‘Side By Side By Sondheim’

Off-Broadstreet Theatre stages a musical revue of favorites from ‘Company,’ ‘Follies,’ ‘A Little Night Music’ and more.

By: Stuart Duncan
   Whenever Hopewell’s Off-Broadstreet Theatre stages a musical revue, we can count on a great evening. But the current offering, Side By Side By Sondheim, has exceeded all expectations. I am no particular fan of Sondheim’s music; his lyrics are superb, but lots of folks also find his tunes noteworthy, so attention must be paid. For this show, however, the stars are all in precise alignment: good material, super performances, clever direction and appealing but not overpowering choreography.
   Let’s take the ingredients one at a time: Two of Sondheim’s successes dominate the choice of material, Company and Follies. We have an opening from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and no Sondheim evening would dare skip "Send in the Clowns," which is from A Little Night Music. But a good half dozen tunes are plucked from Company and at least eight from Follies.
   You have to remember that Sondheim went into the music business to write both music and lyrics, one of the very few composers who have done so (Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser, George M. Cohan and Noel Coward were others). But he began as a lyricist; at age 25 he wrote the words for Leonard Bernstein’s music in West Side Story. Four years later he was the lyricist for Gypsy (with Jule Styne supplying the tunes). His first "breakout" hit was Forum in 1962.
   Pleasant as the tunes are and clever as the lyrics are, it takes real talent to sell them out of context. Kenneth Howard at the piano (and handling a ballad in each act) and newcomer Sarah Donner are joined by Bristol Riverside Theatre veterans Michelle Russell and Jamal Sawab. Ms. Donner is a graduate of Westminster Choir College and already has toured with Andrea Bocelli. Ms. Russell is an Off-Broadstreet favorite, with appearances in The It Girl and Meshuggah-Nuns! Mr. Sawab, an American Boychoir alumnus, is fresh from a wonderful production of Hair at the Academy Theatre in Bordentown. The trio handles Sondheim’s admittedly tricky lyrics with such ease that the opening night audience was roaring its approval only minutes into the show. Ms. Donner with her flashing eyes, Ms. Russell with an angelic smile and Mr. Sawab with his knowing leer — all zip through the double and triple entendres like an express train.
   Along the way we pause to remember some of Sondheim’s less familiar songs: "I Never Do Anything Twice" (from The 7% Solution), "Take Me to the World" (from Evening Primrose, a little-recalled TV program) and "We’re Gonna Be Alright" (from Do I Hear A Waltz?). It’s over in about two hours — far too quickly for many. It’s the best revue in years.
Side By Side By Sondheim continues at Off-Broadstreet Theatre, 5 S. Greenwood St., Hopewell, through May 13. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2:30 p.m. Doors open one hour earlier for desserts and beverages. Tickets cost $25.25-$27, $23 seniors Sun. For information, call (609) 466-2766.