Ravinia 2022, Issue 4

JOAN MARCUS ( INTO THE WOODS ); MATTHEW MURPHY ( COMPANY ) “Losing My Mind” [from Follies ] is the anthem for love lost. It takes the listener or singer on such a journey, and many times ends with either or both quite moved, and even in a puddle. How has your appreciation for Sondheim’s music evolved over the years? As I’ve gotten older and deeper into my career, and as I’ve had to study his work and music to perform it, I see what a musical genius he is. Every lyric and line, every melody and motif, it is all intentional. As difficult as his work may be, when the music comes together, it is nothing short of amazing. Alexandra Billings Alexandra Billings is perhaps best known for recent recurring TV roles in Transparent and The Conners and a run as Wicked ’s Madame Morrible on Broadway. She began her performing career in Chicago, where she played Rose in the Bailiwick Theatre’s 2000 revival of Gypsy . If you had to pick three favorite Sondheim songs, what would they be? I’m singing one of them: “I’m Still Here” [from Follies ]. It’s about survival and hope. It’s a great “list song,” and even though the list is time-specific, it’s also universal. It literally covers everything, from politics to emotional survival. Another song I really love, also from Follies , is obscure: “The God-Why-Don’t- You-Love-Me Blues.” It’s one of his funniest, and it’s a great commentary about love and romance—when we don’t get what we want, we obsess about what we have. You might roll your eyes because he “only” wrote the lyrics, but I’ll also say “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy , the nearest to a perfect musical as anything has ever been. And that particular song! It’s like an overture at the end of the show, sung by one character. It’s never been done before or since. What Sondheim did through his lyrics was clarify Mama Rose’s needs and wants. He was not just a poet; he was a scholar with his words. That particular song sums it up, I think. Did you ever meet Sondheim? No, I never met him. I don’t do well with famous, fabulous people like that. I would not be able to talk—or my mouth would hang open, and I’d say some- thing really stupid. But in New York City, what seems like 150 years ago, I saw a guy with white hair across the street. The light changed, and now he’s coming east and I’m going west. He’s getting closer and I’m thinking, “Oh, that’s Stephen Sondheim. Holy shit, that’s Stephen Sondheim!” So I thought, “When will this ever happen again? Take your moment, Alex! Say something, quick!” And he’s getting closer, and I think, “Just tell him you loved one of his shows!” Now we’re about to pass each other—it’s like that scene in High Noon with Gary Cooper—and I say, at the top of my voice, “I LOVED YOU IN SWEENEY TODD.” That was my one and only meeting with Stephen Sondheim. Matt Doyle A Broadway pro at an early age, Matt Doyle appeared in Spring Awakening and War Horse . In June he won the Tony for his performance in the acclaimed gender-flipped production of Company , in which he performs one of Sondheim’s most notoriously difficult songs, “Getting Married Today.” If you had to pick three favorite Sondheim songs, what would they be? Well, of course “Being Alive” [from Company ] is on the list. It’s a phenomenal piece of examination of why the human spirit needs companionship, even if it resists it. From there, I would probably say “Pretty Women” from Sweeney Todd . Such a gorgeous and melodic moment in the show contrasted by the extremely disturbing thing that’s about to happen. It’s a brilliant, beautiful tension builder, and an exqui- site piece of music on its own. Finally, “Move On” from Sunday in the Park with George . I don’t think any piece of writing has ever captured the artist’s plight so perfectly. “Anything you do, let it come from you, then it will be new”—stunning. Easily one of the most miraculous lines he ever wrote. I have found so much guidance and inspiration in that song. Where were you when you learned that Sondheim had died? It was a two-show day and our ninth preview of Company . As soon as the curtain fell, they gathered us onstage. My heart immediately sunk. I fell to my knees and started bawling. It was such a devastating blow after pushing through the pandemic and bringing his genius back to life. How has your appreciation for Sondheim’s music evolved over the years? I remember not connecting with Company when I was younger; I found more and more within the material as I aged. Every note, word, and beat has purpose. It takes a little time for a lot of listeners to appreciate his genius. Once you do, it’s constantly alarming how clever he was. I still discover new moments of brilliance to appreci- ate in “Getting Married Today,” and I sing the song every night. I’m so honored to have been a part of this incredible journey, to share his genius every night. For two weeks in May, Heather Headley starred at the Witch in Sondheim’s Into the Woods Off-Broadway at City Center Encores! (left), while Matt Doyle has been starring as Jamie in Company —a gender-flipped production from London—at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway since December (right). RAVINIA MAGAZINE • AUGUST 1 – AUGUST 14, 2022 18