In an interview for Playbill On-Line, Raul Esparza, who is currently starring as George in the Kennedy Center's production of Sunday in the Park with George, revealed that plans are afoot for an evening in New York of highlights from the six productions that comprise the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration.
Interviewed June 13 for an upcoming PBOL "Brief Encounter," busy actor Esparza, who is also in rehearsals for the Center's Merrily We Roll Along mounting, said, "I've heard some things, but I don't want to say too much because I'm not exactly sure. Something is going to happen, but I don't know where. It's going to be a highlights concert at one of the major halls."
Although audience and critical reaction have been good, there is still no word as to whether any of the six Sondheim musicals will make the move to Broadway. A former star of Broadway's Rocky Horror Show and Cabaret, Esparza said he would be thrilled to have Sunday move from D.C. to N.Y.C.
"I would love to see Sunday in New York. But what's really magical about this experience is the whole repertory aspect of it and the museum retrospective quality that they've tried to create. It is all being done for the amount of money it would take to mount one show in New York. The production values are fantastic. The orchestrations are the full orchestras, and the actors are the very best in the business, and I don't see why we couldn't put this together in Manhattan.
"Certainly, where Sunday is concerned, it's been 20 years [since it opened on Broadway]. People are ready to look at this show again. It would be great, and I know Melissa [Errico, who co-stars in Sunday] and I would love to keep doing it, and we could probably do more things with it." Sunday in the Park with George is one of six musicals that comprise the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration; the other five titles are Sweeney Todd, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, Passion and A Little Night Music. Tickets for each production range from $29-$79 and can be purchased by calling (800) 444-1324. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is located in Washington, D.C., at 2700 F. Street. For more information, go to www.kennedy-center.org.
