"What Makes Sondheim Great"
Your Instructor
Adjunct of Performing Arts
Lasell University
I spend my time happily studying and teaching about the works of Stephen Sondheim. I facilitate the international online “Sondheim Study Group,” and teach about Sondheim regularly for in a number of university-based educational settings. I’ve supported the Pasadena Playhouse and The Lyric Stage Company of Boston’s productions of Sondheim musicals with pre- and post-performance lectures; I was a guest instructor for San Diego State University MFA in Musical Theatre program; and I was a panelist at the 2023 BroadwayCon session: “I Know Things Now: Remembering Stephen Sondheim.” I interviewed Sondheim collaborator John Weidman at BroadwayCon in 2025 and co-facilitated the Pacific Overtures 50th Anniversary Roundtable featuring book writer John Weidman and actors BD Wong and Francis Jue. I hold an MA in Performance Studies from New York University and a BA in Drama from The University of California at Berkeley.
$60
What you'll learn
Explore salient concepts in musical theatre studies such as predictable song types, pastiche (using tropes of musical theatre to comment upon the tradition), musical motifs, and reprises.
Ask what it means to be a “Playwright in Song,” and identify some of the many techniques Sondheim used to endow his characters with psychological complexity.
Discuss how Sondheim and his collaborators pushed the boundaries of musical storytelling, elevating the genre to new heights, leaving an indelible mark on American culture.
Course Schedule
We'll look at Sondheim's musicals, starting with the two early-career shows for which he wrote only lyrics, through his mid-career shows created in collaboration with director Harold Prince. We'll explore:
• How rhymes and wordplay serve the narrative in unexpected ways
• How prosody (how the music and lyrics fit together) works to develop character
• How extended numbers and extended song forms become scenes
What You Get
Live interactive sessions
Engage in real-time discussions with expert instructors
Small discussion groups
Up to 25 students for personalized attention
Session recordings
Review and revisit class content anytime
Dedicated platform
Track progress and organize your schedule
Frequently asked questions
Course-specific questions
Your Instructor
Adjunct of Performing Arts
Lasell University
I spend my time happily studying and teaching about the works of Stephen Sondheim. I facilitate the international online “Sondheim Study Group,” and teach about Sondheim regularly for in a number of university-based educational settings. I’ve supported the Pasadena Playhouse and The Lyric Stage Company of Boston’s productions of Sondheim musicals with pre- and post-performance lectures; I was a guest instructor for San Diego State University MFA in Musical Theatre program; and I was a panelist at the 2023 BroadwayCon session: “I Know Things Now: Remembering Stephen Sondheim.” I interviewed Sondheim collaborator John Weidman at BroadwayCon in 2025 and co-facilitated the Pacific Overtures 50th Anniversary Roundtable featuring book writer John Weidman and actors BD Wong and Francis Jue. I hold an MA in Performance Studies from New York University and a BA in Drama from The University of California at Berkeley.
$60