Biography
Stephen Joshua Sondheim (/ˈsɒndhaɪm/; March 22, 1930 – November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theatre, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. With his frequent collaborators Harold Prince and James Lapine, Sondheim's Broadway musicals tackled unexpected themes beyond the genre's traditional subjects while addressing darker elements of the human experience. His music and lyrics are tinged with complexity, sophistication, and ambivalence about various aspects of life. Sondheim's interest in musical theatre began at a young age, and Oscar Hammerstein II mentored him. He started his career by writing the lyrics for West Side Story (1957) and Gypsy (1959). He transitioned to writing both music and lyrics for the theatre, with his best-known works including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), and Into the Woods (1987). Sondheim's numerous awards and nominations include eight Tony Awards, an Academy Award, eight Grammy Awards, an Olivier Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. He also was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 1993 and a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. A theatre is named after him both on Broadway and in London's West End. Film adaptations of his works include West Side Story (1961), Gypsy (1962), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), A Little Night Music (1977), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(2007), Into the Woods (2014), and West Side Story (2021). Description above from the Wikipedia article Stephen Sondheim, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Wrote 61
2020s
- 2028
National Theatre Live: West Side Story
Lyricist
- 2025
West Side Story
Lyricist
- 2024
Into The Woods (AUS Productions)
Writer
- 2023
Candide
Lyricist
- 2022
Becoming Benanti: The Role of a Lifetime
Lyricist
- 2021
Simply Sondheim
Writer
- 2020
Chita: A Legendary Celebration
Lyricist
2010s
- 2017
National Theatre Live: Follies
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
- 2016
Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...
Lyricist
- 2015
Gypsy
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
- 2014
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – In Concert with the New York Philharmonic
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
- 2013
Follies
Lyricist, Writer, Musical
Merrily We Roll Along
Lyricist, Writer, Musical
Sunday In the Park with George
Musical, Lyricist
- 2012
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Writer
- 2011
Company
Lyricist, Writer, Musical
Into the Woods
Musical, Writer
2000s
- 2009
Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Writer
- 2008
Company: A Musical Comedy
Lyricist, Writer, Musical
- 2007
- 2005
Passion
Writer
Candide
Lyricist
- 2004
Assassins
Lyricist
- 2002
A Little Night Music: Ravinia Festival Concert
Lyricist
Merrily We Roll Along
Original Film Writer
- 2001
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert
Writer, Lyricist
Putting It Together
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
1990s
- 1996
Company
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
Passion
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
- 1995
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Lyricist
Anyone Can Whistle: Live at Carnegie Hall
Lyricist
A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim
Lyricist
- 1994
Gypsy
Lyricist, Theatre Play
- 1992
Gypsy: Live from the Southern Arizona Light Opera Company
Writer, Theatre Play
Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Lyricist
- 1991
Candide
Lyricist
Into the Woods
Musical, Writer
- 1990
New York City Opera: A Little Night Music
Lyricist
Into the Woods: A Conversationpiece
Writer
1980s
- 1989
Leonard Bernstein - Bernstein - Candide
Lyricist
- 1986
Candide
Writer, Lyricist
Sunday in the Park with George
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
Follies: In Concert
Lyricist
- 1982
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
- 1980
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Scenes from the Making of a Musical
Lyricist
1970s
- 1977
A Little Night Music
Lyricist, Musical
All You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music
Writer
- 1976
Pacific Overtures
Musical, Lyricist, Writer
- 1973
The Last of Sheila
Writer
- 1970
1960s
- 1966
Evening Primrose
Writer, Lyricist
- 1962
- 1961
No release date
Follies
Lyricist
Sound 57
2020s
- 2025
- 2023
Jonas Kaufmann: Arena di Verona 2023
Music
- 2022
Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends
Songs
Becoming Benanti: The Role of a Lifetime
Music
- 2020
Marry Me a Little
Songs
Kings of Broadway 2020: A Celebration of the Music of Jule Styne, Jerry Herman, and Stephen Sondheim
Songs
2010s
- 2017
National Theatre Live: Follies
Songs
- 2016
Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...
