Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts: Difference between revisions

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	The '''Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts''', is a theater located within the ] of ].

	==History==
	The center opened in December 2007 and was the first theater playwright ] allowed to be named after him.<ref name=Ledger>{{cite newspaper \|first=Diane \|last=Vance \|title=Local company creates art for Sondheim in New York \|newspaper=The Fairfield Ledger \|date=October 16, 2013 \|page=1}}</ref> Director Randy West, who had been mentored by Sondheim on occasion over a period of 30 years, approached him to for approval to name the theater after him.

	To celebrate the opening of the theater, West enlisted the talents of Broadway performers who had been original cast members from Stephen Sondheim musicals, including ], ], and ]. They performed the Sondheim Center’s premiere production, A Little Sondheim Music, an original musical revue of the composer’s greatest hits. Sondheim granted the center grand rights to all of his works. Joining the all-star Broadway actors were the Encore Players touring company and an 18-piece orchestra.<ref>Adam Hetrick, "," Playbill.com, Dec. 4, 2007</ref>

	In January 2008, Sondheim Center produced A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with Richard Kind. In Feb. 2008, a new work called "Edges" was produced for one weekend. To close their spring season, West directed a completely new vision of ''Godspell'', starring Ryan Gaffney as Jesus, Mason Davis as Judas, and Stephen Mark Crisp as an apostle singing "All Good Gifts" and "Beautiful City".

	Since West's departure as head of the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, he has been producing works within the building under the company name of Way Off Broadway Inc. He had produced new works like "Open Heart", "Banjo Boy" and a reworked version of "Snoopy" as well as classics like "Annie", "Joseph...", and "South Pacific".

	==Other Sondheim theaters==
	While the Fairfield, Iowa, Sondheim Center was the first theater that Sondheim allowed to use his name, he subsequently approved that his name could be used for theaters in London's West End and in New York City.<ref name=Ledger/>

	==References==
	{{Reflist}}

	==External links==
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Latest revision as of 17:33, 28 March 2014

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Fairfield, Iowa#Arts and culture