Sondheim and Lloyd-Webber

by Stephen Citron

"The New York Times called Stephen Sondheim "the greatest and perhaps best known artist in the American musical theater." The same paper referred to his contemporary, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, as "the most commercially successful composer in history." Whatever their individual achievements might be, it is agreed by most critics that these two colossi have dominated world musical theater for the last quarter century and hold the key to the direction the musical stage will take in the future." "Beginning with Sondheim's lyrics-only works - West Side Story, Gypsy, and Do I Hear a Waltz? - through his scores for Saturday Night, Company, Anyone Can Whistle, Follies, Pacific Overtures, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park, Into the Woods, Assassins, and Passion, all these milestones of musical theater have been explored. Lloyd-Webber's musical contribution from his early works, The Likes of Us and Joseph, to Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Starlight E