‘OLD FRIENDS’: (Collage, left) Lea Salonga & (collage, right) Bernadette Peters. Photos: Matthew Murphy.

STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S OLD FRIENDS
Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Devised by Cameron Mackintosh
Choreography by Stephen Mear
Direction & musical staging by Matthew Bourne
Through June 29, 2025
Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47^th Street
https://sondheimoldfriends.com/

By Scott Harrah

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is a not a “new” effort. Instead, it is a compendium revue of 40 songs from 14 classic musicals, performed by a cast of 19 actors. The show was originally devised by Cameron McIntosh and directed and staged by Matthew Bourne. Stars and featured performers include Sondheim veteran and three-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters, Tony winners Lea Salonga and Beth Leavel, among others.

The late, great Stephen Sondheim’s works have been featured in many musical revues. Previously, his songbook specialty musicals were produced in 1977 in Side by Side by Sondheim, and in 1999 in Putting It Together. Mr. Sondheim’s last Broadway musical medley show was Sondheim on Sondheim back in 2010, starring the late Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Tom Wopat, Leslie Kritzer, and more.

How Sondheim changed musical theater

Mr. Sondheim remains a legend long after his death in 2021. True Sondheim aficionados are downright fanatical about his contributions to American musical theater.

“His skill of the rhyme and key changes are second to none,” the late StageZine.com critic David NouNou wrote in a review of Sondheim on Sondheim.

“He has changed the face of musical theater and turned it into a serious adult art form. If he would have written nothing more than simply the lyrics to musicals such as West Side Story (music by Leonard Bernstein), and Gypsy (music by Jule Styne), he would still be in the pantheon of musical prodigies, for they are two of the most brilliant and perfect scores ever written. However, Sondheim wrote full scores for countless musicals, and his shows have been awarded the Tony five times as Best Musical of the Year. They are A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Forum, Company, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd and Passion. Not to mention the ones that were nominated but didn’t win, such as Sunday in the Park with George, Pacific Overtures, Into the Woods, and my own favorite musical of all time, Follies.”

Songs from these musicals are included in Old Friends.

Sondheim’s hit parade

There is no true narrative included in the show. It’s not a “jukebox musical,” after all. Instead, a short prologue written by James Lapine is introduced in the beginning by Ms. Peters and Ms. Salonga.  Next, the two stars sing “Side by Side,” and then join Jason Pennycooke and Gavin Lee to perform “Comedy Tonight.” The titular “Company” from the 1970 musical Company follows.

Ms. Leavel, Bonnie Langford and Joanna Riding all team up for a rousing rendition of another Company gem, the patter song “You Could Drive a Person Crazy.”  “Getting Married Today,” from the same show, is a particularly fun number featuring Ms. Riding, Kevin Earley, Maria Wirries and company.

Bernadette Peters shines

Bernadette Peters performed in several Broadway productions of Sondheim shows. Her name is often synonymous with Sondheim’s work, and one can see why based on her highly emotional depth when singing such standards as “Send in the Clowns” and “Losing My Mind.” Granted, although her voice sounds strained at certain times, she still brings passion and poignancy to each lyric she sings, and the near-operatic quality remains intact.

Ms. Peters is lots of fun in “Hello, Little Girl” from Into the Woods, and Jacob Dickey is hilarious as the beefy Big Bad Wolf. In addition, she’s also one of the funniest aging strippers when singing “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” from Gypsy with Ms. Leavel and Ms. Riding. As the middle-aged stripper Mazeppa, Ms. Peters even plays the trumpet and gets huge laughs from the audience.

Lea Salonga’s incredible range

Equally important, Lea Salonga shows incredible range in a variety of songs, including her marvelous duet with Ms. Peters, “Children Will Listen” to a zany twist on Ms. Lovett from Sweeney Todd, singing the darkly comic “The Worst Pies in London.” What’s more, Ms. Salonga is at the top her game (and vocal range) while singing a gorgeous “Somewhere” from West Side Story—a golden oldie that creates frisson and sends aesthetic chills up one’s spine. She is at her outstanding best when belting out Mama Rose’s signature song “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from Gypsy.

Ms. Peters and Ms. Salonga are in perfect harmony on “Being Alive” and “Side by Side” at the end of the second act.

Other cast performance surprises

There is so much amazing talent in the show. It’s almost impossible to mention them all without being verbose. That said, another performer truly stands out here: Beth Leavel, especially when singing “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company. Ms. Leavel has all the flamboyant mannerisms and clipped vocal phraseology down to a science. She sings with the wit and sarcasm of a jaded Manhattan woman, bored with the wealthy elite. Elaine Stritch originated the song in Company.

Also noteworthy is the incredible Bonnie Langford and her razzle-dazzle take on “I’m Still Here” from Follies.  She brings back to glorious life the story of a show-biz “has been” who, despite many career ups and downs, has survived the travails of Hollywood and Broadway.

