Stephen Sondheim brings his greatness to Kingsbury Hall

SALT LAKE CITY — With Tonys, Grammys, Oscars and a Pulitzer, one might conjure up a very different image of composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim than the 80-year-old clad in unassuming khakis and a brown sweater.

I know I speak on behalf of the nearly sold-out crowd on Feb. 1 when I issue a hearty "thank you" to Kingsbury Hall for bringing the living legend, the man who single-handedly changed the face of musical theater, to Salt Lake City.

A wonderful treat indeed.

Sondheim spent the early evening in a question-and-answer session with University of Utah students, warmly offering insight about his life and creative process. Then, he took the stage in a conversation with longtime theater critic Nancy Melich.

Sondheim was warm, charming, funny and engaging. At a time in his life when he could withdraw, living contentedly with his success, I marveled at Sondheim's willingness to "go on tour" in essence; visiting a handful of cities, sharing his wisdom and working with youths.

"You've got to tell the audience what you're going to do. Do it. And then tell them that you've done it," he said of one of his early lessons in writing for musical theater.

"I write on a yellow note pad, while lying down. It's not good for my posture," he joked. "But if you're lying down, you can more easily fall asleep. I find that so many problems are solved after a bit of a nap. I often wake up and have an idea."

Perhaps most interesting, "I never write at the piano," he said. "It limits me. I'm limited by my playing ability, or I end up writing familiar patterns. I think the music first. Then, I play it. That way, I can lie on the couch forever," he said with a laugh.

Sondheim held the audience's rapt attention with stories of his early composing days; his neighbor Katharine Hepburn upset at his late-night composing sessions; and his propensity for stockpiling pads of paper and pencils.

"It's enormously important when you write for a living," he said.

The evening ended with the U. students singing "Sunday" from "Sunday in the Park with George." Sondheim turned and conducted a passage from the song, leaving singers, audience and himself with very satisfied smiles.