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Read Stephen Sondheim’s First Playbill Bio, from West Side Story

The world lost one of its most illustrious and beloved musical theatre artists today: Stephen Sondheim, the composer-lyricist behind such landmark musicals as Sweeney Todd, Follies, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, and Company.

We’re taking a look back at the beginning of the theatrical legend’s career and his first-ever Playbill bio. Though Sondheim made his Broadway debut contributing background music to N. Richard Nash’s play The Girls of Summer in 1956, his first Playbill bio would come a year later with West Side Story, for which Sondheim penned lyrics. Straight from the Playbill Vault, read this piece of Broadway history below.

Stephen Sondheim's first-ever Playbill bio, as lyricist for <i data-lazy-src=

Written with composer Leonard Bernstein and book writer Arthur Laurents, West Side Story, a modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, would go on to become a true Broadway classic. A new film adaptation of the piece is due to release December 10.

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