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The Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, is a theater located within the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center of Fairfield, Iowa.
History
The center opened in December 2007 and was the first theater playwright Stephen Sondheim allowed to be named after him. 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 Liz Callaway, Len Cariou, and Richard Kind. 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.
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 the use of his name for theaters in London's West End and in New York City.
References
- ^ Vance, Diane (October 16, 2013). "Local company creates art for Sondheim in New York". The Fairfield Ledger. p. 1.
- Adam Hetrick, "Original Cast Members Fete Sondheim at New Midwest Arts Center Dec. 7-9," Playbill.com, Dec. 4, 2007
External links
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