Product Description
1994 Tony Award Winner-- Best Musical and Score! The titles are: Happiness * I Read * Love Like Ours * They Hear Drums * I Wish I Could Forget You * Loving You * No One Has Ever Loved Me. Includes four pages of color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is one of the most beautiful shows ever written!
While this book is simply amazing... you should either get thecd to listen to while reading this script or watch the movie tohear/see the fabulous performances and Sondheim's glorious music. This book is still worth buying even if you aren't able to hear the score.This play works in mysterious ways and bring out many passionate feelings in anyone with a heart.It conveys and brings forth emotions from anger to pity with Fosca, love and hate, hapiness and depression... This is a truly beautiful book! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

A brilliant insight into why this show always fails financially
I have every cast recording of "Follies" ever professionally recorded and I truly believe it is the greatest Broadway score ever written. Not a single song misses its mark. How then, can it be, I often used to wonder, that "Follies" always manages to fail when it is produced for the stage? When I found out that a version of the libretto was available I snapped it up, inspite of the negative comments listed here on Amazon by some users. Well, I read it in one sitting - I couldn't put it down! But by the end not only was I devastated by the story, I understood entirely why "Follies" always fails to draw a long term audience. The book does not support the score. From the cast recordings it is easy to picture a huge character driven extravaganza - the songs gifted to the characters in the play are so fascinating! Even the most incidental numbers such "Rain on the Roof" or "Ah, Paris!" are brilliantly memorable. To say nothing of such masterpieces like "I'm Still Here" or "One More Kiss." The problem is that these songs are given to characters that, as it turns out in the script, are not even featured. They have bit parts. A few lines to establish who they are and why their song is appropriate for them. The leading four characters guide the entire show while the featured characters distract it. Aside from a few VERY brief encounters (such as Ben meeting with Carlotta Campion) they might as well be characters in two different stories. The result is that the entire script comes accross as being severely under-written. You can't introduce such fascinating characters as Dimitri Weissman or Hattie Walker or Solange LaFitte, feed the audience a snappy line and a magnificent song, and then retract them without giving them purpose or conclusion. The stories of Phyllis and Ben, Buddy and Sally are magnificently told - but to a staggeringly underwhelming conclusion. These four fools who have been living in the past and hating it for deacdes are confronted with every decision they blame for the poor state of their present existence in the course of a few hours. There is every opportunity in the world for them to shake off the illusions of their pasts and move on unburdened towards the future... and they NEVER DO!!! Overall I found the dialogue brilliant, snappy and appropriate, everything you would expect from the writer of "The Lion in Winter". The lyrics are there in full along with stage directions. This IS a fascinating read - both as a study of the show and just as an interesting story. You will, however, be disappointed. This is an underwritten masterwork which hopefully one day someone will perfect. Perhaps a movie?

Unnecessary Revisons Ruin Sondheim's Best Musical
I absolutely agree with the reviewer here who said that this edition of the book Follies has weakened the original play.Let me first reiterate what this book is, exactly - it is the published libretto (script, stage directions and song lyrics) for the 2001 revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's landmark musical, Follies.There is no sheet music in this book, just the complete dialogue and song lyrics - of the 2001 revival.

As another reviewer has pointed out, Mr. Goldman apparently became disenchanted with the play Follies as originally performed and previously published by Random House.For some reason I cannot fathom (because there was absolutely NOTHING wrong with the original) he chose to revise and re-write his play several times.No one has ever declared a "definitive" version, but the publishers of the current book have chosen to present the show as revised and performed in the 2001 Broadway revival.I saw the 2001 revival; I thought it wasn't bad, but I left the theatre with the uneasy feeling that it was vastly different (and far less satisfying) than the show that captured my imagination and became my favorite Broadway show, back when I saw it three times in its original run between 1971-72.Since I own a copy of the original play as published by Random House in 1972 (at the time I paid $2.95 for the hardcover!) I decided to acquire the new publication and compare the two published versions, line for line.

