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Sunday in the Park with GeorgeOpening Date: April 15, 2013
Closing Date: April 25, 2013 Air date: May 24 and May 28, 2013 Medium: TV Where to watch: not available |
Stage Production Notes
Sunday in the Park with George is a fictitious portrayal of how French post-Impressionist painter Georges Seurat created his well-known masterpiece “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” The musical follows Seurat as he observes and interacts with characters from the painting, most notably his muse and lover, Dot. The second act follows Seurat’s great-grandson George as he attempts to be an artist in a commercial world.
The innovative concept musical was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, where it played to a subscription-only audience in July 1983. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine collaborated on the original musical, which was the first Sondheim musical to be workshopped off-Broadway, and without the view to immediately transfer to Broadway.
In October 1983, it was announced Sunday in the Park with George would indeed to transfer to Broadway. Following 35 previews, the Broadway production opened at the Booth Theatre on May 2, 1984.
New York Times theatre critic Frank Rich described Sunday a a “contemplative modernist musical,” and “an audacious, haunting and, in its own intensely personal way, touching work.”
The complex musical was nominated for a slew of awards, including 10 Tony Awards. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical, and eight Drama Desk awards including Best Musical.
The original Broadway production played 604 performances before closing on October 13, 1985. Shortly after closing, the Broadway production was recorded before a live audience with most of the original cast reprising their roles.
Sunday in the Park with George first opened in London at the Royal National Theatre on March 15, 1990. Directed by Steven Pimlott, the production starred Philip Quast and Maria Friedman and won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
Clips from the National Theatre production were aired on the BBC’s Omnibus, in a documentary entitled “Sunday in the Park with Stephen.” The program aired on March 20, 1990. It was re-screened at The Museum of Television and Radio in New York in March 2005 to celebrate Sondheim’s 75th birthday.
Sunday in the Park with George was revived on the West End in 2006, a transfer of a successful 2005 Menier Chocolate Factory production.
To celebrate the show’s tenth anniversary, a special benefit was held at the St. James Theatre on May 13, 1994.
The Roundabout Theatre and Studio 54 staged a well-received Broadway revival in 2007.
The most recent Broadway revival took place at the newly renovated Hudson Theatre in 2016. The production began life as a staged reading at City Center starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.
Sunday in the Park with George is a fictitious portrayal of how French post-Impressionist painter Georges Seurat created his well-known masterpiece “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” The musical follows Seurat as he observes and interacts with characters from the painting, most notably his muse and lover, Dot. The second act follows Seurat’s great-grandson George as he attempts to be an artist in a commercial world.
The innovative concept musical was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, where it played to a subscription-only audience in July 1983. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine collaborated on the original musical, which was the first Sondheim musical to be workshopped off-Broadway, and without the view to immediately transfer to Broadway.
In October 1983, it was announced Sunday in the Park with George would indeed to transfer to Broadway. Following 35 previews, the Broadway production opened at the Booth Theatre on May 2, 1984.
New York Times theatre critic Frank Rich described Sunday a a “contemplative modernist musical,” and “an audacious, haunting and, in its own intensely personal way, touching work.”
The complex musical was nominated for a slew of awards, including 10 Tony Awards. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical, and eight Drama Desk awards including Best Musical.
The original Broadway production played 604 performances before closing on October 13, 1985. Shortly after closing, the Broadway production was recorded before a live audience with most of the original cast reprising their roles.
Sunday in the Park with George first opened in London at the Royal National Theatre on March 15, 1990. Directed by Steven Pimlott, the production starred Philip Quast and Maria Friedman and won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
Clips from the National Theatre production were aired on the BBC’s Omnibus, in a documentary entitled “Sunday in the Park with Stephen.” The program aired on March 20, 1990. It was re-screened at The Museum of Television and Radio in New York in March 2005 to celebrate Sondheim’s 75th birthday.
Sunday in the Park with George was revived on the West End in 2006, a transfer of a successful 2005 Menier Chocolate Factory production.
