Z-Theatre

Tracy Lynn Olivera, Awa Sal Secko, and Katie Mariko Murray sing “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” in Simply Sondheim.

All photos: Christopher Mueller

Sondheim is Back Where He Belongs!

AT SIGNATURE THEATRE IN “SIMPLY SONDHEIM”

BY SARA DUDLEY BROWN, THEATRE EDITOR

If you’ve been longing for an antidote to the ennui developed over 11 months of watching your favorite live musical and theatrical events on Zoom, I’m delighted to say, “I’ve found it!”

Here’s the scoop! For three days in November, Signature Theatre in Shirlington was alive with 12 socially distanced actors/singers, 16 orchestra members, and creative teams all thrilled to be back and putting together the definitive production of Stephen Sondheim’s Simply Sondheim. Signature teamed up with Chiet Productions to film a jam-packed, nearly two-hour production direct from the MAX Theatre, the larger of Signature’s two theatres.

Brilliant lighting, perfect sound (closed captioning available), and extraordinary camera shots give us an illuminated view of the stage and of the actors’ view of the Dress Circle where the musicians set up, all socially distanced and sounding like a full symphony orchestra under music director Jon Kalbfleisch’s expert leadership. The gorgeous lighting and crystal clear sound are courtesy of lighting designer Adam Honoré and sound designer Ryan Hickey. Mar quee TV will bring this pastiche/review of the best of the best of Stephen Sondheim’s songs (he wrote both words and music for all of them) to you on your TV, smartphone, notebook, or computer. It streams from February 2 through March 26, 2021.

Marquee TV is an ondemand streaming platform dedicated to global arts and culture.

Matthew Gardiner (associate artistic director) worked with Kelly Crandall d’Amboise (associate director and casting director) to engage 12 seasoned and highly experienced Sondheim interpreters. Those actors/singers include Norm

Theatre By Sara Dudley Brown

At left: Donna Migliaccio sings “The Worst Pies in London” in Simply Sondheim.

Below left: Emily Skinner sings “The Ladies Who Lunch” in Simply Sondheim.

Below right: Norm Lewis sings “Being Alive” in Simply Sondheim.

Lewis (Broadway’s Once on This Island and Signature’s First You Dream), Solea Pfeifer (Signature’s Gun and Powder), Conrad Ricamora (Broadway’s The King and I), Emily Skinner (Broadway’s The Cher Show), Nicholas McDonough (Signature’s Grand Hotel), Donna Migliaccio (Broadway’s War Paint), Christopher Mueller (Signature’s Assassins), Katie Mariko Murray (Signature’s Grand Hotel), Tracy

Lynn Olivera (Signature’s

A Little Night Music), Paul

Scanlan (Signature’s La

Cage aux Folles), Awa Sal

Secka (Signature’s Gun &

Powder), and Bobby Smith (Signature’s Light Years).

Each of these professionals has multiple shows to choose from as examples of their work, but I was limited to writing about only one or two. Sigh.

This marvelous and diverse cast brings us more than 30 songs from the composer’s rich canon, and while the selections can be sometimes unexpected, many are old favorites. I believe all are worth your valuable time. Did I mention that once you begin watching this production, you have 36 hours to view it over and over? No? Added benefit! One reason for watching several times could be that amazing Sondheim interpreter, Donna

Migliaccio. She sings one of my favorite tunes, The Best Pies in London from Sweeney Todd, with Bobby

Smith’s silent but effective presence. Wait ‘til you see Donna slapping around disgusting looking pastry while informing us that perhaps it tastes ghastly because meat is unattainable at that time in London, all the while pointing out that a lot of pussycats are missing from the streets. She closes with, “Them pussycats is