Musical great died today at his home in Connecticut. Guess he was a jet to his last dying day. Guy was a genius.
Yes, it's a sad day for the arts, especially musical theater. My brother, a Williams College alum, and I are longtime fans/patrons of the Williamstown Theater Fest. Also a Williams grad, Sondheim is an icon there even amidst the many great composers, playwrights and other stage talent that comes and goes through town each WTF season. I remember seeing 'A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To the Forum' there years ago and marvelling that the same guy who'd composed that show had written lyrics for a Broadway show like 'West Side Story' just a few years earlier. What a talent!
How coincidental is that Spielberg's much-anticipated take on 'West Side Story' will open in movie theaters in two weeks. RIP, Stephen.