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<\/p>\nFew names loom larger in musical theatre and American music than Stephen Sondheim.<\/p>\n
The Long Beach Landmark Theatre Company is honoring his legacy with \u201cSide by Side by Sondheim,\u201d an ensemble-driven revue that brings together some of his most beloved songs in a fresh, celebratory staging.<\/p>\n
Originally created in 1976 as a London tribute to Sondheim\u2019s expanding body of work, the revue has since become a staple for companies looking to showcase both his lyrical brilliance and his emotional range.<\/p>\n
This production leans into that tradition while reimagining the material through a distinctly community-focused lens, featuring a large cast of 26 performers working in close harmony to highlight the wit, vulnerability, and complexity that define Sondheim.<\/p>\n
The program draws from a wide cross-section of his career, including \u201cFollies,\u201d \u201cCompany,\u201d \u201cA Little Night Music,\u201d \u2018Gypsy,\u201d and \u201cWest Side Story.\u201d<\/p>\n
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American songwriter Stephen Sondheim, whose works include the musicals \u2018A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum\u2019, \u2018Into the Woods\u2019 and \u2018Passion\u2019. (Photo by Michael Hardy, Getty Images, courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse)\n<\/p>\n
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American songwriter Stephen Sondheim, whose works include the musicals \u2018A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum\u2019, \u2018Into the Woods\u2019 and \u2018Passion\u2019. (Photo by Michael Hardy, Getty Images, courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse)\n<\/p>\n
Expand<\/a><\/p>\n Rather than treating the songs as standalone numbers, the revue threads them together to emphasize recurring themes in Sondheim\u2019s work \u2014 connection, longing, ambition, and the messy reality of human relationships.<\/p>\n With direction and choreography by Megan O\u2019Toole and musical direction by Curtis Heard, the production is built around ensemble storytelling, allowing performers to shift fluidly between moments of humor, musicality, and introspection.<\/p>\n While Sondheim\u2019s work is abstract and intricate, \u201cSide by Side by Sondheim\u201d insists that emotional experiences matter as much, if not more than, intellectual ones.<\/p>\n Performances take place in the historic sanctuary of the First Congregational Church of Long Beach, a space whose acoustics and architecture lend themselves to the show\u2019s choral richness and emotional scale.<\/p>\n The show will run from May 8 to May 17, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n For tickets, head to lblandmark.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018Urinetown\u2019<\/p>\n Don\u2019t let the title send you running for the exit.<\/p>\n From May 8 through May 17, Act Out Theatre Company presents \u201cUrinetown,\u201d one of musical theatre\u2019s sharpest and most unexpectedly heartfelt shows.<\/p>\n With music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, this Tony Award-winning satire turns a bleak premise into a fast-moving, laugh-filled look at power, scarcity, and what happens when basic necessities become commodities.<\/p>\n Set in a not-so-distant city crippled by a 20-year drought, the story imagines a world where private toilets are outlawed. Citizens are forced to use regulated public facilities run by a ruthless corporation that charges admission for access.<\/p>\n At the center of the chaos is a hero who decides the system has gone too far.<\/p>\n Yes, it\u2019s all pretty absurd, but intentionally so, using its exaggerated world to ask real questions about what it takes to enact lasting social change.<\/p>\n What makes \u201cUrinetown\u201d even more fun is its playful self-awareness. It breaks the fourth wall, pokes fun at traditional musical theatre tropes, and still manages to land moments of sincerity and hope.<\/p>\n