Lin-Manuel Miranda fronts chorus of Broadway stars in Times Square tribute to Stephen Sondheim

29 November 2021, 12:16 | Updated: 29 November 2021, 13:11

Broadway stars in New York City perform 'Sunday' in tribute to Stephen Sondheim

Hundreds of Broadway’s finest gathered in Times Square New York, to honour the late Stephen Sondheim with a performance of ‘Sunday’.

The world of musical theatre lost a leading light last week when the renowned composer, Stephen Sondheim, died suddenly at the age of 91.

Over the weekend, Broadway artists representing every show currently on in the New York theatre district, gathered to pay tribute to the composer with a performance of his work, Sunday, from the 1984 musical, Sunday in the Park with George.

Singers included some of Broadway’s biggest stars, including Waitress composer Sara Bareilles, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Josh Groban, and the creator of Hamilton, and Sondheim’s friend, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

After news of Sondheim’s passing was announced last week, Miranda tweeted, “Future historians: Stephen Sondheim was real. Yes, he wrote Tony & Maria AND Sweeney Todd AND Bobby AND George & Dot AND Fosca AND countless more. Some may theorize Shakespeare’s works were by committee, but Steve was real & he was here & he laughed SO loud at shows & we loved him.”

Read more: Stephen Sondheim, beloved composer and West Side Story lyricist, dies aged 91

The Sunday afternoon tribute was organised by Emmy and Tony Award- winning producer and music director, Michael J Moritz Jr.

Moritz Jr conducted the over 100-strong choir on Sunday, having previously served as the music director and pianist for Sondheim’s 85th Birthday Concert in 2015.

The emotion of the performance was visible on many of the performers’ faces, particularly as the choir sang the final lyrics, “On an ordinary Sunday”.

Sunday in the Park with George won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the 1991 Olivier Award for Best Musical.

Sunday is the musical number which closes the show’s first act, and later, closes the whole show with a reprise, making it a fitting tribute to honour the end of this musical theatre legend’s life.

London’s West End will be paying tribute to the composer in their own way, by dimming the theatre district’s lights for 2 minutes at 7pm on the evening of 29 November.