Nancy Anderson and Matthew Scott Are Side By Side By Sondheim in DC, April 26-June 12

By Kenneth Jones
26 Apr 2011

Nancy Anderson
Nancy Anderson

Side By Side By Sondheim, the musical revue that addresses only the first 20 years of the work of Broadway composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim, gets a fresh production starting April 26 at Virginia's Signature Theatre, the songwriter's artistic home in DC.

Broadway's Nancy Anderson (Wonderful Town, A Class Act) and Matthew Scott (Sondheim on Sondheim, Jersey Boys) will be shoulder to shoulder with Helen Hayes Award winner Sherri L. Edelen in the staging, which covers Sondheim songs written between 1957 and 1976. Signature's resident director Matthew Gardiner directs and choreographs.

Signature, which has produced almost all of Sondheim shows (and built its reputation on those productions) won the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Its artistic director, Eric Schaeffer, is directing a new production of Sondheim and James Goldman's Follies at the Kennedy Center in May.

Side By Side By Sondheim continues to June 12. Opening night is May 3. Musical director Jon Kalbfleisch (Sunset Boulevard, Show Boat, Les Miserables at Signature) and associate musical director Gabriel Mangiante (Signature's [title of show] and Dirty Blonde) round out the cast and accompany the trio on pianos.

Side By Side By Sondheim features Sondheim songs (covering 1957-1976) from Broadway's West Side Story, Anyone Can Whistle, Follies, A Funny Thing Happened…, A Little Night Music, Company and Pacific Overtures. Signature built its reputation with revivals of works by Sondheim. This is the first time Side By Side has been produced there.

The show has music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and additional music by Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, Richard Rodgers and Jule Styne. Continuity is by Ned Sherrin.

Side By Side plays The Max venue in Signature's home in Shirlington Village.

The design team includes Mischa Kachman (sets), Kathleen Geldard (costumes), Colin K. Bills (lighting) and Matt Rowe (sound).

Tickets range from $55-$81 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at (703) 573-SEAT (7328) or visiting www.signature-theatre.org.