Okay, readers, I have an admission to make, two weeks from tomorrow...I turn 28 years old. Now, you may be thinking that 28 is the age where still anything is possible and that you can still change your life. The thing with me is I have had so many incredible experiences for someone who has yet tor each their 30s; experiences that continue to reaffirm that Broadway is the place for me. Now, I have yet to reach that ultimate moment, but let me tell you about one such moment that reaffirmed that Broadway is my true home. It happened two months ago....
It was a day of bitter cold, the type reserved for a typical January day, which that Tuesday was. I had just busted my you-know-what for five hours at TKTS. Having lost the digital lottery for Hamilton (It was the first day that the hit Broadway musical offered one and their web site crashed) , I resolved to go to my favorite local Irish bar for a nice hot bowl of chili. So, after completing the work day, I headed on over The Mean Fiddler for a beer and, most importantly, a nice bowl of chili that would certainly warm my frigid insides. There was a decent crowd in the Fiddler, filled with people like myself having completed their work day, tourists from nearby hotels, and the pre-theater crowd as the bar was located in the heart of the Theater District. I was just sitting by myself, sipping on my beer, waiting for my chili, when I sense someone standing next to me. I look to my left, and standing there at the bar is Mr Stephen Sondheim.
Readers, have you ever had one of those moments where you are thinking one thousand thoughts in one instant? That is what I felt when I realized I was right next to Stephen Sondheim. Here was a man whose work I had respected from a very young age, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in Broadway history, and he is standing right next to me at a bar. I was torn between bothering someone who may not want to be bothered and just saying something to him. Eventually, I decided to lean over and, very subtly, state, "I am sure you get this often, but I am a huge fan of your work." Mr Sondheim then turned and thanked me. He asked if I was an actor, and I replied that I wasn't and that I was a marketer and promoter for theater. I further mentioned the fact that it was my buddy Jim who had given me m break (more on that story in a later post) and how Jim has a fun story about messing up a line while in rehearsal for the Broadway production of Assassins and Sondheim had said something to the sense of Jim saying the line better than Sondheim wrote it. Mr Sondheim laughed at this brief, interpreted anecdote and said that he loves sitting in on the rehearsal process to encourage the actors as they make mistakes as that is what the rehearsal is there for. I then asked Mr Sondheim what his favorite adaptation of his work was. He quickly referred to the Roundabout production of Assassins, as well as the more recent revival of Sunday in the Park With George at Roundabout as well as his collaborations with Hal Prince. I told him of my desire to watch Assassins at the Lincoln Center Archives, which Mr. Sondheim greatly encouraged me to, if I could.
Mr Sondheim and myself then discussed shows we have seen recently and shows I hoped to see soon. I mentioned that the two I really wanted to see next were Hamilton and the recent revival of A View From the Bridge. Sondheim encouraged me to sees A View From the Bridge, which he called "the definition of catharsis." In fact, I learned that Mr. Sondheim was more a fan of dramas then musicals. He bemoaned the fact that both Broadway and London seemed to be dominated by musicals as opposed to plays. In regards to Hamilton, I told Sondheim that I hoped to see the show soon and that, despite my friends' encouragement, planned on listening to the cast album for the show after seeing it. Mr Sondheim then told me there was a reason that my friends were encouraging me to listen to the album prior to seeing Hamilton. He referenced giving Lin Manuel Miranda advice in getting his lyrics and rhythms in a place where audiences could grasp the important information. By this point, Mr Sondheim's husband had joined him and he proceeded to exit the bar as he and his husband was seeing Spring Awakening, playing at the Brooks Atkinson next door. I thanked him for his words of wisdom and asked for a photo with him, which he obliged. Thus ended easily the most remarkable encounter I have ever had in my life.
Readers. the chance meeting I had with Stephen Sondheim made me come to a realization. As a young professional, it is vital to learn from others who have succeeded in this business and, often times, there will be people, even idols, to assist us in coming to grips with the businesses that we are involved with. It may be hard to believe, but even theatrical legends such as Stephen Sondheim, in regards to Oscar Hammerstein, and Hal Prince, in regards to George Abbott, looked for wisdom from those that had succeeded when they were starting off their careers. We should honor these idols, but not treat them as some Mount Rushmore that we dare not approach for wisdom, but to look for that right opportunity for them to impart their valuable knowledge to us. It may just even leave us with a great story to tell our friends and family for years to come. I encourage you to look for that right opportunity and simply learn. There is no greater search than the search for knowledge, as I've come to realize. That about does it for my latest blog post. until the next time, this is Mike signing off, ghost light lighting on.
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