Hopkins Celebrates Stephen Sondheim

Schroth feels a deep connection to Sondheim and his work. She said, “Some of his works, in particular, have been very dear to me; Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and Assassins.” She is drawn to the “complex characters, brilliant lyrics, and intense motivic development” that Sondheim created in the previously mentioned shows. Schroth said that one of the reasons she enjoys musicals created by Sondheim is because she “finds [herself] identifying so strongly with his characters because of how beautifully drawn they are.” Drama teacher Hope Hartup has had many experiences with Sondheim’s shows, stretching back to her childhood. Hartup said, “I grew up listening to West Side Story; I remember watching my mother, who was an actor, play the role of Joanne in Company (she blew it out of the park with her performance of ‘The Ladies Who Lunch!’); I saw the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd and eventually went on to direct a production of it here at Hopkins.” Sweeney isn’t the only Sondheim musical Hartup has directed at Hopkins. She has also directed A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Gypsy, and Into the Woods. “When I think of those productions, I think of the sophistication of the lyrics, the complexity of the characters, and how integral the music is to the forward momentum of the story. I found that my Hopkins performers felt the same way and were excited by the challenges presented by his work,” she said. Hartup called Sondheim “a champion of musical theater” who “encouraged growth
and evolution.” Hartup commented on Sondheim’s bravery in the world of musical theater, saying “he was unafraid of new interpretations of his work; no show of his became codified. I’ve seen Sweeney with all the bells and whistles, and I’ve seen Sweeney set in a pie shop with just seven singers and a three- person orchestra. Both were thrilling.”