I have loved the work of Stephen Sondheim since I saw my first production of Into the Woods Jr. in the sixth grade. That was clearly just the beginning of a long love affair with his work, and since then I have performed in Assassins, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods (three times). It’s so easy to love the lyrics of Sondheim, and each of his musicals brings a new tune that promises to get stuck in my head for months. I decided to rank some of his (in my opinion) best creations, and really share what makes his work so incredibly special. Oh, and quick disclaimer — my rankings will all be in the form of Sondheim lyrics.
- Sweeney Todd
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Even if you aren’t familiar with the staged musical, I think it’s safe to assume that most people have at least heard of the live-action film of Sweeney Todd featuring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. This musical story of revenge, obsession and baking people into pies holds a very special place in my heart. It combines horror with comedy in such an ingenious way, with pacing that really sets it apart from other Sondheim musicals. I got the opportunity to play Johanna a few years back, and listening to our exceptionally talented Mrs. Lovett sing “Worst Pies in London” every night was enough to make me fall in love with the score over and over again.
Ranking – God That’s Good!
- Assassins
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One of his more recent concoctions, Assassins is such a timely political piece that I feel is often overlooked by individuals in the musical theatre community. People are probably easily turned away by a topic as serious as gun violence and interpretations of real-life individuals, but there are a lot of themes that still ring true — one of them being the breakdown of the ridiculous concept of the American Dream. If the audience is able to realize that the musical itself isn’t endorsing the content it is depicting, then it makes for a really thought-provoking experience with some intense group numbers.
Ranking – Not as Bad as it Seems
- Into the Woods
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With the number of times I have both witnessed and been a part of this particular show, I guarantee I could sit down in front of you and recite each song back to back. I don’t even know where to begin with the number of relevant themes explored in the course of the two acts, including loss of innocence, family ties and impossible wish fulfillment. What makes this musical stand out to me are the gorgeous lyrics and memorable songs, including “No One is Alone,” “Agony,” and my personal favorite, “On the Steps of the Palace.” The only qualm I have with this script is that it can sometimes drag out towards the end of Act II, but that’s just me being picky.
Ranking – The Difference Between a Cow and a Bean is a Bean Can Begin an Adventure
- Sunday in the Park with George
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Dare I say this is my favorite Sondheim show? This musical about the heavily fictionalized life of the artist George Seurat and how his passion for painting ends up separating him from the woman he truly loves has a gorgeous set, script and score. It has such an emotional complexity that, without fail, I cry every time I hear Bernadette Peter’s gorgeous rendition of “Move On” in Act II. In short, listen to the soundtrack and prepare to feel a lot.
Ranking – We Will Always Belong Together
- Company
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I will never forgive this pandemic for robbing my partner of the chance to see a preview performance of the Company revival in New York City with the goddess herself, Katrina Lenk. “Being Alive” is such a moving number that captures you from the first verse, and theatre kids across the world are lying if they say they have never attempted singing “Not Getting Married Today” in the shower at least once. Concept musicals are something that deserve to be explored more, and this show is a wonderful example of that.
Ranking – Marry Me a Little
There are so many more wonderful Sondheim shows out there that I didn’t even get to name on this list, so I really encourage you to look into some of the beautiful creations he has put out into the world. They may change your life — I know they changed mine.