NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 The late Stephen Sondheim's last stage musical 鈥 an adaptation of two films by Spanish surrealist director Luis Bu帽uel 鈥 will be given an off-Broadway stage this year, offering theatergoers a chance to see a new work by musical theater鈥檚 most venerated composer.
鈥淗ere We Are鈥 鈥 once known as 鈥淪quare One鈥 鈥 will begin performances this September at The Shed鈥檚 Griffin Theater with a book by David Ives, best known for the play 鈥淰enus in Fur.鈥 Joe Mantello, who helmed 鈥淲icked鈥 and Sondheim's 鈥淎ssassins,鈥 will direct.
The show 鈥 based on the films 鈥淭he Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie鈥 and 鈥淭he Exterminating Angel鈥 鈥 was initially workshopped in 2016 with plans for a production at The Public Theater, which did not happen.
The two source films have a connective tissue: In 鈥淭he Exterminating Angel,鈥 a group of guests arrive for a dinner party and cannot leave, while "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie鈥 is about guests who constantly arrive for dinner but are never able to eat.
Ticket information and casting will be announced soon.
Sondheim, who died in 2021, influenced several generations of songwriters, particularly with such landmark musicals as 鈥淐ompany,鈥 鈥淔ollies鈥 and 鈥淪weeney Todd.鈥
Six of Sondheim鈥檚 musicals won Tony Awards for best score, and he also received a Pulitzer Prize (鈥淪unday in the Park鈥), an Academy Award (for the song 鈥淪ooner or Later鈥 from the film 鈥淒ick Tracy鈥), five Olivier Awards and the Presidential Medal of Honor. In 2008, he received a Tony Award for lifetime achievement.
His last new musical to be produced was 鈥淩oad Show,鈥 which reunited Sondheim and writer John Weidman and spent years being worked on. This tale of the Mizner brothers, who embarked on get-rich schemes in the early part of the 20th century, finally made it to the Public Theater in 2008 with poor reviews after going through several different titles, directors and casts.
Several Sondheim musicals have been mounted on Broadway since the master's death, including a Tony-award winning revival of 鈥淐ompany鈥 and a current revival of his 鈥淪weeney Todd,鈥 starring Josh Groban.
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