“To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim”

***** What a night! Tony and Grammy nominee/Emmy winner Liz Callaway returned to our city ( where it all began for her) to do a one-nighter ( I wish it were more) tribute to the late Steven Sondheim at the newly remodeled Studebaker Theater and it was something special and quite memorable. I love the works of Sondheim. Anyone who reads my reviews of his plays can tell, and 90 plus minutes of stories and his songs was an amazing way to spend an evening with friends ( I guess about 400 people were in the theater ( at least) and every one of them enjoyed the amazing assortment of Sondheim works.

While the music is amazing, having Liz tell her stories of how they affected her life make for a wonderful journey. As a Sondheim devotee, I appreciate every word and note that he put on paper that became part of a musical. I have always referred to him as the “wordsmith” as he always made words fit the story and the music, even if they did not seem to, and yet, with Callaway’s stories I found myself even more in awe of the music man of Broadway.

The songs were from just about every show and for one song, she brought out a special guest. His name is Nicholas Callaway Foster ( her son) and together they did “Move On” from  “Sunday In The Park With George” to a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. I must tell you, this number was worth taking the trip downtown for the show. It was awesome. One could see the love that Callaway has for this man. As a Sondheim musical lover, I truly understand that.

Think of all this man has brought to us: “Follies”, “A Little Night Music”, “Merrily We Roll Along”, “Company”, “Sweeney Todd”, Pacific Overtures”, “Into The Woods” ( my favorite Sondheim show) and of course the aforementioned “Sunday In The Park With George” and so much more. I think if Liz had wanted to do another 10 songs, the audience would have been in heaven. I was also very impressed with a special version of “Another Hundred” from Company with special lyrics by Lauren Mayer. It has to be hard to  redo a Sondheim lyric, but she did it and Callaway sang it to perfection.

Thanks to a new production firm in town, Gustavo Ernestine LLC for bringing this magical night to The Studebaker Theater. Chicago appreciates this. I know we had a wonderful experience! If by some miracle Liz Callaway comes back to town and does this show ( or any show), make sure you do not miss it. If for some reason, they recorded the show we saw and it becomes available, see it! No matter the cost, it is worth it!