To celebrate the show’s tenth anniversary, a special benefit was held at the St. James Theatre on May 13, 1994.
The Roundabout Theatre and Studio 54 staged a well-received Broadway revival in 2007.
The most recent Broadway revival took place at the newly renovated Hudson Theatre in 2016. The production began life as a staged reading at City Center starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.
Filmed Production Notes
Under artistic director Jean-Luc Choplin, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris has become a staging ground for elaborate productions of English language musicals. Since the early 2000s, the theatre has housed productions such as Candide (2006), The Sound of Music (2009), West Side Story (2012), and My Fair Lady (2013). The opera house’s 2014 production of An American in Paris transferred to Broadway, and eventually to the West End, where it was filmed live.
Following on from A Little Night Music in 2010, and Sweeney Todd in 2011, Sunday in the Park with George was the third Sondheim musical to be presented at Théâtre du Châtelet. Into the Woods was performed in 2014, and broadcast live on France Musique.
Sunday in the Park with George opened on April 15, 2013 and ran for a limited engagement 10 performances.
The opulent production was an attempt to make Sunday in the Park more like an opera, and featured a 46-person orchestra comprised of members from the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Initial plans were for act one, set in Paris, to be performed in French, and act two, set in Chicago, to be performed in English. The musical was ultimately presented in English with French surtitles.
In addition to all new orchestrations, the Chromolume sequence was completely re-written especially for the production.
The final performance on April 25, 2013, was broadcast live on Radio France.
Sunday in the Park with George was filmed by European specialist arts channel Mezzo and aired on Mezzo on May 24 and May 28, 2013. Mezzo is available through cable providers in select European countries, Australia, and Canada.
Théâtre du Châtelet’s Sunday in the Park with George is not currently available to view.
Under artistic director Jean-Luc Choplin, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris has become a staging ground for elaborate productions of English language musicals. Since the early 2000s, the theatre has housed productions such as Candide (2006), The Sound of Music (2009), West Side Story (2012), and My Fair Lady (2013). The opera house’s 2014 production of An American in Paris transferred to Broadway, and eventually to the West End, where it was filmed live.
Following on from A Little Night Music in 2010, and Sweeney Todd in 2011, Sunday in the Park with George was the third Sondheim musical to be presented at Théâtre du Châtelet. Into the Woods was performed in 2014, and broadcast live on France Musique.
Sunday in the Park with George opened on April 15, 2013 and ran for a limited engagement 10 performances.
The opulent production was an attempt to make Sunday in the Park more like an opera, and featured a 46-person orchestra comprised of members from the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Initial plans were for act one, set in Paris, to be performed in French, and act two, set in Chicago, to be performed in English. The musical was ultimately presented in English with French surtitles.
In addition to all new orchestrations, the Chromolume sequence was completely re-written especially for the production.
The final performance on April 25, 2013, was broadcast live on Radio France.
Sunday in the Park with George was filmed by European specialist arts channel Mezzo and aired on Mezzo on May 24 and May 28, 2013. Mezzo is available through cable providers in select European countries, Australia, and Canada.
Théâtre du Châtelet’s Sunday in the Park with George is not currently available to view.
