By Maryann Lopinto***Prior to her upcoming Stephen Sondheim concert in London, Tony®-nominated Broadway star and writer Melissa Errico offered an 
evening of Stephen Sondheim songs and stories about her friend and teacher. She worked with Sondheim on productions of Sunday in the Park with George, Passion, and Do I Hear A Waltz? at City Center. She played the Baker’s Wife in a concert run of Into The Woods and has sung Sondheim on many other stages. She has made two all-Sondheim albums, with a third on the way.
This Sondheim show had a different take on many of the songs. She sang a pop groove opening on “Everyone Says Don’t” and “Not While I’m Around,” a swinging jazz style take on “Who Wants to Live in New York” together with “What More Do I Need” and “Another Hundred People” in a pop funk style. Errico also sang two cut songs from Follies: “Can That Boy Foxtrot” and “Uptown Downtown” and a jazz fusion of “Move On.” 
Special guest was the legendary Len Cariou who starred in Sweeney Todd and A Little Night Music, and who sang “Anyone Can Whistle” and was then joined in duet with Errico for “You Must Meet My Wife”, “Send in the Clowns” and “Barber and Wife”—all of which brought the house down. Closing out an amazing show was the encore, “Nice Town But,” a song written by Sondheim in college in 1958 for his Climb High. musical never copyrighted or published.
Tedd Firth was musical director-arranger-pianist, with bassist David Finck, percussionist Eric Halverson and guest, noted jazz trumpeter Bruce Harris.
All photos courtesy of Melissa Errico
