Lin-Manuel Miranda and Bernadette Peters Pay Tribute to Late Stephen Sondheim at Tony Awards 2022: ‘A Musical Giant’

usmagazine.com:

A special tribute. Lin-Manuel Miranda led Broadway’s biggest stars in an emotional segment devoted to the legacy of Stephen Sondheim at the 2022 Tony Awards.“All of us who love and dedicate our lives to the performing arts felt profound loss last November when we lost a musical giant: Stephen Sondheim,” the His Dark Materials star, 41, said during the New York City-based awards show on Sunday, June 12. “Steve touched our lives in a multitude of ways through his immortal music and lyrics, through his teaching and advocacy for young writers and through letters.”Miranda added: “Stephen wrote them to friends, to up-and-coming artists, to countless people who he never met.

He wrote so many letters that you’d wonder when he had time to pick up a Black Wing 62 pencil and write a song. I stand here on behalf of generations of artists he took the time to encourage.”The Oscar-nominated director’s tribute then introduced a musical eulogy of “Children Will Listen,” one of Sondheim’s numbers from Into the Woods. Bernadette Peters was tapped to perform the number, which was intercut with video footage of the late songwriter discussing his career.Sondheim — whose musical Company was nominated for nine awards during Sunday’s show — died at his Roxbury, Connecticut, home in November 2021, according to his friend and lawyer, F.

Richard Pappas. The late Tony winner was 91.“Future historians: Stephen Sondheim was real,” the Tick, Tick…Boom! director tweeted shortly after learning the somber news. “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.”Miranda