What I found shocked me.Not only did the changes that Mr. Goldman made completely change and weaken the character of Ben, several of my favorite speeches were completely excised from the new book.Gone is Phyllis' exchange with the chorus girl who shared her dressing room, (PRS: "I remember you.You never liked me." Chorus Girl: "What a thing to say!" PRS: "That's OK, I never liked you, either.") Also gone are some of the more provocative and interesting lines that Phyllis had (both her wonderful speech about how much she wanted Ben when they were first married, "I used to come home with my panties wringing wet" and her speech about the lover who loved to kiss the birthmark below her left breast - silly today, maybe, but amazingly candid for 1971 - are gone from the revised edition).Dialogue for other characters has also been moved or deleted.

Worst of all, the ending has been completely changed.Buddy and Sally's heartbreaking final exchange (Buddy: "Come on kid - let's go home and make plans for tomorrow" Sally: "Oh dear God, it IS tomorrow") has been deleted, changing the tone of the whole show.In the original published version, Sally's line -"Oh dear God, it IS tomorrow" had a piece of stage direction that I will never forget as long as I live - it said simply, "There is no hope".A far cry from the revision, where Ben offers a simpering apology to Sally and she contends, "I'll be fine".In short, some of the most witty, funny and poignant moments from the original show have been altogether deleted, all for the sake of proffering a show that could be more easily digested by middle America.The revisions produced a musical that is far more banal and nowhere near as touching or tragic as the original that was so beautifully presented to Broadway audiences 34 years ago.My understanding is that Mr. Goldman was never happy with the fact that the play didn't have a "happy ending" and he needed to revise the characterizations substantially to give us something that mainstream audiences would be more comfortable with.I wish he had been able to leave it as it was.He never found any reason to tamper with his other masterpiece, The Lion in Winter (it's a funny coincidence that my favorite film of all time - The Lion in Winter, and my favorite Broadway show of all time - Follies - should both be written by the same man).The bottom line is that I firmly believe that this piece has suffered terribly from Mr. Goldman's inability to simply leave well enough alone.Fans of the show who want a complete rendering of the lyrics to Stephen's Sondheim's glorious songs will not be badly served by this edition.But if you are lucky enough to find a copy of the original Random House edition, you will also have a much better libretto for Follies in your library.

A disappointing revision
First, it's important to clarify what this book is, since a couple of the reviewers below seem to think it's the piano-vocal score for "Follies." There is no music in this book. This is the script of "Follies": the book, lyrics, and stage directions.

I believe that the original version of "Follies" is one of the two or three greatest American musicals ever written. Unfortunately, that is not what is in this book.

For some reason, James Goldman, author of the book, became convinced that his brilliant (if controversial) original book needed to be revised. I believe that his revisions consistently weakened the show.

What is printed here is not even Goldman's final revision. Instead, it is the text used in the 2001 production of the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York. Goldman had died in 1998, having revised the text several times but never having decided on a definitive version. The people putting together the Roundabout production prepared a version working from several of his revisions.

This version notably weakens the character of Ben. Goldman's original book was very terse and almost underwritten. The deletions of some of Ben's dialogue end up reducing clarity. Also, since Ben's breakdown is the climax of the show, anything that weakens his character harms the entire show. Goldman also made changes to the breakdown itself, taking something that was strange and allusive and making it into something banal.

It's not just changes to Ben, though. Some of the dialogue for the other main characters was also revised, making them less interesting.

In addition, this version added some awfully silly stuff for the subsidiary characters. These characters were originally there mostly for atmosphere and to provide thematic complexity and texture. The additions throw the focus where it doesn't belong at a crucial moment, adding nothing of real emotional value and reducing the original's uncompromising quality.

Some of the changes work to make the script more naturalistic than the original was. They also make the show less interesting, and frequently simply don't fit with the rest of the script and the score.

I only hope that someday the original version of the script, which was published by Random House, returns to print. This version will not help you completely understand why this show is so remarkable.

Wonderful
Quite possibly the greatest musical ever, this musical is both tragic and comical. It's the only piece of theatre I've ever seen where audience members were moved to tears in the first ten minutes. It's truly a relevation for anyone who sees it or reads it. I can not recommend this brilliant and innovative piece of theatre highly enough.

