Page 14 - aruba-today-20221207

A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 7 december 2022

Lost Stephen Sondheim musical reveals insight into a giant

By MARK KENNEDY poor with laughing and
AP Entertainment Writer clapping sometimes over-
NEW YORK (AP) — A copy whelming the lyrics but the
of what’s being called Ste- find is thrilling, nonetheless.
phen Sondheim’s first origi- Many of the songs hint at
nal cast recording has been the musical theater giant
found on a misplaced CD, to become, like the first
capturing the legendary act’s “How Do I Know?”
composer’s budding skills in with clever wordplay: “And
a student-led musical while I asked you when/ And you
at Williams College in 1948. said I would know!/But how
Sondheim was an 18-year- will I know/When I know
old sophomore when he that you said ‘no’?/I just
wrote the music for “Phin- don’t know!”
ney’s Rainbow,” a show Salsini points to that song
that had just four perfor- as an early example of
mances sponsored by Wil- a theme that Sondheim
liams’ theatrical organiza- would return to often. “That
tion Cap and Bells. is a precursor for so many of
Paul Salsini, a journalist Sondheim’s songs in which
and the author of the new he expresses a longing, a
memoir “Sondheim & Me: longing for love, a long-
Revealing a Musical Ge- ing for affection, that runs
nius,” recently found the through many of his songs
CD while putting away in the course of his career.”
material he had amassed Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim poses after being awarded the Freedom of the City of Sondheim, who died in
for his book and realized it London at a ceremony in London, on Sept. 27, 2018. 2021, became a giant in
contained “Sondheim’s first Associated Press musical theater, influenc-
original cast recording.” the shows on an acetate Swindlehurst Prep, whose admit women until 1971. ing several generations of
“I played it and I thought, recorder, noting that his students are divided into The budget was $1,035. songwriters, particularly
‘My goodness, this is re- mentor Oscar Hammer- three types athletes, wolves Salsini’s CD consists of 19 with such landmark musi-
ally rare,’” Salsini, who also stein II had urged him to and intellectuals. When the tracks, for a total running cals as “Company,” “Fol-
founded and edited The buy such a device. “I’m president is away, the stu- time of 1 hour and 20 min- lies” and “Sweeney Todd.”
Sondheim Review, told The 90% sure that Sondheim put dents go wild. Salsini calls utes. Somehow, the disc Six of Sondheim’s musicals
Associated Press from his this tape recorder next to the humor “collegiate.” In had gotten misplaced and won Tony Awards for best
home in Milwaukee. “It’s a his piano.” one quip, someone says: he couldn’t include it in his score, and he also received
find.” The college show had The show’s title has two “The students are revolt- book, to his regret. He’s not a Pulitzer Prize (“Sunday in
music by Sondheim and a playful references one to ing.” The reply: “The faculty sure how he got it in the first the Park”), an Academy
book and lyrics by Sond- “Finian’s Rainbow,” which isn’t so good either.” place. Salsini believes other Award (for the song “Soon-
heim and another student, had recently opened on Sondheim wrote 25 mu- copies might be out there, er or Later” from the film
Josiah T.S. Horton. Sond- Broadway, and the other sical numbers for “Phin- although none have been “Dick Tracy”), five Olivier
heim was at the piano and to James Phinney Baxter III, ney’s Rainbow,” including found at the Library of Con- Awards and the Presiden-
there was no orchestra. president of Williams. a dream ballet. The show gress or Williams, in Massa- tial Medal of Honor. In 2008,
Salsini suspects Sondheim The show was a satire cen- had a cast of 52 students all chusetts. he received a Tony Award
himself recorded one of tered on a school named men, since Williams didn’t The sound quality is pretty for lifetime achievement.q

‘Road Trippin’ — Red Hot Chili Peppers

unveil 2023 tour

By MARK KENNEDY and more before wrapping No. 1 of Billboard’s top al-
AP Entertainment Writer up on July 23 in Glasgow, bum sales chart.
NEW YORK (AP) — There’s Scotland. The Peppers recently took
no rest for the spicy: Fresh Joining the band on select home the Global Icon
off a world tour and two dates will be The Strokes, Award, at the MTV VMAs
albums this year, Red Hot Iggy Pop, The Roots, The and their single “Black
Chili Peppers are prepar- Mars Volta, St. Vincent, Summer” also won the
ing for a set of stadium City and Colour, Thunder- award for Best Rock Video.
shows and festival stops cat and King Princess. Tick- Trade publication Pollstar
across North America and ets go on sale starting Dec. put the Peppers at No. 4
Europe in 2023. 9 at 10 a.m. local time at on its list of most lucrative
Live Nation said Monday redhotchilipeppers.com. concert tours in 2022, be-
the band’s 23-date global The funk-rock band gave hind Bad Bunny, Elton John
trek kicks off March 29 at us not one but two albums and Lady Gaga, with an Anthony Kiedis, of Red Hot Chili Peppers, accepts the award for
best rock for “Black Summer” at the MTV Video Music Awards at
BC Place in Vancouver, in 2022 October’s “Return average box office gross the Prudential Center on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, in Newark, N.J.
followed by shows in Las of the Dream Canteen” per city of $5,605,217 and From left looking on are fellow band member John Frusciante,
Vegas, San Diego, Hous- and April’s “Unlimited an average ticket price at Chad Smith and Flea.
ton, Lisbon, Madrid, Vienna Love.” Both spent time at $134.39.q Associated Press