Cameron Mackintosh and First Night Records celebrate the life of the great Stephen Sondheim with the release of the spectacular cast recording Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends: A Celebration (Live at the Sondheim Theatre), which will be available as a 2-disc CD set anddigital and streaming formats on Friday, December 8. The CD, which will be available in both the US and the UK, features a 16-page booklet with color photography and essays by Cameron Mackintosh and David Benedict. One of the most talked about theatrical events of last year, it took place at The Sondheim Theatre in London on May 3, 2022. Featuring Broadway, West End and movie legends, the star-studded performance celebrated the life and works of one of the world’s greatest composers and lyricists. The album, which features 41 songs, was produced by Lee McCutcheon, Stephen Metcalfe, and Cameron Mackintosh. Pre-save or order Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends at https://FirstNight.lnk.to/SondheimOldFriends
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – winner of the “Best Theatrical Event” honor at the 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards – is currently running in London’s West End at the Gielgud Theatre. The current cast is led by Broadway Legends Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. They are joined by Christine Allado, Clare Burt, Janie Dee, Damian Humbley, Bradley Jaden, Bonnie Langford, Gavin Lee, Jason Pennycooke, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Jac Yarrow, Marley Fenton, and Beatrice Penny-Touré. The company also includes Harry Apps, Bella Brown, Richard Dempsey, and Monique Young, completing a cast that is truly the best of the West End and Broadway. The engagement runs through January 6, 2024. Tickets are available at SondheimOldFriends.com.
Devised and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, the 2022 Gala was staged by Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman. The one-night event sold out in hours, leaving thousands of disappointed fans unable to attend the evening so a live broadcast was arranged at the Prince Edward Theatre, down the road. The album features an array of sensational stars including Shan Ako, Christine Allado, Michael Ball, Rob Brydon, Ashley Campbell, Helena Bonham Carter, Anna-Jane Casey, Petula Clark, Rosalie Craig, Janie Dee, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Maria Friedman, Josefina Gabrielle, Louis Gaunt, Amy Griffiths, Haydn Gwynne, Rob Houchen, Holly-Anne Hull, Bradley Jaden, Bonnie Langford, Damian Lewis, Julia McKenzie, Ian McLarnon, Julian Ovenden, Bernadette Peters, Sian Phillips, Jon Robyns, Clive Rowe, Jenna Russell, Jeremy Secomb, Imelda Staunton, Charlie Stemp, Matthew White, Gary Wilmot, and Michael D. Xavier, students from Mountview, and The Royal Academy Musical Theatre Company.
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is packed with many of the composer and lyricist’s legendary songs including “Send in the Clowns,” “I’m Still Here,” “Comedy Tonight,” “Company,” “Into the Woods,” “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd,” “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” “Side by Side by Side,” “Getting Married Today,” “Hello, Little Girl,” “Pretty Women,” “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” “Losing My Mind,” “Sunday,” “Children Will Listen,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Being Alive,” “Old Friends,” “Not a Day Goes By,” “Broadway Baby” and many more.
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – Track Listing
DISC ONE
1) Opening – Side by Side – Ashley Campbell, Rosalie Craig, Daniel Evans, Josefina Gabrielle, Amy Griffiths, Bradley Jaden, Julia McKenzie, Jenna Russell
2) Introduction – Cameron Mackintosh
3) Comedy Tonight – Rob Brydon, Clive Rowe, Gary Wilmot, Full Company
4) Company – Full Company
5) The Little Things You Do Together – Haydn Gwynne, Rob Brydon
6) You Could Drive a Person Crazy – Anna-Jane Casey, Janie Dee, Josefina Gabriel
7) Live Alone and Like It – Clive Rowe
8) Loving You – Michael Ball
9) Getting Married Today – Anna-Jane Casey, Holly-Anne Hull, Jon Robyns, Full Company
10) Into the Woods – Full Company
11) Agony – Julian Ovenden, Michael D. Xavier
12) I Know Things Now – Bernadette Peters
13) Hello, Little Girl – Bernadette Peters
14) Children Will Listen – Bernadette Peters
15) A Weekend in the Country – Full Company
16) Send In the Clowns – Judi Dench
17) The Ballad of Sweeney Todd – Michael Ball, Full Company
18) The Worst Pies in London – Michael Ball, Maria Friedman
19) My Friends – Michael Ball
20) Pretty Women – Michael Ball, Jeremy Secomb
21) A Little Priest – Michael Ball, Jeremy Secomb
22) The Ladies Who Lunch – Haydn Gwynne
23) Sunday – Daniel Evans, Bernadette Peters, Full Company
DISC TWO
1) Entr’acte – Overture from Merrily We Roll Along – Orchestra
2) Tonight Quintet – Christine Allado, Shan Ako, Louis Gaunt, Rob Houchen, and Students from Mountview, The Royal Academy Musical Theatre Company3
3) Broadway Baby – Helena Bonham Carter, Rosalie Craig, Maria Friedman, Bonnie Langford, Cameron Mackintosh, Julia McKenzie, Bernadette Peters, Jenna Russell, Gary Wilmot, Full Company
4) Everybody Ought to Have a Maid – Rob Brydon, Julian Ovenden, Siân Phillips
5) You Gotta Get a Gimmick – Anna-Jane Casey, Bonnie Langford, Bernadette Peters
6) Waiting for the Girls Upstairs – Anna-Jane Casey, Bonnie Langford, Bernadette Peters
7) I’m Still Here – Petula Clark
8) Could I Leave You? – Michael Ball
9) Buddy’s Blues – Gary Wilmot
10) The Boy From… – Janie Dee
11) Losing My Mind – Bernadette Peters
12) Everything’s Coming Up Roses – Imelda Staunton
13) Duelling Pianos
14) Not a Day Goes By – Michael Ball, Rosalie Craig, Maria Friedman, Julia McKenzie, Bernadette Peters, Jenna Russell, Full Company
15) Being Alive – Rosalie Craig, Bradley Jaden, Julian Ovenden, Jenna Russell, Jeremy Secomb, Full Company
16) Old Friends – Full Company
17) Our Time – Students from Mountview and The Royal Academy Musical Theatre Company
18) Love Is in the Air – Stephen Sondheim
