Synopses & Reviews
Stephen Sondheim's groundbreaking achievements in musical theater attain a new level of audacity and accomplishment in his latest creation, Assassins. Evoking a fraternity of Presidential assassins and would-be assassins across a hundred years of our history (including John Wilkes Booth, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, John Hinckley, and Lee Harvey Oswald), he and collaborator John Weidman examine success, failure, and the questionable drive for power and celebrity in American society. The result is an unusually imaginative and utterly idiosyncratic entertainment compounded equally of insight, pleasure, and provocation. Assassins is an important and permanent addition to the American stage.
Review
"Nothing quite prepares you for the disturbing brilliance of Assassins." David Richards, The New York Times
Review
"Dark, demented humor, as horrifying as it is hilarious." Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press
Review
"Intelligent and thrilling musical theater. Dazzling in its originality." Ken Mandelbaum, Theaterweek
Synopsis
"Nothing quite prepares you for the disturbing brilliance of Assassins." -David Richards, The New York Times
"Dark, demented humor, as horrifying as it is hilarious." -Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press
"Intelligent and thrilling musical theatre. Dazzling in its originality." -Ken Mandelbaum, Theaterweek
Stephen Sondheim's groundbreaking achievements in musical theatre attain a new level of audacity and accomplishment in his latest creation, Assassins. Evoking a fraternity of Presidential assassins and would-be assassins across a hundred years of our history (including John Wilkes Booth, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, John Hinckley and Lee Harvey Oswald), he and collaborator John Weidman examine success, failure and the questionable drive for power and celebrity in American society. The result is an unusually imaginative and utterly idiosyncratic entertainment compounded equally of insight, pleasure, and provocation. Assassins is an important and permanent addition to the American stage.
Synopsis
Evoking a fraternity of political assassins and would-be assassins across a hundred years of our history, Sondheim and Weidman daringly examine success, failure and the questionable drive for power and celebrity in American society. "Dark, demented humor, as horrifying as it is hilarious."--Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press
About the Author
Stephen Sondheim wrote lyrics for
Gypsy and
West Side Story and music and lyrics for
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,
A Little Night Music,
Sundy in the Park With George, and
Into the Woods, among many others. His honors include five Tony awards, seven Drama Desk awards, an Academy Award and the Pulitzer Prize.
John Weidman co-wrote the book for the recent Broadway revival of Anything Goes. A former editor of National Lampoon magazine and currently a writer for Public Television's Sesame Street, Mr. Weidman's first theatrical venture was another collaboration with Stephen Sondheim, Pacific Overtures.