Sunday in the Park with George (1984)
Words & Music: Stephen Sondheim
Book: James Lapine
Premise: The "art of making art" is explored through the fictionalised life and legacy of 19th-century painter Georges Seurat (written as George). Act One imagines Seurat obsessively working on A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, struggling to balance artistic discipline with human connection, particularly his relationship with his muse and lover, Dot. Act Two shifts a century forward to Seurat’s fictional great-grandson, a contemporary artist named George, who similarly wrestles with originality, ambition and emotional isolation. Together, the two acts link past and present, asking how artists make work, why they persist, and what devotion to art demands across generations.
Background: The musical grew out of Lapine’s fascination with Seurat’s painting and the creative process itself. Working closely, Lapine and Stephen Sondheim developed the piece through workshops in the early 1980s, refining its distinctive form, as well as its carefully controlled emotional tone. Sondheim composed one of his most intricate scores, using pointillistic musical motifs to mirror Seurat’s technique.
Directed by Lapine and starring Mandy Patinkin as both Georges and Bernadette Peters as Dot, the show opened on Broadway in 1984 to respectful but divided reactions. Audiences admired its intelligence, while some critics questioned its emotional warmth. Others hailed it as a landmark achievement, recognising its originality and depth. The following year, Sunday in the Park with George became only the fifth musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, cementing its stature as one of the most significant American musicals of the 20th century.
Playbill note: Although suggested by the life of Georges Seurat and by his painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte", all characters in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE are products of the authors' inaginations.
Major productions/concert performances/recordings:
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1983 Workshop
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1984 Broadway Production
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1986 Television Production
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1986 Long Beach Production
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1990 London Production (National Theatre)
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1994 Tenth Anniversary Concert
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1997 Arena/Signature Production
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2002 Kennedy Center Production
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2002 Chicago Shakespeare Production
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2004 Ravinia Festival Concerts
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2005 London Revival (Menier Chocolate Factory)
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2006 West End Revival
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2008 Broadway Revival
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2013 Théâtre du Châtelet Production
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2014 Signature Theatre Production
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2016 New York City Center Gala Concert
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2017 Broadway Revival
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2027 London Revival (Barbican)
Workshop (1983)
Playwrights Horizons Main Stage, 416 West 42nd Street, New York
Opens: 6 July 1983
Closes: 31 July 1983
Performances: 25
Producer: Playwrights Horizons (Artistic Director: Andre Bishop)
Director: James Lapine
Production Stage Manager: Frederic H. Orner
Musical Theatre Programme Director: Ira Weitzman
Sound Designer: Scott Lehrer
Lighting Designer: Richard Nelson
Costume Designer Patricia Zipprodt and Ann Hould-Ward
Set Designer: Tony Straiges
Cast
Act One
George: Mandy Patinkin
Dot: Bernadette Peters
Old Lady: Carmen Matthews
Her Nurse: Judith Moore
Franz: Brent Spiner
Boy in the Water: Bradley Kane
Young Man on the Bank: Kelsey Grammer
Pervert: William Parry
Louise: Danielle Ferland
Jules: Ralph Byers
Clarisse: Christine Baranski
Boatman: William Parry
