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A Core Concept: Sondheim's "Company" and the New Musical

Adults

Join us for a deep dive into musical theater history and the emergence of the "concept musical."

“Book musicals” were the norm during Broadway’s “Golden Age” (roughly 1943-64); in these shows, songs interweaved with dialogue to advance plot. But by the time Stephen Sondheim’s Company opened in 1970, a new generation of theater enthusiasts rejected the straightforward approach of book musicals. Instead, Sondheim was on the vanguard of artists creating the “concept musical”: a show that does not necessarily tell a story, but examines ideas and themes from the perspectives of various characters.

Company is one such concept musical offering debates about the merits of domestic partnership, attaining maturity and the necessity of friendship in many forms. In “A Core Concept,” we will discuss the themes central to Company and the commentary offered by each of Sondheim’s songs as characters sing their viewpoints. Sondheim’s musical meditations on marriage and relationships in modern New York City range from the bittersweet and vulnerable to the exhilarating, and we can learn a great deal about Sondheim – and ourselves – by listening to the contrasting viewpoints.

This program is in partnership with the Playhouse Square production of Company, which runs from April 30 through May 19 at the Connor Palace, and is part of the 2024 Cleveland Humanities Festival. Use the promo code LIBRARY to purchase discount tickets to see Company at Playhouse Square.