A special piece of Music. A Masterwork of art.
Stephen Sondheim is one of the greatest composers in our time and it is a pleasure to play and read his music. Follies is a great musical and the score is simply perfect. The interesting sound and the incrediblemusicality is more than perfect. This piece of music should be veryimportant for every lover of musicals. Thank you, Stephen. ... Read more

Product Description
On the eve of its destruction, the once-glorious Weissman Theatre is filled with the ghosts of its past as showgirls from 40 years ago reunite to glamorize the old days and relive bygone memories of promise and splendor. For two jaded middle-aged couples, coming face-to-face with what might have been proves to be a shattering experience. The genius script by Sondheim and Goldman makes a cinematic, nightmarish hallucination of past and present blended together, employing lush era musical theatre pastiche and a deft eye for storytelling to tell not only the story of Ben, Phyllis, Sally and Buddy, but also the story of how the promise of America between the World Wars disintegrated into memory. Considered by many to be one of the best American musicals of all time, and still at the peak of form and craft. Those that saw the original Broadway production in 1971 and the all-star Lincoln Center concert in 1985 remember it as one of the most dazzling and poignant shows ever.
"A stunning musicala pastiche so brilliant as to be breathtaking."-New York Daily News

"Follies is utterly magnificent."-Women's Wear Daily

Stephen Sondheim is the preeminent composer and lyricist of the American musical theatre. His best known works include West Side Story, Gypsy, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Company, among others. Mr. Sondheim celebrates his 70th birthday this year.

The late James Goldman is best known for his play and screenplay A Lion in Winter and also was the author of Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole and A Family Affair. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This IS the Piano Vocal Score
As another reviewer has said, although the preview feature links a different book, when you buy this they send you the correct one: the piano/vocal score of the 1971 version of Follies.

It's the Piano-Vocal Book, All Right
Yes, this is the complete piano-vocal score, but when you click on the image (to "look inside"), you get taken to a completely different book. That's why the reviewer below is cautioning against this volume. But I recently ordered it, and it's got all the music from the original production of this show.

great help for sondheim lovers
It is really nice to be able to get a hold of some of the songs from follies that aren't available somwhere else. Many a time I wanted to go on an audtioned armed with Buddy's Blues from follies, but alas, it was ntavailable in it's entirety until this book! Follies is one of Sondheim'sbest and it contains songs for every type of singer and actor from thecomic to the chanteuse. Not to mention some of the best songs ever writtenfor the theater. Of note: "Losing My Mind", "Buddy'sBlues", and the classics "I'm still here" and "BroadwayBaby". This book is also great for the non singing musician, thearrangements are quite nice and quite challenging. enjoy! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Sondheim.... in the early days
Although this is an unusual idea for a musical, the opening of Japan in the 1850's is certainly a dramatic enough incident to warrant some treatment.

The focus of the musical is to see the events through the eyes of the Japanese.The Americans were the only nation to successfully shatter Japanese isolation which has been in place since the early 1500s.

The musical works well in the first act but gets mired down in the second dealing with relations with ither nations and the emergence of Japan as a force within the world.Here it looses its intimacy.

I saw this musical on Broadway during its limited run in the mid 1970's.I had the same opinion then as now.

It still has some interesting elements of theatre and shows Sondheim experimenting with different forms to sind new ways to express himself and appeal to an audience.

Combine the book and the CD to truly experience this work
"Pacific Overtures" is the political euphemism used by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 when Japan was persuaded to open up trade relations because of the display of naval power put on by the United States.The clash of cultures as the "Floating Kingdom" was forced to end centuries of enforced isolation is the subject of this unique musical, which dramatizes Perry's expedition to Japan.

John Weidman's original idea, which first came to him in a Harvard lecture hall in 1966, was realized a decade later when director-producer Harold Prince decided to adapt various Japanese theatrical techniques and conventions, and Stephen Sondheim was brought in to write the music.

The cast of "Pacific Overtures" was entirely Asian or Asian-American, a casting commitment that makes "Pacific Overtures" a rare musical to see in performance, which is a shame because of not only its presentation of history but because of its imaginative use of Kabuki. Among the Kabuki traditions adapted to the show were the use of males to play the female roles, the Reciter who comments on the proceedings, stage hands completely clothed in black, and on-stage musicians. Act I ends with a Kabuki lion dance, which provides the image for the album cover.

