Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021)

As an openly gay artist, composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim paved the way for generations of LGBTQ+ creatives, both in and out of the theatre with songs that soared with universal messages that reflect the human heart. The Sondheim canon of glorious music includes the scores of Broadway musicals, Company, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, and Merrily We Roll Along.  Like Shakespeare, his lyrics capture the intricacies of human emotion and the complexity of relationships. For example, West Side Story resounds with yearning - “There’s a place for us – somewhere a place for us.” Gypsy encourages us to fulfill are destinies – “Nothing’s going to stop us ‘til we’re through. Everything’s coming up Roses for me and for you,” while Into the Woods poignantly reassures us – “No one is alone, truly. No one is alone.”  Sondheim reinvented the Broadway musical, while courageously breaking barriers and living his life with honesty and providing the soundtrack for many lives.