Tag Archives: Sweeney Todd

Sondheim Rhyme & Tebow Time

BY GARY JOHNSON
Reprinted from Loose Change at TCBmag.com

Carnac holds an envelope to his forehead. “Sondheim Rhyme & Tebow Time,” he says. Ed McMahon echoes, in his trademark basso mundo, “Sondheim Rhyme & Tebow Time.” Carnac looks askance and then blows open the envelope to read the question . .

Sorry, you’ll have to wait for it until I’m done writing this.

Stephen Sondheim, genius creator of stupendously artful, clever, and Tony award-winning musical theater, wrote a book (Finishing the Hat) a while back, and then another recently (Look, I Made A Hat). Both are really wonderful perspectives/critiques on writing, composing, thinking, and creating. Sondheim, who wrote many smash shows—Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, West Side Story, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, and Sunday in the Park with George—pens his masterpieces using the following three mantras: Continue reading