Company - Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable

“Company," music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, is the topic for tonight's final episode of "Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable." Joining Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber for a lively discussion on the award-winning musical, its development, its popularity and its recent revivals are Raúl Esparza (four-time Tony Award nominee, star of Broadway’s "Company," TV’s "Law & Order: SVU"), Robert Falls (Tony Award-winning artistic director at The Goodman Theatre) and Lonny Price (Porchlight Artistic Advisory board member, Broadway’s original "Charley Kringas,” in "Merrily We Roll Along," director of "Sweeney Todd," "Company" and "Sondheim! The Birthday Concert" with the New York Philharmonic).

Edited by Remington Cleve

[lauran]

Everything Raúl said was so spot on. He really understood the character, and most importantly, he understands people. That's why he's an excellent actor. He's incredible.

[purling_proletariat]

So, my three year old LOVES The 2006 revival album with Raul! He goes full tilt on his own preschooler rendition of Being Alive.

[spencer]

The first time I heard Marry Me A Little I could not understand how a musical from the 70's could know so much about my inner life.

[maturegeek]

I was fortunate enough to see this on Broadway in late 1970. This is where I first fell madly in love with Elaine Stritch. I have also seen many versions of Company since, both onscreen and live. Raul has been the only one to capture this role like the original, at least in my opinion.

[jaydee]

Raul Esparza could be a professor of Musical Theater. The way he speaks about shows and writing.

[hoffy]

My first experience of Company, my all-time favourite musical, was the first ever production in Australia. It was not by a professional company but a forward-thinking amateur musical society in suburban Sydney in 1982. I knew nothing about it, and, as these gents said, was blown away by it. Yes, it too change my life and thoughts of musicals and theatre. The incredible songs, the commentary on relationships, desires, societal expectations, the phenomenal music and the amazing performances by very talented actors, musicians and creatives. It was a full on eyes, ears, brain and heart experience about me and my friends. I ordered the original Broadway stage recording the next day. I think it took a couple of weeks for the album to arrive from which time it was frequently on the turntable. (I recorded it to cassette so I could have it portable too!) 
I have seen many stage and filmed versions since - including the scandal-plagued 2007 Sydney production and the second night of the 2018 London version. All have been so very different, yet always excellent in their own way. The meaning of the show, the power of the songs and music, the production interpretation, the values of the characters and their development, especially Bobby/Bobbie have always created such deep and engaging post-show conversations, and I thank you for this discussion. 
Though I have to disagree with Raul - this is not just about New Yorkers, the reason while it is loved by people the world over is because it is about people living in a crowded, fast-paced, international city, and even if you don't live in such a city, you've probably stayed in one and watched and wondered about the people who live there.

[ronmalen]

EXCELLENT AND INFORMATIVE!!! LOVED THIS PIECE.

[jeffwatkins]

When I went looking for a performance DVD of Company, the Esparza revival was all I could find. I'd never heard of him and, looking at his photo, I thought: "That's Bobby? No way." Being it was the only DVD version, I had to have it. Once I watched it I was instantly a total Raul fan.

[stuartbee]

I saw the most recent London west end version 10 times on £15 seats - ensemble choreography for side by side was awesome. Steve Sondheim was there on the last show.
We should have seen it 20 times or more xo

[martinsorenson]

I saw the version with Raul on Broadway. I found the whole production off - mainly because of the instruments being played by the cast. It was an awkward gimmick, I thought. It distanced me from the characters, and especially Bobby. So, I was surprised when I saw the filmed version of the same production - it took on a whole new depth for me. Raul's performance was no longer remote - but rather deep inside him. The levels that Raul was revealing were suddenly clear. The whole production came alive for me, stunningly.

[notcarlie]

I was lucky enough to see the London production on a trip with my school 2 years ago. I could tell that Marianne Elliott wanted to dive into the idea that the second a woman is starting to drift “past her prime”, everyone she knows starts prodding her about marriage and urging her to get on with it before her body is no longer “maternally available”. Because as humans, our primal instincts tell us that a woman’s body is made to breed, and in order to do that she has to “lock a man down”. The way “Tick Tock” was interpreted in this production really drove home how much pressure that puts on single 30ish women like Bobbie. It was also strongly portrayed in the tableau at the end of the first act where the whole cast (along with a set of giant silver “35” balloons) is crammed in her apartment, looming over her and her lit birthday cake, severely chanting the “Bobbie baby” intro.

[thomasdequincey]

'Barcelona' from the original Company album is my absolute favourite. Susan Browning's delicate voice goes perfectly with Dean Jones'.

[lynn]

Raul is just the sweetest guy and a cutie I just love the guy he is so cool he sings and act I will always keep him close to my heart

[jaydee]

I've been in love with Bobby since I was 7 years old (1979). This show is in my soul.

[lydiah]

What a wonderful note to end on - thank you so much for this series.

[rosannekatonwalden]

Thank you for this! I love the statement about Sondheim/Shakespeare.

[MichaelYoder]

Raul is THE Bobby for me. And I wonder that Bobby isn't Stephen himself - all writing and characters is the writer looking at themselves and expressing who they are, and Being Alive is Stephen wanting that deep relationship with one special person (to me).

[lindaprantil]

I have been a fan of Mr. Sondheim's since West Side Story, which until now, had always been my favorite....then along came Company and Raul Esparza. If you are a married person, Company hits your soul. Mr. Sondheim's Marry Me A Little goes right to your heart, and Raul's rendition is beautiful, soulful. His stillness and facial expressions throughout the play say it all. The entire production, for me, was simple and left you to concentrate on the words, music and characters. Personally, I thought this production was better than the current production running now on Broadway.

[Kasino]

I can never get my head around the fact that Lonny Price was Neil Kellermann in Dirty Dancing

[kellyalves]

I’m vacillating between really admiring the pristine mise en scène of Raúl’s étagère and really identifying with Lonny’s printer cabinet aesthetic.