Tribute To Sondheim In Doylestown On the Porch Where it Happened!

Doylestown PA

05 December, 2021

8:52 PM

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Doylestown, PA—The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center (OHMTEC) paid tribute to the brilliant lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim who sadly passed away on November 26th at the age of 91. The board members at OHMTEC worked diligently to organize, develop, and lay the groundwork for a multigenerational community choir performance of Sondheim's No One Is Alone from his musical Into the Woods. Jaime Rogers, (an OHMTEC Board Member and the Hammerstein Youth Solo Contest Director) was the brainchild behind this community collaboration. Jaime contributed her professional skills as the event's choir director and conductor and stated, "Sondheim's musicals have meant so much to me in my years as a performer, music educator and director. I was deeply moved when I heard of his passing. To be able to honor him in this way, in the very place where he got his start, and with people from so many different generations and musical organizations was a truly spectacular moment and one I'll never forget." On the porch of Highland Farm's stately three-story home, singers of all ages were invited to participate and had to register in advance. The performance was recorded and will be distributed via the nonprofit's social media channels and website at www.hammersteinmuseum.org. Due to space and parking restrictions, a public audience was not allowed, however, family members of the talented singers were able to listen to the rehearsal and concert taping. Vocal and local voice talent was represented from the following entities: Central Bucks School District, Pennridge School District, Town and Country Players, The Bucks County Choral Society, Music Mountain Theatre, The Gilbert and Sullivan's Society of Bucks County, the George School and Theater Arts Center. As a young emerging musician and lyricist in his teens, Stephen Sondheim lived in Doylestown, and during his time in Bucks County, he met and was mentored by Oscar Hammerstein II. Oscar and his wife Dorothy lived with their family at Highland Farm for the last twenty years of Oscar's life. Stephen often stayed for dinner and one of the upstairs third floor bedrooms was actually nicknamed "Stephen's room." This is the place where Stephen wrote his first musical and where Oscar forged his legendary partnership with Richard Rodgers and that inspired many of their greatest musical works, including The Sound of Music, Carousel, The King and I, Oklahoma! and South Pacific. Stephen Sondheim frequently spoke of the great impact Oscar Hammerstein had on his life. He stated often that he learned more about writing songs in one afternoon with Oscar than he learned the rest of his life. "He taught me how to structure a song, what a character was, what a scene was; he taught me how to tell a story, how not to tell a story, how to make stage directions practical… From then on, until the day he died, I showed him everything I wrote," Sondheim said. The book written by Oscar Andrew Hammerstein entitled The Hammersteins, A Musical Theatre Family outlines many of these tales about the family that "changed Broadway forever." The great grandfather of Oscar Hammerstein II immigrated to America in 1864 from what is now Poland, and after becoming a successful businessman, he built many theaters, including the majestic Manhattan Opera House which successfully competed with the Metropolitan Opera House. Times Square was called Longacre Square back then, and Oscar Hammerstein I is credited with helping turn this area of Manhattan into the "theatre capital of the world." Two generations later, Oscar Hammerstein II was born, and he followed in the footsteps of his family's legacy. Many talented Broadway actors, musicians, and composers were influenced greatly by the work of Stephen Sondheim and his mentor Oscar Hammerstein II. At today's event, Greg Roth, OHMTEC's Board President stated, "This property is a national treasure, and we must all work together to raise the funding and awareness to save Oscar's home! If we come together as awareness ambassadors, we can raise the money needed to purchase this property and make sure it is here for everyone to learn about Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim for decades to come!" Arguably one of the most talented living Broadway lyricists and composers is Lin-Manuel Miranda, who often discusses how he was influenced by both Stephen Sondheim and Oscar Hammerstein II. In 2008, when Lin-Manuel Miranda was awarded his first Tony Award for the In the Heights score, among others, he thanked his mentor, Stephen Sondheim and stated, "Mr. Sondheim, Look! I made a hat! Where there never was a hat! It's a Latin hat at that!" Eventually, Sondheim brought Miranda on to the team that would develop the 2009 revival of West Side Story where the accomplished songwriter was asked to translate some lyrics into Spanish. During that experience, Miranda allegedly spoke to Sondheim about a musical he was developing about the life of Alexander Hamilton. Sondheim loved the idea! Miranda has said in a few interviews that Sondheim is the man whom he considers to be "musical theater's greatest lyricist." On November 26th, Lin-Manuel Miranda posted his own heartfelt tribute to the late composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim on Twitter, in which he compared him to playwright William Shakespeare. In that tribute, Miranda also shared part of an email exchange between him and Sondheim. Miranda had written to him to say his "ears must be burning" from all the gratitude being expressed towards him in the wake of the premiere of Tick Tick Boom. In his reply, Sondheim thanked Miranda, saying it's "an aspect of my life I'm proud of. I feel as if I've repaid (partially, at least) what I owe Oscar". (An image of this tweet is included as part of the photo reel.) The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center is raising funds to purchase, restore, and preserve Highland Farm, Oscar Hammerstein's former home and creative epicenter in Doylestown, PA. The entire project will cost approximately five million dollars. With the goal to create a multifaceted and dynamic museum experience, with a strong theatre education component, serving as a place of inspiration for Broadway fans and humanitarians alike, the organization is on a quick timeline to gather the support needed to preserve this treasure. At the end of President Greg Roth's address to the choir and the crowd at Highland Farm today, he quoted another of Bucks County's famous residents, the Anthropologist, Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." The small yet mighty working board of the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center is on a mission to #SaveOscarsHome. Also present at the event working behind the scenes were board members Lori Kesilman and Kristine Lewis. Executive committee member Linda Leffingwell Paton joined in today as a vocal artist on the porch. Those who wish to honor the Hammerstein/Sondheim legacy can make a gift at: www.hammersteinmuseum.org. All donations through December 31, 2021 will be matched by members of the board. In 2022, The Oscar Hammerstein Youth Solo Contest will take place online and youth with voice talent from all over the world will have the opportunity to submit their original recording of a song from an Oscar Hammerstein musical. Details are available on the organization's website. If you or someone you know is interested, signing up for the agency's newsletter is the best way to stay updated on the events of this emerging museum, click here to get the newsletter. A limited number of naming opportunities are being offered for rooms and spaces in the house and barn at Highland Farm. To find out availability and prices for naming, contact Christine Junker, Secretary/Treasurer at [email protected]. Donations of any amount are welcome and can be made by check, credit card or appreciated securities.