While it would never be a very popular show, this musical is certainly a fascinating attempt that is of much interest to the Westernization of Japan as it is to devotees of the American stage. Ultimately, Prince has a bigger impact on the show than Sondheim, which takes some doing to be sure.That is why it this book might be an even better way of approaching this show than listening to the CD, although the best approach, of course, is to do both.

an intercultural wonder
Incredible piece of avant garde musical theatre.Best when seen, but great to read and listen to the cd too!Seldom produced, it combines thetechniques of Kabuki Theatre with Western Musical Theatre in a way thatonly Sondheim could conceive.

"Pacific Overtures" is a play for all countries to read.
Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's musical is something that allcountries around the world should read. Sometimes, though, the lyrics mayseem a bit tooooo sophisticated for such a universal play. But, it isprobably one of the best books for a musical you could find. ... Read more

Product Description
Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Stephen Sondheim," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Stephen Sondheim in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Stephen Sondheim when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Stephen Sondheim, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

Product Description
Titles include: Night Waltz
* Now
* Later
* Soon
* The Glamorous Life
* A Little Night Music
* Remember?
* You Must Meet My Wife
* Liaisons
* Every Day a Little Death
* Send in the Clowns
* The Miller's Son
* A Weekend in the Country
* It Would Have Been Wonderful
* Perpetual Anticipation and many others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Don't Get Mixed Up
Don't get mixed up! Somehow, the pages with the reviews of the A Little Night Music LIBRETTO (only words) and the PIANO/VOCAL SCORE (only music) are the same. Also, if you try to get this on the Kindle, the only available option is the Libretto. I found this out the hard way when I mistakenly ordered it expecting the score. While I was mildly upset to find out I was missing the music, I'm not entirely ruined, because now I have access to some of the great scenes from the show. However, beware, and really check before you buy to make sure you are getting the version you want.

Best Price
These full Broadway scores are typically $75 to $100.This is the cheapest I've seen anywhere for new.I'm going to look for more!

My Review
Product arrived on time and as described.A great addition to my Stephen Sondheim collection!

BUY THIS!
A Little Night Music is Sondheim's most beautiful show.it also has probably the most brilliant lyrics of any (especially songs like Now, Liasons, and Weekend in the Country.)My single disappointment with this score is that it does not contain the alternate version of "Glamorous Life" sung by Fredrika, which is probably the second most beautiful, heartbreaking song that Stephen ever wrote.this song was not in the original Broadway production but is included in many ever since it was used in the film.If you have never hear it, go out and find a recording of it.the song is available in other books (sondheim anthologies and musical theatre books) so do not fret

Yes, Full Vocal Score
I'm not sure why there are review for the book and the movie, or why someone comments that this isn't the full score.I ordered it, and they sent me the full piano/vocal conductor's score. ... Read more

Product Description
Contains the best-known songs from this Broadway musical comedy. Titles are: Good Thing GoingNot a Day Goes ByOur TimeThe Hills of TommorowMerrily We Roll AlongOld FriendsLike It WasHoney. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This is all we have, folks. Enjoy it.
The vocal selections of any Sondheim show tend to be a tease until the full vocal score is published. Sadly, the full score for "Merrily We Roll Along" is no longer in print, (and how I wish I could remember to whom I lent my copy as I would get it back,) but we have to settle for the music that is here and let "Bobby and Jackie and Jack" and "Franklin Shephard Inc" come out of our hands by memory. "Not a Day Goes By" is one of the most brilliant pieces of irony ever written and this book gives you both versions. The finale: "Our Time" which is a remarkable tribute soing and wonderful for any graduation or special occasion, exists on page in this book without giving away it's secret. Nor will I. Ignorance is bliss. Buy the book. Use it as you will and enjoy it.

Great music
My only complaint is that the melody is often imposed on the piano part.Sondheim's music for this play is beautiful and driven by his chords.To make it playable with the melody, they had to remove some of the notes.Mysuggestion: buy it and let the singer sing the melody.

Magnificent Music
It is a pleasure to see the music of Stephen Sondheim. He wrote his best music for this show. Just the showstoppers "Being alive" or "Side by side by side" are worth to buy this book. Sondheim makes love with his music and his lyrics. And he is a great lover.

