Many of Frank Loesser's male characters experience an inexplicable urge to keep moving from place to place, without any obligations tying them down.  From the gamblers and their floating craps game in GUYS & DOLLS to Joe's beautiful ode to wandering ...

This is the seventh in a series looking at the work of Stephen Sondheim. In early April, Encores! will put on a concert version of Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents' musical, ANYONE CAN WHISTLE.  Tony Award winners Sutton Foster (THOROUGHLY ...

This is the sixth in a series of articles analyzing the works of Stephen Sondheim, in preparation for his 80th birthday. Towards the end of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's legendary musical FOLLIES, any trace of a linear narrative falls away, ...

When I was in elementary school, I read everything.  ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN; THE BABY-SITTERS' CLUB; THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE; the FEAR STREET series; THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN series; Marguerite Henry's books about horses; Brian Jacques' ...

This is the fifth in a series of articles analyzing the works of Stephen Sondheim, in preparation for his 80th birthday. Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s musical, PACIFIC OVERTURES, traces the opening of Japan to the West - from the Japanese ...

Gambling features prominently in Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling, and Abe Burrows' musical, GUYS & DOLLS.  Finding a safe location for the floating crap game drives much of the story - as does Sky's bet that he'll take Sarah Brown, one of the Mission ...

This is the fourth in a series of articles analyzing the work of Stephen Sondheim. Letters feature prominently in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical, PASSION, which is set in 1863 Italy.  The letters exchanged between soldier Giorgio and ...

Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada Honored for Pursuing Artistic Vision Despite Challenges When Green Valley High School decided to stage a production of the Jonathan Larson Tony and Pulitzer Award winning musical RENT, the community ...

This is the third of a weekly series analyzing Sondheim musicals.  The first and second, on happiness and wealth in SATURDAY NIGHT and the optimistic message of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG can be read here and here. Musical theatre songs are complicated ...

This is the second of a weekly series analyzing Sondheim musicals, in preparation for his 80th birthday on March 22. The first, on wealth and happiness in SATURDAY NIGHT, can be read here. "Dreams don't die, so keep an eye on your dream," urges ...