Sit down with Sondheim and Simon

Audience members will be in for a double treat Thursday night as National Public Radio host Scott Simon will interview Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim on stage at the IU Auditorium.

Part of the Department of Theatre and Drama’s yearly Collins lecture series, department chair Jonathan Michaelson said Sondheim and Simon will be on campus for the auditorium program in addition to student question-and-answer sessions before the show.

“This is the first time we’ve held (a lecture) at the auditorium, which is great fun because, of course, more people can come and see this,” Michaelson said.

The department is also celebrating its 75th anniversary of producing seasons of plays at IU.

To celebrate properly, the department wanted to bring in a world-renowned artist.
“Stephen Sondheim certainly fits that bill,” Michaelson said. “He’s a legend. I don’t know how else to put it. He’s written so many Broadway musicals, ground-breaking musicals. He really is a living treasure.”

IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said the strength of this program is how it brings together two strong icons.

“The setup of this program is to bring Simon’s incredible interview skills and interview Sondheim on stage,” Booher said.

While Sondheim is a multi-award winning composer, Booher said Simon is equally as decorated in his field as a journalist and broadcaster.

The combination of the two personalities will provide an insightful experience for audience members.

Freshman Ben Boruff said he is excited to see the show and especially to hear from Sondheim.

“I enjoy musicals and think it’ll be interesting to hear some stories about the creation of a show, especially from someone who’s worked on a number of shows,” Boruff said. “They’re both famous enough to lecture alone, and so it’s a bonus hearing them together.”