As the Broadway community continues to mourn the loss of prolific composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who passed away on November 26, 2021 at age 91, the industry will commemorate his life and work on December 8th by dimming the lights of all Broadway Theatres. The Committee of Theatre Owners agreed to dim the lights of Broadway theatres in New York for one minute on Wednesday at exactly 6:30pm.
“It is impossible to measure Stephen Sondheim's impact on the world of musical theatre,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League . “During a career that spanned nearly 65 years, he created music and lyrics that have become synonymous with Broadway—from Gypsy and West Side Story to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Follies, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and too many more to name. It is hard to imagine Broadway without him, but we know his legacy will live on for many years to come, including in this season's revival of Company opening December 9.”
In 2008, Mr. Sondheim received the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. He received Tony Awards as composer and/or lyricist for his work on A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1963), Company (1971), Follies (1972), A Little Night Music (1973), Sweeney Todd (1979), Into the Woods (1988), and Passion (1994). In addition, Mr. Sondheim received Tony Nominations for his work on West Side Story (1958), Gypsy (1960), Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965), Pacific Overtures (1976), Merrily We Roll Along (1982), and Sunday in the Park with George (1984). His other Broadway credits include Assassins (2004), The Frogs (2004), several musical revues of his work, and the play Getting Away with Murder (1996). He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1985 for Sunday in the Park with George. His shows toured the country extensively and continue to be produced all over the country and the world.
The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, was dedicated in March, 2010. Mr. Sondheim is one of only three composers whose name adorns a Broadway theatre (along with George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers).