“Sondheim on Sondheim” is an intimate and revealing musical centered around the work of American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. This year, Northwestern State University’s Creative and Performing Arts department had the honor of performing this production, which consists of an exclusive video interview with Sondheim himself.
The performance was made possible by a small but brilliant cast of eight characters that brought Sondheim’s work to life by acting out scenes and songs from Sondheim’s vast body of work, alongside Sean Bartly, assistant professor of theatre, and Sloane Artis, director of musical theatre and the show’s music director.
ShayAnna Beatty, a junior musical theater major, got the chance to perform in the show. “My favorite thing about the production of ‘Sondheim’ was the community. Everyone was so collaborative and supportive of one another the entire process,” Beatty said.
“I will say, the most challenging part had to be having the confidence to bring such an amazing show to life. It was a huge step for me to be able to sing such hard music for people every night, and having the stamina to do the entire show multiple times,” Beatty said.
Dylan Freeman, a junior musical theater major, shared three words that describe the overall feelings the show might give the audience. “Joyful, cohesive and polished. Getting to work with so many amazing people also contributes to the thoughts behind those words because the experience was truly joyful, but also challenging. It gave me great time management skills while I was learning all of the music,” Freeman said.
Though the cast creates the magic of the show onstage, backstage crews also contribute to the making of a brilliant production. Lily Bedenbaugh, a sophomore theater major, worked backstage as the assistant stage manager.
“I have been there for every rehearsal since the beginning of school, and I just kind of observed and followed along in the music, or I redid the projections because the onstage crew needed their cues,” Bedenbaugh said.
“And then backstage—during the actual show—I was in charge of props and making sure they were exactly where they needed to be for the actors. I loved working with Sean; he is a great director.”
The backstage crew is the indispensable brain and muscle behind every great production, ensuring the actors have a smooth and organized journey before curtain call. This level of organization and dedication to collaboration is vital, especially given the demanding time the show needs.
The demanding nature of “Sondheim on Sondheim” posed a challenge, but with the assistance of the stage manager, the backstage crew and the actors, this ambitious show was a success. The production was a demonstration of how talented, focused and determined NSU’s Creative and Performing Arts department is.
