To celebrate the 85th birthday of the iconic composer, BuzzFeed News asked Barbra Streisand, Patti LuPone, Liza Minnelli, and other theater legends to reflect on Sondheim’s legacy.
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Summing up Stephen Sondheim's six decades in theater is a challenge. After all, this is the composer responsible for Company, Follies, Into the Woods, and Sweeney Todd — not to mention the lyrics for Gypsy and West Side Story. And that's just a sampling.
Calling Sondheim the greatest living composer is an understatement: To many, he's the greatest musical theater composer of all time.
On the eve of his 85th birthday on March 22, BuzzFeed News reached out to the actors, writers, and directors who have worked with or been heavily influenced by Sondheim — in most cases, it was both. Below are quotes from longtime collaborators (Barbara Cook and Patti LuPone), Broadway stars (Laura Benanti and Raúl Esparza), actors who have brought his work to film and television (Anna Kendrick and Chris Colfer), and legends who are revered alongside Sondheim (Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli).
Though they each have distinct, heartfelt messages for Sondheim, the one thread is a lyric from Sunday in the Park With George: "Give us more to see."
