Esparza,
Cerveris, Baranski, Gleason and More Set for Wall to Wall Sondheim
Playbill Online
December 10, 2004
By Andrew Gans
An initial list of performers has been announced for the upcoming
star-studded tribute to Stephen Sondheim in March 2005.
As previously
announced, on March 19, 2005, Symphony Space will present its 35th
Wall to Wall concert at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. Wall to Wall
Stephen Sondheim is set to begin at 11 AM and will continue for
12 hours at the New York City landmark. Hundreds of artists —
from the worlds of Broadway, jazz and classical music — will
interpret Sondheim's work, some played by a full orchestra, others
featuring intimate jazz arrangements.
Among those
currently scheduled to be part of the event include George Lee Andrews,
Ivy Austin, Christine Baranski, Barbara Barrie, Polly Bergen, Pat
Birch, Kate Burton, Michael Cerveris, Melissa Errico, Raul Esparza,
Joel Fram, Paul Gemignani, Joanna Gleason, Jonathan Hadary and Phyllis
Newman.
Admission to
the concert is free, and patrons may sample a few moments or stay
several hours. Symphony Space began its Wall to Wall series in 1978
with Wall to Wall Bach. Later versions of the marathon concept have
focused on Mozart, Beethoven, John Cage, Aaron Copland, Cole Porter,
Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.
Composer-lyricist
Stephen Sondheim has written a plethora of musicals, including A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, A Little
Night Music, Into the Woods, Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd,
Sunday in the Park with George and Passion. He also contributed
lyrics to West Side Story and Gypsy, and his new musical, Bounce,
recently played Chicago and the Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts. His revised production of The Frogs — starring Nathan
Lane — was on stage earlier this season at Lincoln Center
Theater, and the 2004 staging of Assassins won five Tonys, including
one for Best Revival of a Musical. Sondheim was also celebrated
at the Kennedy Center with all-star stagings of six of his musicals
— Company, Sweeney, Merrily, Night Music, Sunday and Passion.
Wall to Wall
Stephen Sondheim will play the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony
Space, located in Manhattan at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. For
more information, visit www.symphonyspace.org.
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