The new musical theatre of Stephen Sondheim shuns the traditional story of love triumphant, probing instead the more disturbing issues of contemporary life. Confident that the musical is America's greatest original contribution to theatre, Joanne Gordon explicates the works of Sondheim to repudiate the common perception of the genre as mere escapist entertainment. Gordon notes that Sondheim tackles real themes, that he has no fear of introducing pain, trauma, and complex ideas onto the Broadway stage. Tracing Sondheim's ...
Read More
The new musical theatre of Stephen Sondheim shuns the traditional story of love triumphant, probing instead the more disturbing issues of contemporary life. Confident that the musical is America's greatest original contribution to theatre, Joanne Gordon explicates the works of Sondheim to repudiate the common perception of the genre as mere escapist entertainment. Gordon notes that Sondheim tackles real themes, that he has no fear of introducing pain, trauma, and complex ideas onto the Broadway stage. Tracing Sondheim's career from his initial success as lyricist for West Side Story and Gypsy to the opening of Into the Woods, Gordon demonstrates that the value of Sondheim's work obviously lies in its seriousness of theme coupled with its disturbing content; less obvious, but equally important, is Sondheim's innovative use of form. From A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum through Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, and Into the Woods, Sondheim's music and lyrics prove to be inextricably woven into the fabric of the entire work. Both music and lyrics, Gordon stresses, "grow out of the dramatic idea inherent in the show's concept and themselves become part of the drama that previous theatre songs would only reflect." Sondheim, Gordon notes, asks much of an audience that may not want to be challenged. In short, to enjoy a Sondheim play, the audience must participate intellectually. The audience willing to expend the effort will not be cheated, Gordon insists, because Sondheim, throughout his career, has demonstrated that "musical theatre can be serious, poignant, and still exhilarating."
Read Less
Add this copy of Art Isn't Easy: the Achievement of Stephen Sondheim to cart. $14.52, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Southern Illinois University Press.
Add this copy of Art Isn't Easy: the Achievement of Stephen Sondheim to cart. $14.68, good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Southern Illinois University Pre.
Add this copy of Art Isn't Easy: the Achievement of Stephen Sondheim to cart. $15.55, good condition, Sold by Friends of the Phoenix Library rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Phoenix, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Southern Illinois University Pre.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. This is a former library book with library stickers and stamps. 100% of this purchase will support literacy programs through a nonprofit organization!
Add this copy of Art Isn't Easy: the Achievement of Stephen Soundheim to cart. $18.75, like new condition, Sold by Argosy Book Store rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from New York, NY, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Southern Illinois University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine in fine jacket. Illustrated sparsely in black & white. 343 pages. Wide 8vo, purple cloth, d.w. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, (1990). Fine in fine dust wrapper.
Add this copy of Art Isn't Easy: the Achievement of Stephen Sondheim to cart. $21.00, like new condition, Sold by Bingo Used Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Vancouver, WA, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. : Southern Illinois Univ Pr.
Add this copy of Art Isn't Easy: the Achievement of Stephen Sondheim to cart. $49.73, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hialeah, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Southern Illinois University P.
Add this copy of Art Isn't Easy: the Achievement of Stephen Sondheim to cart. $103.23, new condition, Sold by GridFreed rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from North Las Vegas, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Southern Illinois University Press.
