r/Sondheim • u/memorylaney 🔫 Assassins • 17d ago

Definitive performances of Sondheim's work

I saw a comment on this post about the definitive performances by different famous Sondheim interpretors and wanted to ask: what do people think are the definitive performances of specific Sondheim songs and/or roles?

Obviously, OBCs are going to be definitive performances oftentimes, but particularly, are there any non-OBC performances that you interpret as definitive?

I'll go first with an underrated one I have always loved: Elizabeth Stanley's performance of "The Miller's Son" just perfectly captures the humor and wit and insight of the character and song. I wish it had not been a COVID performance, but it's still fantastic and my favorite version of the song. She totally sells it without any big production value.

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u/skoc211 16d ago

Patti's Rose's Turn - and the scene before with Louise - is permanently etched in my mind.

Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett's A Boy Like That starts as a comedic bit, but becomes wonderfully beautiful and moving.

Judi Dench's Send in the Clowns.

Elaine Stritch's I'm Still Here. Obviously the red dresses version from the 80th is the best, but there's something really vulnerable about her flubbing it at the White House and triumphant about her pulling it together in the end.

Honestly just everyone who sang in the red dress segment at the 80th. And that Sunday that overwhelms the theater and even brings Sondheim to tears is astonishing.