num_pages: 421
description: ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR  Titled after perhaps Stephen Sondheim's most autobiographical song from Sunday in the Park with George  Finishing the Hat not only collects his lyrics for the first time it offers readers a rare personal look into his life as well as his remarkable productions. Stephen Sondheims career spanned more than half a century; his lyrics are synonymous with musical theater and popular culture. Sondheimthe winner of seven Tonys an Academy Award seven Grammys a Pulitzer Prize and moretreats us to never-before-published songs from each show songs that were cut or discarded before seeing the light of day along with the lyrics for all of his musicals from 1954 to 1981 including West Side Story Company Follies A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd .He discusses his relationship with his mentor Oscar Hammerstein II and his collaborations with extraordinary talents such as Leonard Bernstein Arthur Laurents Ethel Merman Richard Rodgers Angela Lansbury Harold Prince and a panoply of others. The anecdotesfilled with history pointed observations and intimate detailstransport us back to a time when theater was a major pillar of American culture. Best of all Sondheim appraises his work and dissects his lyrics as well as those of others offering unparalleled insights into songwriting that will be studied by fans and aspiring songwriters for years to come.Accompanying Sondheims sparkling writing are behind-the-scenes photographs from each production along with handwritten music and lyrics from the songwriters personal collection.Penetrating and surprising poignant funny and sometimes provocative Finishing the Hat is not only an informative look at the art and craft of lyric writing it is a history of the theater that belongs on the same literary shelf as Moss Harts Act One and Arthur Millers Timebends . It is also a book that will leave you humming the final bars of Merrily We Roll Along while eagerly anticipating the next volume.
language: English
title: Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics, 1954-1981, With Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines, and Anecdotes
publisher: Knopf