I tried. I really did. Eager to interview Stephen Sondheim for my "House Call" column in The Wall Street Journal, I sent along an email to him in 2013. [Photo above of Stephen Sondheim by Jerry Jackson/Courtesy of HBO]
Here's what Stephen sent back:
Thanks for the invitation, Mr. Myers and for the compliments, but I've sworn off all extracurricular activities until I finish the show I'm writing. Please forgive me.
Stephen Sondheim
Of course, one thing led to another, as is the case in in my business, and I moved on to other well-known actors, musicians and artists. Now, given Sondheim's passing on November 26, I wish I had been a little more of a pest or circled back. But you can't get 'em all. While we're on the subject, everyone should know more about Sondheim and what made him special. He was exceptional and passionate in every way, with an impeccable wit and daring lyrical judgment.
Today, I figured I'd show you why Stephen Sondheim is considered the father of the modern American musical:
Here's a 60 Minutes segment from 1988...
Here's an HBO documentary, Six By Sondheim, from 2013...
Here are the Kennedy Center Honors and tribute in 1993...
Here's the Carnegie Hall tribute in 1992...
And here's the Prologue and Into the Woods from the 1987 Broadway production of Into the Woods, one of my favorites. Words and music by Sondheim...
