Assassins

Assassins
Our nation's most notorious assassins gather on stage to violently pursue a twisted American Dream.

A multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins combines Sondheim's signature blend of intelligently stunning lyrics and beautiful music with a panoramic story of our nation's culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it, embodied by America's four successful and five would-be presidential assassins. Bold, original, disturbing and alarmingly funny, Assassins is perhaps the most controversial musical ever written.

Assassins lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical "revusical" that explores the dark side of the American experience. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, writers, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish roller coaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream.

Assassins requires skilled singers who are also versatile actors. This is an ideal choice for mature audiences and will challenge your designers as they try to recreate famous moments and people in America's history.

Watch as authors Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman explain the processes of creating the music and what the stories were behind it, and how the audience is meant to relate to the show.

Concert Selections for Assassins

MTI is pleased to provide the pre-approved rental materials of select songs for your symphonic concert performance. Please note, MTI is unable to grant the necessary Performance Rights with this material rental. The Performance Rights needed must be obtained separately through the individual song’s respective small rights agency such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. Please email concerts@mtishows.com with any questions.

  • BALLAD OF BOOTH
    First Performance Fee:
    $175
    Each Additional Performance:
    $100
    Music by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Lyrics by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Orchestrated by
    Michael Starobin
    show more...
    Arrangement Details
    Song Type: Show Extraction
    Arranged for
    2 Male Voices
    Starting Key
    E♭
    Estimated duration
    8 min 34 sec
    Instrumentation

    (1x) Full Score; (3x) Piano/Vocal Score; (1x) Keyboard 1/Conductor Score; (3x) Reed 1: Flute, Clarinet, Harmonica; (3x) Reed 2: Oboe, English Horn, Alto Saxophone; (3x) Reed 3: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone; (2x) Reed 4: Bassoon, Baritone Saxophone; (1x) Horn; (1x) Trumpet 1 (+Cornet); (1x) Trumpet 2 (+Flugelhorn); (1x) Trombone; (1x) Keyboard 1; (1x) Keyboard 2; (1x) Guitar: Banjo, Acoustic Guitar; (1x) Bass (Acoustic); (3x) Percussion: Drum Kit, Woodblock, Timpani, Field Drum, Bass Drum, Cymbal, Gunshot

  • EVERYBODY'S GOT THE RIGHT (FINALE)
    First Performance Fee:
    $175
    Each Additional Performance:
    $100
    Music by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Lyrics by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Orchestrated by
    Michael Starobin
    show more...
    Arrangement Details
    Song Type: Show Extraction
    Arranged for
    Chorus (Featured Solos)
    Starting Key
    B
    Estimated duration
    2 min 32 sec
    Instrumentation

    (1x) Full Score; (10x) Piano/Vocal Score; (1x) Keyboard 1/Conductor Score; (2x) Reed 1: Flute, Piccolo; (3x) Reed 2: Clarinet, Oboe, Alto Saxophone; (2x) Reed 3: Clarinet, Flute; (3x) Reed 4: Bassoon, Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone; (1x) Horn; (1x) Trumpet 1; (1x) Trumpet 2; (1x) Trombone; (1x) Keyboard 1; (1x) Keyboard 2; (1x) Guitar (Electric); (1x) Bass (Acoustic); (2x) Percussion: Drum Set, Woodblock, Timpani

  • GUN SONG, THE
    First Performance Fee:
    $175
    Each Additional Performance:
    $100
    Music by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Lyrics by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Orchestrated by
    Michael Starobin
    show more...
    Arrangement Details
    Song Type: Show Extraction
    Starting Key
    D♭
    Estimated duration
    4 min 47 sec
    Instrumentation

    (1x) FULL SCORE; (5x) PIANO/VOCAL SCORE; (1x) KEYBOARD 1/CONDUCTOR SCORE; (2x) REED 1: Clarinet, Flute; (4x) REED 2: English Horn, Clarinet, Oboe, Alto Saxophone; (3x) REED 3: Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone; (2x) REED 4: Bassoon, Clarinet; (1x) HORN; (1x) TRUMPET 1; (1x) TRUMPET 2 (+Flugelhorn); (2x) TROMBONE (+Euphonium); (1x) KEYBOARD 1; (1x) KEYBOARD 2; (1x) GUITAR: Acoustic; (1x) BASS: Acoustic; (2x) PERCUSSION: Drum Set, Bass Drum, Timpani

  • UNWORTHY OF YOUR LOVE
    First Performance Fee:
    $175
    Each Additional Performance:
    $100
    Music by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Lyrics by
    Stephen Sondheim
    Orchestrated by
    Michael Starobin
    show more...
    Arrangement Details
    Song Type: Show Extraction
    Arranged for
    1 Male Voice, 1 Female Voice
    Starting Key
    B
    Estimated duration
    3 min 30 sec
    Instrumentation

    Reed 1 (Flute, Soprano Sax, Clarinet), Reed 2 (Alto Sax), Reed 3 (Flute, Tenor Sax), Reed 4 (Baritone Sax, Bassoon), 1 Horn, 1 Trumpet/Flugelhorn, 1 Trombone, 1 Guitar, (2) Percussion, 2 Keyboards (Synth), 1 Fender Bass. 1 Full Score, 2 Piano-Conductor Scores.

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Questions & Answers

December 29, 2020
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Related shows or resources: Assassins
Cost Estimator

Hello,

On the Cost Estimator for production weeks does it mean how many weeks the show performs or how many weeks the show and rehearsals are combined.

Thanks!

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March 03, 2017
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Related shows or resources: Assassins
Guiteau's hanging
When Guiteau is hung, how can the actor transition to a dummy without the audience noticing?
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June 09, 2016
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Related shows or resources: Assassins
Why is the show rated R?
I am thinking of doing this show with my high school students for our end of the year musical. Can you give me some more information as to why it is rated R?
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