Author Topic: PLAYS: Sondheim on Sondheim  (Read 3514 times)

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loebtmc

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PLAYS: Sondheim on Sondheim
« on: Aug 20, 2015, 02:52 am »
I checked the BTDT and no one has posted for this show yet - But not everyone posts all their shows so am asking here as well - has anyone done Sondheim on Sondheim? I am picking up the book this week for first rehearsal, which doesn't happen for a few weeks. But I need to decide whether I need just the libretto or the piano/conductor's score. And I understand there's multimedia in this one?

If anyone can help, deepest thanks

Edited to add topic tag- Maribeth
« Last Edit: Aug 21, 2015, 05:33 pm by Maribeth »

SMeustace

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Re: Sondheim on Sondheim
« Reply #1 on: Aug 20, 2015, 07:25 am »
If you can get your hands on both copies that would be a good start. Majority of the time you will only need the music score depending on if your designers will have cues off the music. Working from librettos is just as fine for making notes as it not as thick as the score and less "condensed". If you have the copy of the score for yourself for just in cases cues will be off music- you'll be a step ahead.
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babens

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Re: Sondheim on Sondheim
« Reply #2 on: Aug 20, 2015, 11:24 am »
On Broadway the multimedia consisted mainly of filmed interviews with Sondheim himself introducing and explaining the various songs coming up in each segment (and there were a lot of those, if I had to guess I would say probably between 75 and 100 video cues). I remember when it was first announced for licensing that MTI said it would be including the videos as part of the show rental package. Obviously you'll need somebody to handle how that is being run, but knowing the range of groups that MTI works with, I'm going to guess that they'll include instructions for at least a simple set up of how to run it.

PSMKay

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Re: Sondheim on Sondheim
« Reply #3 on: Aug 20, 2015, 11:33 am »
SMEustace, your suggestions would be great on the Students & Novices board, and I'm sure you did not mean to offend. However, I think after 30 years of equity stage management, loebtmc knows what she needs for her book style. :)

Loebtmc, from the looks of the profile, yes, there is video that's integral to the performance. There is no book, all spoken parts are video of interviews with Sondheim, interspersed with live musical numbers. The original production used 64 different projection screens. A local company around here did a production of it that was much simpler. (I think I've found a valid email address for her, I'll PM it over to you.)

There appears to be a piano/vocal version in the materials offered by MTI. From the looks of the song selection most of them are solos or duets that would suffice with libretto only, but there's a large group medley from Into the woods/Little night music/Sunday at the end of Act I that might require the manuscript.

loebtmc

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Re: Sondheim on Sondheim
« Reply #4 on: Aug 21, 2015, 01:17 pm »
Thanks - I wasn't sure how much book there was, but I always default to the reduced piano score since it usually is the most complete and cues within music are more easily called (I read music). Once they have them, I will go into the office and do a page by page comparison to see if I need the libretto at all (other than it usually has more space on the page....). As usual w musicals, I was worried abt missing or different lines in different iterations.

But in reading up on it at MTI and reviews, I hadn't realized that there are NO spoken lines, only video, so that is great info. Thank you those who had seen the show and cd offer that insight!

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