Susan Terry	...	Herself - Performer: song 'A Weekend in the Country'
John Henry Thomas	...	Serving Gentleman
Mike Timoney	...	Serving Gentleman
Blythe Walker	...	Herself
Karen Ziemba	...	Herself - Performer: song 'Sooner or Later'

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Carnegie Hall, New York

Soundtrack:

Being Alive

Great, especially for those of us in the sticks.

Watching this well-nigh perfect Sondheim compendium, I was struck by one incontestable fact: for most of us, these compilation shows (I include "Putting It Together and "Side by Side") ARE Sondheim. Living far from the big centres, we are unlikely to have productions of "Assassins" and "Sunday in the Park with George" pop up at our local theatres. So we owe a debt of gratitude to this "Celebration" for making the cream of Sondheim songs available ; principally, however, for presenting them, as here, in such sublime performances.

There's Liza, at the top of her game (this is 1992). Even the lady herself would admit that her days of climbing atop grand pianos in Carnegie Hall are, perhaps, (you never know with this gal!) long gone. But watch her with Billy Stritch and those stupendous dancers as she sings (what could be her own 2003 anthem!) "Back in Business".

Glenn Close shows how to handle the best known of all Sondheim songs, "Send in the Clowns". And, in what can only be described as a touch of choreographic genius, "Sooner or Later" has the wonderful Karen Ziemba do a tongue-in-cheek production number on Bill Irwin (Why didn't someone write a sitcom for these two following that performance? It's not too late!) If you like being "had", Dorothy Loudon's your girl: watch how she changes tempo, mood, even persona between "Losing My Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy".

"Sweeney Todd" provides a most effective chilling opening to the show (with the future Mrs. Lovett, the exquisite Patti LuPone, giving herself to "Being Alive") Later, the beautifully lyrical voice of Harolyn Blackwell reminds us (with "Green Finch and Linnet Bird") that "Sweeney" is not all dark and sombre tones.

Naturally, some of my own favourite Sondheim songs are not included. Some turned up in "Putting It Together" Others? Well, how about a full-scale revival and DVD-ing of "Side By Side By Sondheim"? Are you listening, Mr. Producer? We Sondheim fans out here in the sticks deserve it!