One of the best plays in years, truly a masterpiece
Furth and Sondheim have done it again!This play combines the delightfulness of youth and dreams and the harshness of reality.It runs backwards to keep your spirits high at the end. Also, to show that the path you choose isn't always the one that leaves you with everything youimagined. Sondheim beautifully captures the true emotions presentthroughout this show.He does not create a false emotion, but brings eachpiece to an aesthetic that surges with a true felt emotion. Truly, thisplay will leave you laughing, crying, and breathless. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (18)

Everything and more
Since I own both cast albums of this show but haven't ever gotten to see it, it's a plasure to have the libretto to read to see how everything links together. Another nice feature is the opening essay by Andre Bishop that reflects on memories of the original production. Altogether a very worthwhile read.

Interesting
It's not one of Sondheim's better known musicals, but as a government teacher and a Sondheim fan, I bought the book because I was interesting in seeing how things played out.

It's a great story, weaving history, imagination and music together.If our high school had a drama program, I would have recommended it.

Assassins book - this is only the libretto
I assumed this would be a book about the assassins featured in the show - didn't realise it's only the lyrics, which I have anyway in the CD.Quite disappointed.

Assassins - The original, not the revival
A great dark comedy musical as the other reviews can attest to, and I agree completely.

But I do want to bring up an important point.I bought this script to read it before the real scripts arrived, since I am currently producing the show for my college theater.Unfortunately, the rights are currently only available to produce the 2004 revival version, which has a number of differences from this one, and the revival script is not available for purchase.

Nothing against this script or either version of the show, but just be aware if you are purchasing it to see about doing a current production of it, this is NOT the script that you can actually buy the rights to produce.

Thrills and Chills
All I can say about this play is that it is sheer genius. I was fortunate enough to see the Broadway revival cast act it out in Studio 54, thus can safely say that the play is just as shrewd and clever onstage as it seems in the play.

The thing that often repels people from 'Assassins' is firstly its subject matter - assassins and would-be assasins of presidents of the United States - and secondly, the way it handles its subject matter. 'Assassins' neither trivializes nor glorifies its characters: what it does is examine them, and let the audience make the decision as to what prompted them to commit the crimes they did. On stage, the play is chilling - seeing "Squeaky" Fromme carve an 'M' for 'Manson' into her forehead at the end of her number with John Hinckley 'Unworthy of Your Love' does not seem disgusting; it is entrancingly horrific. And this is not even mentioning the song 'How I Saved the President', the fast-paced narrative of Giuseppe Zangara's attempt on the life of President Franklin Roosevelt: it rises to an eerie feverish pitch and ends with a jolt - literally. The singing ceases only when Zangara has been electrocuted.

I realize that the above description may seem to portray 'Assassins' as a gruesome horror-trip into history - but really, that is not what it is at all. The rises and falls of emotions in the songs (apparent in the book as well as in the play) are shrewdly placed so that the viewer can't quite bring themself to feel sorry for the assassin, exactly, more fascinated. And this is what 'Assassins' is - a fascinating look at some of the most forbidden American taboo in our country's history. The play jumps on its subject matter with surprising gusto - it does not jump delicately from point to point. It attacks its topics and does not let the audience leave unshaken.

I feel as though I should probably mention that reading the book and seeing the play live are two different things. They are both thought-provoking and interesting looks at the various assassins - but a certain emotional element is lost in the text. Not that the book is bland and dry - far from it. However, seeing Charles Guiteau dance his way up to gallows feverishly reciting his poem 'I Am Going to the Lordy' is slightly more morbid than reading it.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Titles include: Putting It Together * Loveland * Make the Most of Your Music * Wait * Everybody Says Don't * Band! * Merrily We Roll Along * Honey * Goodbye for Now * Liaisons * Two Fairy Tales * The Hills of Tomorrow * Truly Content * Beautiful * Happily Ever After and others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wow! Great service from this seller.
The book I ordered came in perfect shape. It is a vintage book, published in the 70's and out of print now.What makes this book remarkable is that the new edition of the most recent production of "Follies" was edited for content.Therefore, the 70's version is truer to the original production.I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the service and the quality of the book.I believe this seller listed the edition as being in good shape, I would have said "Excellent." Bravo. ... Read more

