Anything You Do, Let It Come From You | Sondheim: The Mentor

Presenting the exclusive story of Stephen Sondheim’s Oxford University Masterclass. For six months in 1990, Steve personally mentored 13 hand-picked young composer-lyricists in a classroom setting. In this episode, for the first time ever, Steve’s protegees’ reunite to share their never-before-heard testimony about how Steve shaped not just their careers – but their entire lives.

 
“To a musical theatre writer, studying with Stephen Sondheim is like a Christian meeting Jesus. And I measure my life in before and after.” Leslie Arden
 

Steve always said ‘Teaching is the sacred profession’ – but how did it feel to receive Sondheim’s committed mentorship? For his students, what was the long-term personal impact of Steve’s dedicated teaching? And discover how Steve’s six months in Oxford became just as important to him as it did to his protegees.

 

“This is not just about musicals. He changed our lives. He changed the direction and scent of our lives.” Ed Hardy

 

Join Sondheim’s chum Martin Milnes – and first love Peter E. Jones – for a unique tribute to Steve The Mentor. With guest appearances from Sondheim protegee Lin-Manuel Miranda, Steve’s contemporaries Maltby & Shire, and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Bill Deamer.

 

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Lin-Manuel: Larson & Sondheim

02:01 - The Sacred Profession: Maltby & Shire and Bill Deamer

09:24 - Introducing The 1990 Oxford Masterclass

13:56 - ‘He changed our lives’: Ed Hardy and Leslie Arden

19:43 - January 1990: The Masterclass Begins

25:41 - Sondheim: The Teacher

30:49 - Steve Meets Julian and Lionel

33:24 - A Day In The Death of Joe Egg

37:59 - Sunday & Ed’s Confession

45:26 - The Masterclass Concludes

48:32 - ‘Move On’: Life after Oxford

53:00- ‘What That Masterclass Meant To Us’

  

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CREDITS

Hosts and Producers: Martin Milnes and Peter E. Jones

Executive Producer: Jason Caffrey

Produced in partnership with: Creative Kin 

Mixing and Mastering: Chris Traves
Directed, Devised and Written by Martin Milnes

 

CAST AND VOICE ACTORS
Susan Fleet, Jonny-James Kajoba, Rebecca Ridout, James Gower-Smith, James Bentham, Mehran James McCullough – and – Sondra Lee.

DRAMATIC RE-ENACTMENTS
Written by: Martin Milnes
Produced by: Peter E. Jones

 
MUSIC AND SCORE

Original Score Composed by: Peter E. Jones
Music and Lyrics of Stephen Sondheim: Courtesy of The Stephen Sondheim Trust

Sondheim Instrumental Tracks: Provided by Broadway Studio Orchestra

Music of Stephen Sondheim, Jonathan Larson & Jule Styne: Played by Colm Molloy

Selections from Salad Days (Slade & Reynolds): Played by Julian Slade on Minnie The Magic Piano

FEATURED SONGS & VOCAL PERFORMANCES

"The Morning After” (Maltby & Shire): Sung by Barbra Streisand

"I Want It All” (Maltby & Shire): Sung by Beth Fowler

"If I Sing” (Maltby & Shire): Sung by George Dvorsky

"Robert Dreams” (Arden): Sung by Leslie Arden

“Move On” (Sondheim): Sung by Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin

"Intelligent Beautiful Person” (James & Mason): Sung by John Winfield, Guitar by Richard Bolton, Drums by Ralph Salmins 

"Isn’t She Sweet?” (James & Mason): Sung by Paul James