Where Do Ideas Come From?
“And a person should celebrate everything passing by” is a line from my favorite Stephen Sondheim song. I was reminded of it when I watched a concert on YouTube – Take me to the world:A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration.
Stephen Sondheim is considered by many to be the premiere creator of work in the American musical theater. We at Rhymes Over Beats agree with this assessment.
Not just because he speaks to us when he says, “Of all the forms of contemporary pop music, rap is the closest to traditional musical theater…”.
Or even for the reasons that are typically cited, such as
- his clever lyrics. In one song, a madame, a fan of variety, who explains to a customer requesting “an encounter” dressed in clerical garb, that she’ll “get in the habit, but not in the habit,” from THE SEVEN PERCENT SOLUTION.
- his clever, inventive rhymes. For example, “If you want to bump it, bump it with a trumpet” in the song “Gotta Have a Gimmick” from GYPSY.
- his ability to create complex tunes at breakneck speed, like “Getting Married Today” from COMPANY.
I think that the real reason Stephen Sondheim is great is because he demonstrated more than anyone else that there are stories all around us.
And that you can make a musical out of anything.
An Overview of Sondheim Themes in Musicals
Stephen Sondheim has made hit musicals with unorthodox themes, such as:
- Gangs in NYC (WEST SIDE STORY)
- Cannibalism (SWEENEY TODD)
- A French painting (SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE)
- Political assassins (ASSASSINS)
And on and on.
The ability to create work from stories that are seldom, if ever, told is the heart of our mission.