Product Description
This musical, with a book by John Weidman, explores the history of presidential assassination in America, from John Wilkes Booth to John Hinckley, Jr. Assassins climaxes in a surreal sequence where the assassins convince Lee Harvey Oswald that his act is the only way he will connect - with them, with history, and with the world. Newly edited, with new music engravings, added songs, articles and photos. Includes: The Ballad of Booth * The Ballad of Czolgosz * The Ballad of Guiteau * Everybody's Got the Right * Something Just Broke * Unworthy of Your Love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sondheim at his prime
The music to Assassins is incredibly written.There's no doubt that it's Sondheim at his best.The unusual rhyming schemes and clever lyrics make this musical one of my favorites.You can't escape the underlying humor ofa musical about a bunch of U.S. presidential assassins.The music may be alittle difficult for beginners to play (or sing, for that matter), but ifyou're up for a challenge, I say definetely go for it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Gypsy
Thank you for the fast ship and the great book!
It arrived in excellent condition!

Everything's coming up roses!
I agree with everything in the previous review, especially the Russell versus Midler versions of the movie.This is a wonderful show, and I am the lucky woman who gets to play Rose in my local theatre's production.Ibought this book because Tams-Witmark sends out "sides" for eachrole -- a small book that includes only the character's lines with just afew words of the cue before.Having the full script is a great help, butbe aware that this book is slightly different from the version used byTams-Witmark.I'm marking the changes in my full script and using it,though, because it's much more convenient.

Do get the memoir Gypsy byGypsy Rose Lee.It's amazing to see how much of this show was takendirectly from the pages of her autobiography.Rose and Herbie weresomewhat romanticized in the show, as was Tessie the stripper and manyother aspects of the story -- hey this is Broadway!There can't be *too*much misery!But the cow really did come to Rose in a dream and really didget them on the Orpheum Circuit.They really did bleach a gaggle of girls'hair blonde.Both books are great reads.

Perhaps the Best Book Musical Ever!
I am a student in Chicago's New Tuners Workshop, an organization devoted to the writing of new works of musical theatre.In our first year, we are required to read GYPSY.Our artistic director, John Sparks, considersGYPSY to be one of the finest book musicals ever written.

The lead partof the Mama Rose is often considered the musical theatre equivalent of LadyMacBeth or Hedda Gabler.Lucky is the woman who gets to play her.Threewomen have played her on Broadway:Ethel Merman (in the originalproduction), Angela Lansbury (in a 1970's revival) and Tyne Daly (in a1990's revival).Lansbury andDaly both won Tony awards for theirperfomances.Merman lost in 1960 to Mary Martin in "The SoundMusic."She was robbed!

Musical highlights of the show include thecharacter defining "Some People," the desperate"Ev'rything's Coming up Roses" and the tour-de-force finale,"Mama's Turn."A majority of the songs are Mama Rose's, theresult, apparently, of Ethel Merman's ego.Nevertheless, it worksbrilliantly.

If you are looking for a version of this show on video,AVOID the Rosalind Russell version from the early sixties, in favor of therecent Bette Middler version.Not only is the Middler version morefaithful to the original play, Bette does her own singing (Lisa Kirk sangfor Russell) and her performance rivals Merman's.

If you love musicals,you will love this book.Read it yesterday! ... Read more

Product Description
A group of resourceful kids start "solution-seekers.com," a website where "cybervisitors" can get answers to questions that trouble them. But when one questioner asks the true meaning of Christmas, the kids seek to unravel the mystery by journeying back through the prophecies of the Old Testament. What they find is a series of "S" words that reveal a "spectacular story!" With creative characters, humorous dialogue and great music, The "S" Files is a children's Christmas musical your kids will love performing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Great Sondheim Score!
The first commercially successful show for Stephen Sondheim, "A Funny
Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" is a delightful score that
exhibited creativity and imagination and offered everyone a look at
the marvelous work that was to come.

Wish it had the chords
When I bought this item I assumed it had the chords written with the piano/vocal score as many others do.My son plays the piano but he reads the chords when he plays.So, I ended up returning it.So, if you don't need the chords I suppose it will be fine for you!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
This book was very enjoyable.I would recomend it to anyone looking for a light hearted book to read that is not to difficult.This book makes you think of what could happen in your everyday life.I think everyone shouldread this book.

I thought it was great but not perfect
I thought the music was very wonderful and original and the way the music was displayed was very good indeed.The score not only is great in itself, it was also a great accompanyment to the liberetto book witch you can also get on amazon.com. for any lovers of this play or anyone who likes broadwayat all, I would definatly recomend this book. ... Read more