Songs
Judy Collins: A Love Letter to Stephen Sondheim
Music
West Side Story
Songs
- 2014
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – In Concert with the New York Philharmonic
Music, Songs, Original Music Composer
- 2013
Follies
Songs
Merrily We Roll Along
Music, Songs
Sunday In the Park with George
Songs
- 2012
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Original Music Composer
- 2011
Company
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 2010
Sondheim! The Birthday Concert
Songs
2000s
- 2009
Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Music
- 2008
Company: A Musical Comedy
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 2007
- 2005
Passion
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 2004
Assassins
Music, Songs
- 2003
Mostly Sondheim
Songs
- 2002
A Little Night Music: Ravinia Festival Concert
Music
A Little Night Music: Live from the Kennedy Center
Songs
- 2001
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert
Music, Songs, Original Music Composer
Putting It Together
Songs, Original Music Composer
1990s
- 1996
Company
Songs, Original Music Composer
Passion
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 1995
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Music
Anyone Can Whistle: Live at Carnegie Hall
Original Music Composer
A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim
Music
- 1992
Gypsy: Live from the Southern Arizona Light Opera Company
Songs
Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 1991
Into the Woods
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 1990
Assassins
Music, Songs
New York City Opera: A Little Night Music
Music, Songs
Sunday in the Park with... Stephen
Original Music Composer
1980s
- 1986
Sunday in the Park with George
Songs, Original Music Composer
Follies: In Concert
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 1982
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 1981
- 1980
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Scenes from the Making of a Musical
Music
1970s
- 1977
A Little Night Music
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 1976
Pacific Overtures
Songs, Music, Original Music Composer
- 1974
- 1970
1960s
- 1966
Evening Primrose
Songs, Original Music Composer
No release date
Follies
Songs
Acted in 12
2020s
- 2022
- 2021
2010s
- 2018
Harold Prince: The Director's Life
Movie
1990s
- 1997
A Conversation With Composer Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
- 1995
A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim
Movie
- 1990
Sunday in the Park with... Stephen
Movie
1970s
- 1978
- 1976
Anatomy of a Song
Movie
- 1974
June Moon
Maxie Schwartz
- 1973
Sondheim: A Musical Tribute
Movie
- 1971
Other crew 1
Appearances39
2020s
- 2026
Bernstein's Wall
Self (archive footage)
- 2022
Keeping Company with Sondheim
Self
The Stories of West Side Story
Self
- 2021
Cameron Mackintosh - The First 50 Years
Self
2010s
- 2019
On Broadway
Self (archive footage)
- 2016
West Side Stories: The Making of a Classic
Self
Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...
Self
- 2015
- 2013
- 2011
A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy
Self
- 2010
Sondheim! The Birthday Concert
Self - Honoree
2000s
- 2006
Witness to 'Reds'
Self
- 2005
- 2004
Broadway: The American Musical
Self · 6 episodes
Children Will Listen
self
- 2003
Camp
Self
West Side Memories
Self
- 2002
The Making of Sweeney Todd at the San Francisco Symphony
Self
- 2001
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert
Self
- 2000
Ned Rorem Interviews Stephen Sondheim
Self
1990s
- 1998
Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh
Self
- 1996
Company
Self
- 1995
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II
Self
- 1994
Inside the Actors Studio
Self · 1 episode
- 1992
Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Self
- 1991
Assassins: A Conversationpiece
Self
- 1990
Into the Woods: A Conversationpiece
Self
1980s
- 1986
Follies: In Concert
Self- Composer
Sondheim on Broadway: Follies - Four Days in New York
Self
Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
Self
- 1980
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Scenes from the Making of a Musical
Self
1970s
- 1978
- 1977
- 1976
- 1970
1960s
- 1962
Thanked in the credits2
2020s
- 2021
1970s
- 1973
Sondheim: A Musical Tribute
Thanks