Side by side, with Sondheim

March

My colleague, D. Scott Faubel, dropped by my desk yesterday, with the biggest grin I’d ever seen.

I knew why he was smiling.

I’d already received this note:

“The Darien Players were taken by surprise this past weekend during the Saturday performance of “Getting Away With Murder” at the Darien Arts Center when they discovered that in the audience was none other than the great composer and co-author of the play, Stephen Sondheim.

“Mr. Sondheim, who said he had last seen a production of the play during its original Broadway run, was kind enough to visit with the cast and crew backstage after the performance and conveyed his compliments on a job well done. He also posed for a photograph and signed autographs before departing. (Amy Allen’s photo, above.)

“When asked what brought him to the theater that particular evening, Mr. Sondheim replied that the play is very rarely ever licensed because it is relatively difficult to stage and since it was his birthday weekend (his actual birthday was the next day – March 22) he decided to take in the show.

“Mr. Sondheim arrived just before curtain, bought a ticket at the door, and took his seat without any fanfare. If not for a sharp-eyed member of the crew, it’s unlikely his presence would have been noted.

“Producer Dan Friedman noticed the author’s entrance but doubted his own eyes.

“I thought to myself, that looks a lot like Stephen Sondheim,” he says. “But as with anybody, sometimes you think that it just can’t be. When I mentioned it to the director, she subtly walked over to his seat and came back agreeing with me.”

“Players Board member Frank Kemp commented, “It was so exciting to have someone of Mr. Sondheim’s reputation in the audience, it verified for us that we made the right choice in material, casting, and the director. What higher authority can there be?”

“So far, audiences agree with Mr. Sondheim. The original run of the show has been extended for one additional performance on Sunday, March 29 at 2pm to accommodate requests for tickets.

Getting Away With Murder runs for three more performances at the Darien Arts Center on March 27 and 28 at 8pm and March 29 at 2pm. Tickets are available by calling 203-655-5414 or on the web at http://arts.darien.org

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 at 1:53 pm by Peter D. Kramer.
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3 Responses to “Side by side, with Sondheim”

Scott Faubel March 24th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
So why was Faubel grinning?
Oh yeah, he’s in the show!
The director, to Mr. Sondheim’s left in the photo, even passed along a corrected ‘line reading’ from the playwright.
Diana Costello March 24th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
very well done performance, all around! bravo! i was lucky enough to be in the audience on this said evening.
Terry Hanson March 24th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Mr. Sondheim said he was expecting to not like it and was impressed at how good a performance it was. We were all giddy with delight. (costumer)

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