Tickets for Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends are available now! 

Following a triumphant victory at the 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards for Best Theatre Event, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is making its way to the West End’s Gielgud Theatre for a limited 16-week run from September 16, 2023, to January 6, 2024. This once-in-a-lifetime event, produced by Cameron Mackintosh, is a chance to pay homage to the legendary Stephen Sondheim, who passed away at the age of 91 in November 2021.

About Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends

Celebrating the life and work of the great Stephen Sondheim, Old Friends won the Best Theatre Event at the 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards. It sold out within a couple of hours last year leaving thousands of disappointed fans unable to get tickets. Now by popular demand, audiences will have another chance to see the never to be forgotten and one of the most talked about theatrical events of the year.

About Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim was an American composer and lyricist who rose to prominence in the 1950s working as a lyricist for the composer Leonard Bernstein. Their collaboration on the 1957 musical West Side Story was a tremendous success and helped to establish Sondheim’s reputation as a rising talent in the world of musical theatre. He went on to work on other successful shows, such as Gypsy and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, eventually transitioning to writing both the music and lyrics for his own productions.

Sondheim was mentored by Oscar Hammerstein II, Hammerstein became Sondheim’s mentor after Sondheim’s father introduced the two, with Hammerstein later teaching him the craft of lyric writing and providing him opportunities to work on various projects. Sondheim has often credited Hammerstein with shaping his career and influencing his approach to musical theatre. Through his work, Sondheim has revealed an unequalled style that can process emotions that are vague, repressed or even downright contradictory.

About Old Friends

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends showcases the refined talents of the legendary American composer and lyricist by showcasing some of his most beloved songs and works and highlighting his wit, intelligence, and emotional depth as a composer and lyricist. Old Friends features songs from a variety of Sondheim’s classic shows, such as Sweeney Todd, Company, Into the Woods and many more!

The cast of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends

Prepare for an unforgettable theatrical experience with the star-studded cast of Old Friends. The legendary Bernadette Peters makes her long-awaited West End debut, with Lea Salonga returning to the stage after 27 years.

They are joined by an incredible ensemble that includes Christine Allado,Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford, Jeremy Secomb, Beatrice Penny-Touré, Joanna Riding, and Jac Yarrow, with more exciting casting announcements to come!

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends tickets are available now

With intricate lyrics and intelligent melodic and harmonic choices, the emotional depth of Sondheim’s music has endured longevity throughout the decades and has had an unprecedented influence on modern theatre. Don’t miss out on this celebration, book your tickets for Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends today!