Great direction, choreography, costumes & sets

Director Matthew Bourne does an excellent job with this amazing cast and these timeless Sondheim treasures. Jill Parker’s gorgeous costumes and Matt Kinley’s engaging sets evoke the glorious world of Manhattan sophisticates from Company while also capturing the dark whimsy of Mr. Sondheim’s more daring musicals like Sweeney Todd. Stephen Mear’s vivacious choreography pulls out all the proverbial stops, especially when several cast members are all onstage for the showstopping numbers.

Old Friends is a marvelously entertaining and often poignant tribute to Stephen Sondheim and the unforgettable music and songs he created that will live on for many generations to come.

Published May 26, 2025
Reviewed at performance on May 22, 2025

‘OLD FRIENDS’: (Collage, left & right) Beth Leavel. Photos: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Lea Salonga. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Bonnie Langford. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Jacob Dickey & Bernadette Peters. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Joanna Riding & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Beth Leavel, Bernadette Peters & Joanna Riding. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Jeremy Secomb & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Kyle Selig, Daniel Yearwood & Jacob Dickey. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘OLD FRIENDS’: Jacob Dickey & Bernadette Peters. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

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‘MEAN GIRLS’: (left to right) Erika Henningsen, Ashley Park, Taylor Louderman & Kate Rockwell. Photo: Joan Marcus

MEAN GIRLS
Book by Tina Fey
Music by Jeff Richmond
Lyrics by Nell Benjamin
Directed & choreographed by Casey Nicholaw
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
(877-250-2929), meangirlsonbroadway.com/

By David NouNou

Regardless of whether you’ve seen or know anything about Tina Fey’s 2004 movie Mean Girls, it has now been adapted as Broadway musical by Ms. Fey. The one thing you have to know is the title tells the whole story in an extremely entertaining way. Thanks to Ms. Fey’s clever and funny book and especially under the creative control of director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw, the fun never stops.

The story is one we’ve all experienced in high school; whether you were with the “in”crowd or out, athlete or dweeb, cool or a nerd, pretty or plain, smart or borderline D-. It is all here. Depending upon which category you fell in, it could conjure either good memories or nightmares. Thank God, I attended a private school back in the day full of primarily Jewish students, so there was minimal bullying and the school wasn’t strong in the athletic department. The school excelled then and still does in the brain department. Of course, I was in the drama department; no bullying there.

Similar to Clueless and Heathers, where the beautiful girls torment the rest of the student body, this story has the comeuppance of the gorgeous mean girl, Regina George (Taylor Louderman) and the outsider who just enrolled in a new school, Cady Heron ( Erika Henningsen) and the conflict she faces to fit in at this peer-pressure-filled environment.

Since the story is an obvious one, I would like to showcase it from the standpoint of its components. Ms. Fey’s book constantly moves, she gives everyone an equal opportunity to the point that some of it seems like filler. The music by Ms. Fey’s husband, Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Nell Benjamin, are catchy and memorable. They encapsulate each person and cliques, which at times also feels like filler. However, it is the great Casey Nicholaw who injects his usual flair for the production numbers that always keeps the musical and numbers moving.

By describing the players, you can piece together the plotline. For starters, as an ensemble, the cast members all work together perfectly. They can sing, dance, and are full of energy. Erika Henningsen, the home-schooled math genius and the new kid in school, is a delight. Her transformation from the spunky outsider to the leader of the pack is gradual and delightful and brings the proper pathos when she finds out it’s not what it’s all cracked up to be. On the other hand, Taylor Louderman as the two-faced Regina George, is sensational. She has come a long way from her Broadway debut as the innocent Campbell in Bring It On.

The supporting cast are remarkable and unforgettable. Ashley Park as the fragile mean girl Gretchen Wieners has a powerhouse voice and is a constant delight. Kate Rockwell as Karen Smith, the gorgeous but dumb blonde, is hysterical. Barrett Wilbert Weed as Janis Sarkisian and Grey Henson as Damien, the outsiders as well as the narrators of the show, are divine, their working off each other is terrific. Naturally there is the jock, Kyle Selig as Aaron Samuels brings not only his good looks but sincerity to his role. Kerry Butler, a Broadway favorite playing multiple female adult roles (from a mom to a teacher), is her usual expert self and can still pass for a mean girl.

In conclusion, the show has bounce and verve, it’s joyful and has a healing message; it’s colorful and a delight. Skip the usual tedious musical revivals and go enjoy the fresh new musical Mean Girls and maybe you’ll see yourself on that stage and have a chuckle and ask yourself,  “Was I really like that?”

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 13, 2018
Reviewed at press performance on April 12, 2018

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Barrett Wilbert Weed & company. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: (left to right) Ben Cook, Nikhil Saboo, Cheech Manohar, Erika Henningsen & Kerry Butler. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Taylor Louderman. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Grey Henson, Barrett Wilbert Weed & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: (left to right) Ashley Park, Taylor Louderman, Kate Rockwell & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Kyle Selig & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Barrett Wilbert Weed & Grey Henson. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Kerry Butler & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

The post ‘Mean Girls’: Awesome adaptation of hit film appeared first on StageZine.