In the Spotlight

Assassins

Episode Summary

Someone tell the story... of the brilliant, dark, fascinating ASSASSINS. Join Michael and Anika for this mega-episode about the one-of-a-kind Sondheim and Weidman musical that has divided critics and audiences, exposed the dark loopholes of the American dream, and only become more "shmelevant" (don't worry, we'll explain) since its 1990 debut. From the addition of 'Something Just Broke', to the odd and interesting roles of the Proprietor and Balladeer, to how the show might have pleased Brecht, there's so much to discuss we couldn't fit it into the length of a normal episode! So tune in for this jumbo dive into a show that is one of our absolute favorites

Episode Notes

ASSASSINS Book by John Weidman | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim | Based on an idea by Charles Gilbert, Jr. 

Episode Segments:

• 4:25 – Speed Test
• 8:08 – Why God Why
• 16:51 – Back to Before
• 22:45 – Putting It Together
• 34:55 – What's Inside
• 1:05:25 – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?
• 1:41:00 – We Go Together
• 1:45:28 – Our Favorite Things
• 1:56:14 – Corner of the Sky
• 2:00:10 – What Comes Next?

Works Consulted & Reference :

• Assassins (Original Libretto) by John Weidman
• Look, I Made A Hat by Stephen Sondheim
• Studio Tenn Talks: The Assassins Reunion Show – Produced by Studio Tenn, Hosted by Patrick Cassidy
• Assassins: In Converstaion – Executive Produced by Freddie Gershon
• Sondheim by Martin Gottfried 
• Sondheim & Co. by Craig Zadan

Music Credits:

• "Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music by Jerry Herman | Performed by Dear World Orchestra & Donald Pippin
• "The Speed Test" from Thoroughly Modern Millie  (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music by Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics by Dick Scanlan | Performed by Marc Kudisch, Sutton Foster, Anne L. Nathan & Ensemble
• "Why God Why" from Miss Saigon: The Definitive Live Recording  (Original Cast Recording  / Deluxe)  | Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Richard Maltby Jr.  | Performed by Alistair Brammer
• "Back to Before" from Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Performed by Marin Mazzie
• "Chromolume #7 / Putting It Together" from Sunday in the Park with George (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim | Performed by Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Judith Moore, Cris Groenendaal, Charles Kimbrough, William Parry, Nancy Opel, Robert Westenberg, Dana Ivey, Kurt Knudson, Barbara Bryne
• "What's Inside" from Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music & Lyrics by Sara Bareilles | Performed by Jessie Mueller & Ensemble
• "How I Saved Roosevelt” from Assassins (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim | Performed by Joy Franz, Lyn Greene, John Jellison, Marcus Olson, William Parry, Eddie Korbich
• "Maria" from The Sound of Music (Original Soundtrack Recording)  | Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Performed by Evadne Baker, Anna Lee, Portia Nelson, Marni Nixon
• “We Go Together” from Grease (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Music & Lyrics by Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey | Performed by John Travolta, Olivia Newton John & Cast
• "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music (Original Soundtrack Recording) | Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Performed by Julie Andrews
• "Corner of the Sky" from Pippin (New Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz | Performed by Matthew James Thomas
• “What Comes Next?” from Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Performed by Jonathan Groff