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American composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim who is considered as one of the most important figures in the 20th-century musical theater and was praised for having ‘reinvented the American musical with shows that tackled the unexpected themes that ranged far beyond the genre’s traditional subjects with his exceptional music and lyrics.’ 

The legendary composer and lyricist passed away at the age of 91 on Friday, i.e., 26th November 2021 at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut. His lawyer, F. Richard Pappas to The New York Times confirmed the news, and Broadway publicist Rick Miramontez also confirmed the news. According to the reports online, a day before Stephen Sondheim hosted a Thanksgiving dinner at his place where his family and close friends were present but the cause of his sudden death is still unknown. 

Stephen Sondheim’s loss has shaken the core of the actors in the industry as he was a legendary songwriter and lyricist who managed to make a mark in everyone's life in one way or another. He managed to broaden the boundaries of American musical theaters with his best-known works such as ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Into the Woods, West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. 

 At the age of 10, when Stephen Sondheim's parents were going through a divorce, he found solace in the son of lyricist and playwright Oscar Hammerstein II, James Hammerstein. Later, we knew that the work and words of Oscar Hammerstein II become a huge influence on Stephen while his love for the theater began prospering and Oscar became his father of substitution. Stephen had asked Oscar to review his comic musical ‘By George’, which the former described as one of the worst things he had ever seen, but soon enough the two spent an entire evening together and went through his play and Stephen said, "In that afternoon I learned more about songwriting and the musical theater than most people learn in a lifetime."

Stephen Sondheim made his Broadway debut in 1953 with the musical "Saturday Night". Image Source: CNN

Stephen Sondheim made his Broadway debut in 1953 with the musical "Saturday Night," for which he composed the music and lyrics, but he had to financially back up the production as well after the producer died unexpectedly. The composer began his career as a television scripter for the sitcom "Topper." The composer did what he does the best and composed the music for "Girls of Summer" and "Invitation to a March," among other plays. Stephen composed lyrics for Leonard Bernstein's musical adaptation of 'Romeo and Juliet', 'West Side Story'. Stephen was introduced to Leonard Bernstein by Arthur Laurents.

Stephen Sondheim finally believed that he was ready to branch out on his own in the industry and he did so with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," which is a comedy play based on the writings of Plautus, the Roman comic writer. The play premiered in 1962 and went on to become Sondheim's one of the most successful musical, with the iconic songs "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid." The musical show went on to be a long-running one with regularly resurrected musicals along with the signature songs that were praised by everyone. Stephen went missing in the action except for his original musical "Evening Primrose" on ABC TV. But, in 1969 he began his acclaimed work with director Hal Prince on the multicharacter, free-form musical comedy "Company."

In 1993, the composer was awarded Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime achievement and won seven Tony Awards, along with a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2008 for his contribution to the world of musical theater. He had won several Grammys for his musical performance album and won the song of the year award in 1975 for "Send in the Clowns". Stephen Sondheim was honored with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President Barak Obama in 2015. 

Stephen was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President Barak Obama in 2015. Image Source: World New Info 

With his efforts, ideas, and vision, the legendary composer was able to change and broaden the narrative around American musical theater. Stephen’s critics often claimed that 'his songs lack the whistle-ability compared to his competitors like Andrew Llyod Webber or Richard Ridgers, but that never bothered Stephen as his musicals were appreciated, revived, and reappraised over the decades'.  

"Road Trip," was Stephen Sondheim's recent musical that even though went through a tedious creation process, debuted as "Bounce" at Chicago's Goodman Theater in 2003, after an Off-Broadway workshop in 1999. The show was initially titled "Wise Guys." It also had a run at the Kennedy Center later that year. However, the musical did not make its way to New York until 2008, when a reworked version dubbed "Road Trip" premiered at Off Broadway's Public Theater, directed by John Doyle, whose stripped-down Broadway revivals of "Sweeney Todd" (in 2005) and "Company" (in 2006) had received critical acclaim.

One of the things that critics noticed about Stephen’s plays was that the topics he chose were not always for the mass audience, but they still managed to appreciate them. His constant work in the field helped others to make their way and create their success stories. Throughout Stephen Sondheim's career which is stretched for more than 60 years, he received both critical praise and brickbats for his adventurous work. Frank Rich is a columnist for New York Magazine and former drama critic for The New York Times said, "Perhaps no one more than Sondheim contributed to just keeping the form alive of what had been the classic Broadway musical. He reinvented it. He kept it fresh, interesting, figuring out new ways, to, you know, muck around with it for each show."

The composer, Stephen Sondheim served as the president of the Dramatists Guild from the year 1973-1981. The Henry Miller’s Theater was renamed as Stephen Sondheim Theater in September 2010 in the honor of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday. The legendary composer's birthday was lavishly celebrated via a number of special concerts and benefits. Later, HBO went ahead and explored his legacy in the 2013 documentary “Six by Sondheim.” 

It was noted that Stephen Sondheim use to spend long hours in solitary labor, writing or composing late in the night, and he spoke about his love for theatre and how it brings great minds together in the form of collaboration. After his first decade in the industry, Stephen Sondheim was never hired as a writer for the show but was involved in the process of its conception and execution.