Sunday in the Park with George PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris
Producer: Théâtre du Châtelet
Book: James Lapine
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Director: Lee Blakeley, film: Denis Caïozzi
Musical Director: David Charles Abell
Orchestrations: Michael Starobin
Choreography: Lorena Randi
Scenic Design: William Dudley
Costume Design: Adrian Linford
Lighting Design: Oliver Fenwick
Cast:
Julian Ovenden (Georges/George), Sophie-Louise Dann (Dot/Marie), Rebecca de Pont Davies (Old Lady/Elaine), David Curry (Solider/Redmond), Beverly Klein (Yvonne/Blair), Nickolas Grace (Jules/Greenberg), Rebecca Bottone (Celeste 1/Betty), Francesca Jackson (Celeste 2/Billy), Nicholas Garrett (Boatman/Dennis), Damian Thantrey (Franz/Randolph), Jessica Walker (Nurse/Harriet), Jonathan Gunthorpe (Louis/Alex), Christine Buffle (Frieda/Noemie), Elisa Doughty (Mrs), Scott Emerson (Mr)
Theatre: Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris
Producer: Théâtre du Châtelet
Book: James Lapine
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Director: Lee Blakeley, film: Denis Caïozzi
Musical Director: David Charles Abell
Orchestrations: Michael Starobin
Choreography: Lorena Randi
Scenic Design: William Dudley
Costume Design: Adrian Linford
Lighting Design: Oliver Fenwick
Cast:
Julian Ovenden (Georges/George), Sophie-Louise Dann (Dot/Marie), Rebecca de Pont Davies (Old Lady/Elaine), David Curry (Solider/Redmond), Beverly Klein (Yvonne/Blair), Nickolas Grace (Jules/Greenberg), Rebecca Bottone (Celeste 1/Betty), Francesca Jackson (Celeste 2/Billy), Nicholas Garrett (Boatman/Dennis), Damian Thantrey (Franz/Randolph), Jessica Walker (Nurse/Harriet), Jonathan Gunthorpe (Louis/Alex), Christine Buffle (Frieda/Noemie), Elisa Doughty (Mrs), Scott Emerson (Mr)
Sources
Articles
Websites
- Jan Benzel, “Supersizing a ‘Sunday in the Park’” New York Times (April 18, 2013)
- Pat Cerasaro, “InDepth InterView: Julian Ovenden Talks RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN AT THE MOVIES, SUNDAY In Paris, DOWNTON ABBEY, SMASH, 1ST NIGHT & More,” BroadwayWorld (April 20, 2013)
- Pat Cerasaro, “FOLLIES & SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE Coming To DVD?” BroadwayWorld (Nov 18, 2013)
- Pat Cerasaro, “Theatre Du Chatelet's INTO THE WOODS Now Streaming,” BroadwayWorld (April 15, 2014)
- Dorothée, “Sunday in the Park with George at Théâtre du Châtelet,” Paris Select (April 2013)
- Adam Hetrick, “Julian Ovenden Stars in Paris Premiere of Sunday in the Park With George, Featuring 46-Piece Orchestra, Beginning April 15,” Playbill (April 15, 2013)
- Adam Hetrick, “Radio France to Broadcast Paris Staging of Sunday in the Park With George, Featuring Julian Ovenden and 46-Piece Orchestra,” Playbill (April 16, 2013)
- Adam Hetrick, “Paris Staging of Sunday in the Park With George, Featuring Julian Ovenden and 46-Piece Orchestra, Will Be Televised,” Playbill (May 13, 2013)
- Patrick Honore, “Sunday in the Park With George goes home,” Musical Theatre Review (May 4, 2013)
- Jean-Marcel Humbert, “Dotted Pointillism,” Forum Opera (April 15, 2013)
- Stéphane Ly-Cuong, “Julian Ovenden Will Star in Paris Premiere of Sunday in the Park With George; Complete Cast Announced,” Playbill (March 21, 2013)
- Stéphane Ly-Cuong, “Julian Ovenden, Michael Starobin and More Paint a New Sunday in the Park with George in Paris” Playbill (April 16, 2013)
- Michel Parouty, “Sondheim en France” The Sondheim Review, 20(1), (Fall-Winter 2013), p. 55-56
- Mervyn Rothstein, “Paris Catches Sondheim Fever: Sunday in the Park With George Expected to Get Its French Premiere,” Playbill (Oct 28, 2011)
Websites
- France Musique, “The evening concert: Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods!” Accessed via: https://www.francemusique.fr/emissions/le-concert-du-soir/stephen-sondheim-woods-22383
- Mezzo, “Sunday in the Park with George by Stephen Sondheim at the Châtelet,” Accessed via: http://www.mezzo.tv/en/our-programs/sunday_in_the_park__ssondheim__prog_postpoduit
Written by Luisa Lyons (March, 2018)