Company (musical)

Company (musical)
source
Name	Company
Music	Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics	Stephen Sondheim
Book	George Furth
Basis	One-act plays by George Furth
Productions	1970 Broadway
Awards	Tony Award for Best Musical

Company (musical). A groundbreaking concept musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth. Premiering on Broadway in 1970, the show revolutionized the American musical theatre form by eschewing a linear plot in favor of a series of vignettes exploring contemporary relationships and marriage through the eyes of a single, ambivalent New Yorker. Directed by Harold Prince with choreography by Michael Bennett, its sophisticated score and cynical, urban sensibility made it a landmark of 20th-century musical theatre.

Background and development

The musical originated from a series of eleven one-act plays by George Furth, which were brought to the attention of director Harold Prince. Prince, then collaborating with Stephen Sondheim on their previous project, envisioned the material as a musical exploring the complexities of modern relationships. Sondheim, initially reluctant, was persuaded by Prince's concept of a "theme" rather than a traditional narrative, focusing on the state of marriage in New York City. The creative team, including set designer Boris Aronson, developed a sleek, metallic unit set to reflect the impersonal urban environment. The show's development was heavily influenced by the social changes of the late 1960s, questioning traditional institutions like marriage during the era of women's liberation and the Sexual Revolution.

Synopsis

The musical is structured as a series of episodes centered on Robert, a bachelor celebrating his 35th birthday with five married couples who are his friends. Scenes depict his interactions with couples like Sarah and Harry, Susan and Peter, Jenny and David, Amy and Paul, and Joanne and Larry, each revealing the compromises, frustrations, and comforts of married life. Robert also has encounters with three girlfriends: the flighty April, the cynical Kathy, and the vivacious Marta. The nonlinear plot culminates in Robert's climactic solo, where he confronts his fear of commitment and longing for connection, ultimately arriving at a more nuanced, if not fully resolved, understanding of his own desires.

Musical numbers

The score is renowned for its complex harmonies, witty lyrics, and integration of song into the dramatic fabric. Notable songs include the opening choral number "Company," the sardonic "The Little Things You Do Together," and the frantic patter song "Getting Married Today," performed by the character Amy. The trio "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" showcases Sondheim's pastiche style, while Joanne's iconic anthem "The Ladies Who Lunch" offers a scathing critique of urban society. Robert's solos "Someone Is Waiting" and "Being Alive" chart his emotional journey, with the latter becoming a standard in the Great American Songbook. The orchestration, by Jonathan Tunick, is integral to the show's sophisticated sound.

Productions

The original Broadway production, produced by Harold Prince, opened at the Alvin Theatre on April 26, 1970, and ran for 705 performances. The cast featured Dean Jones as Robert, later replaced by Larry Kert, and Elaine Stritch as Joanne. A successful West End production opened in 1972 at Her Majesty's Theatre. A seminal 1995 revival by the Roundabout Theatre Company, directed by Scott Ellis, starred Boyd Gaines and won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. A radical 2006 revival by director John Doyle, featuring actor-musicians, transferred from Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park to Broadway. A 2018 revival, notable for a gender-swapped Bobby now called Bobbie, opened in London's West End before moving to Broadway, starring Rosalie Craig and later Katrina Lenk, and directed by Marianne Elliott.

Critical reception and legacy

Upon its premiere, *Company* received divided critical opinion, with some praising its innovation and others finding it cold or misanthropic. However, it quickly gained recognition as a pivotal work, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award. It is credited with perfecting the "concept musical," where a theme supersedes plot, influencing subsequent works by Sondheim like *Follies* and *A Little Night Music*, as well as musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The show's examination of urban alienation and commitment remains profoundly relevant, and its score is considered one of Sondheim's masterpieces. It has been preserved in a D.A. Pennebaker documentary, *Original Cast Album: Company*, and a filmed concert version from Lincoln Center.

Awards and honors

The original Broadway production won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book for George Furth, Best Score for Stephen Sondheim, and Best Direction for Harold Prince. It also received the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical. The 1995 revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The 2006 revival was nominated for several Tony Awards, including Best Revival. The 2018 revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, with Patti LuPone winning a Tony for her performance as Joanne.

Category:American musicals Category:1970 musicals