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| Hmmm… | |
| Posted by: ShowGoer 02:29 am EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: Michael Feinstein on Sondheim. - kieran 01:02 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| I have no doubt Feinstein has reasons for what he said that were based on his own experiences with the man… but considering Sondheim is pretty much universally acknowledged as the greatest Broadway composer/lyricist of the last 50-60 years, if not of all time, voicing those views and that opinion right now sure seems like a strange way to commemorate the 1st anniversary of his death, one year ago this week. Might in fact be one of the quintessential examples – at least at this precise moment in time – of “If you don’t have nice things to say…” etc. etc. |
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| re: Hmmm… | |
| Posted by: standingO 06:19 am EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: Hmmm… - ShowGoer 02:29 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| The timing may be “too soon” and I have no idea if the information is true. But if Sondheim is one of the most important composers of the modern era, why not get a more complete picture of him from those who knew him. Many writers have struggles and yet produce amazing works. Sometimes the creative process is the cause of it… and sometimes not. |
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| re: "Why not get a more complete picture of him from those who knew him" | |
| Posted by: Dale 09:44 am EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Hmmm… - standingO 06:19 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| Well, it won't be Michael Feinstein! They didn't travel in the same circles! Stating someone was an alcoholic I'd have ask "When?". People change including their vices. If you view the documentary on the recoding of the cast album of "Company" you'd see everyone smoking like a chimney... 3 decades later: "Does anyone still light up a Lucky?". Ruth Mitchell once slapped a cigarette out of Florence Klotz' mouth as witnessed by their housekeeper Ruthie Bethea ( would have made a Hell of a Tik Tok video ). We know Steve likes his herbs and that is easier on the liver. It seemed everyone was tooting up in the 1980's. My other half decorated Hal Prince's East 81st Street townhouse at Christmas time and one year Judy Prince remarked that the crowd would be having their refreshments BEFORE they arrived ( not only anti-drug she also had smokers use the kitchen ). Sadly most folks who knew Sondheim are long gone! Judy Prince knew Steve before Hal did due to her Pop Saul Chaplin ( overheard Steve called him "Solly" ). Due to knowing the Princes housekeeper I got to meet Sondheim ex-housekeeper Grace Mizrahi and she had stories ( worked at his Turtle Bay place late 1970's/early 1980's ). She was the one who let the next door neighbor on the left into his house and when Steve "How could you do that?" she replied "I'm still little Gracie Mizrahi from The Bronx. She's Katharine Hepburn!". Grace had worked for the Prince organization in the 1960's and she with her Dad pooled in $3,000 to invest in a little show of Hal's called "Fiddler On The Roof". And the investment kept paying back! |
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| re: "Why not get a more complete picture of him from those who knew him" | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 10:13 am EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: "Why not get a more complete picture of him from those who knew him" - Dale 09:44 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| "Well, it won't be Michael Feinstein! They didn't travel in the same circles" True, but he never said they traveled in the same circles. He was talking about people he'd admired and then gotten to meet/know. All the same, Dale, a delightful post. |
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| Love that detail, Dale! | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 09:51 am EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: "Why not get a more complete picture of him from those who knew him" - Dale 09:44 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| Thank you for sharing! | |
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| re: Hmmm… | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 05:55 am EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: Hmmm… - ShowGoer 02:29 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| He has every right to be true to his own experience. I don’t doubt that Sondheim had his complexities. | |
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| re: Hmmm… | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 11:54 am EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Hmmm… - TheOtherOne 05:55 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| I don’t doubt that Sondheim had his complexities. Of course. He was human. Are any of us angels all the time to everyone, without vices and dark sides? |
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| re: Hmmm… | |
| Posted by: portenopete 04:51 pm EST 11/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Hmmm… - Chromolume 11:54 am EST 11/21/22 | |
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| Of course we are not all angels, but arguably Stephen Sondheim was treated like a god (or, per New York Magazine, God themself). With each passing year his sacrosanct reputation only burnished and deepened, with people realising that we were being gifted with his presence in our lives for longer than we might have logically expected. It doesn't seem surprising that people are being more frank in talking about him now that he is gone. He set the precedent with his lacerating comments about fellow lyricists in his two (wonderful) books and his decision to not comment on those still living. | |
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