Louis: Kevin Marcum
Celeste #1: Melanie Vaughan
Celeste #2: Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Bette: Nancy Opel
Soldier: Kelsey Grammer
Mr.: Kurt Knudson
Mrs.: Judith Moore
Act One
George: Mandy Patinkin
Jed: Brent Spiner
Dee: Nancy Opel
Alex: Kelsey Grammar
Annette: Bernadette Peters
Naomi: Melanie Vaughan
Robert Blackmun: Kurt Knudson
Billie Cherkin: Carmen Matthews
Harriet Pawling: Judith Moore
Waiter: Ross Wassermann
Charles Green: William Parry
Alan Cash: Kevin Marcum
Linda Cash: Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Blair Daniels: Christine Baranski
Waitress: Johnna Murray
Musical Numbers
Act one
“Sunday in the Park With George” – Dot
“Yoo-Hoo!” – Boy, Young Man, Pervert
“No Life” – Jules, Clarisse
“Color and Light” – Dot, George
“Gossip” – Celeste #1, Celeste #2, Boatman, Nurse, Old Lady, Jules, Clarisse
“The Day Off” – George, Spot, Fifi, Nurse, Franz, Bette, Boatman, Soldier, Clarisse, Louise, Celeste #1, Celeste #2
“Everybody Loves Louis” – Dot
“Soldiers and Girls” – Soldier, Celeste #1, Celeste #2
“Finishing the Hat” – George
“Beautiful” – Old Lady, George
“Sunday” – Company
Act Two (presented only for the last three performances)
“It’s Hot Up Here” – Dot, Clarisse, Louise, Franz, Nurse, Celeste #1, Celeste #2, Bette, Jules, Soldier, Old Lady, Boatman
Performance Art Piece – George, Jed, Dee, Alex, Annette, Naomi
“Have to Keep Them Humming” – Harriet, Billie, Blackmon, Green, Naomi, Alex, Jed, Linda, Alan, George
“Sunday” (reprise) – Company
Broadway Production (1984)
Booth Theatre, 222 West 45th Street, New York
Previews: 2 April 1984 (35 previews)
Opens: 2 May 1984
Closes: 13 October 1985
Performances: 604
Producer: Schubert Organization and Amaniuel Azenberg, in arrangement
with Playwrights Horizons
Director: James LapineScenery Designer: Tony Straiges
Musical Director: Paul Gemignani
Costume Designers: Patricia Zipprodt and Ann Hould-Ward
Lighting Designer: Richard Nelson
Special Effects Designer: Bran Ferren
Sound Designer: Tom Morse
Hair and Makeup Designer: Lo Presto/Allen
Movement Director: Randolyn Zinn
Music Publisher: Tommy Valando
Cast
Act One
George: Mandy Patinkin (replaced by Robert Westenberg, Harry Groener, Mandy Patinkin)
Dot: Bernadette Peters (replaced by Betsy Joslyn, Maryann Plunkett)
An Old Lady: Barbara Bryne
Her Nurse: Judith Moore
Franz: Brent Spiner (replaced by Richard Russell Ramos, Bruce Adler)
A Boy: Danielle Ferland (replaced by Michele Rigan, Natalie Polizzi, Sherri Lynn Leidy)
A Young Man Sitting on the Bank: Nancy Opel
A Man Lying on the Bank: Cris Groenendaal (replaced by Jeff Keller, T. J. Myers)
Jules: Charles Kimbrough (replaced by John Cunningham)
Yvonne: Dana Ivey (replaced by Margaret Hall, Pamela Burrell)
A Boatman: William Parry
Celeste #1: Melanie Vaughan
Celeste #2: Mary D’Arcy (replaced by Betsy Joslyn)
Louise: Danielle Ferland (replaced by Michele Rigan, Natalie Polizzi, Sherri Lynn Leidy)
Frieda: Nancy Opel (replaced by Sue Ann Gershenson, Nancy Opel)
Louis: Cris Groenendaal (replaced by Jeff Keller, T. J. Myers)
A Soldier: Robert Westenberg (replaced by Cris Groenendaal, Howard McGillin, Jeff Keller)
A Man With Bicycle: John Jellison
A Little Girl: Michele Rigan
A Woman With Baby Carriage: Sue Anne Gershenson
Mr.: Kurt Knudson (replaced by Frank Kopyc, Ray Gill)
Mrs.: Judith Moore
Act Two
George: Mandy Patinkin
Marie: Bernadette Peters
Dennis: Brent Spiner
Bob Greenberg: Charles Kimbrough
Naomi Eisen: Dana Ivey
Harriet Pawling: Judith Moore
Billy Webster: Cris Groenendaal
A Photographer: Sue Anne Gershenson
A Museum Assistant: John Jellison
Charles Redmond: William Parry
Alex: Robert Westenberg
Betty: Nancy Opel
Lee Randolph: Kurt Knudson
Blair Daniels: Barbara Bryne
A Waitress: Melanie Vaughan
Elaine: Mary D’Arcy
Musical Numbers
Act one
“Sunday in the Park with George” – Dot
“No Life” – Jules, Yvonne
“Color and Light” – Dot, George
“Gossip” – Celeste #1, Celeste #2, Boatman, Nurse, Old Lady, Jules, Yvonne
“The Day Off” – George, Nurse, Franz, Frieda, Boatman, Soldier, Celeste #1, Celeste #2, Yvonne, Louise, Jules, Louis
“Everybody Loves Louis” – Dot
“Finishing the Hat” – George
“We Do Not Belong Together” – Dot, George
“Beautiful” – Old Lady, George
“Sunday” – Company
Act Two
“It’s Hot Up Here” – Company
Chromolume #7 – George, Marie
“Putting It Together” – George, Company
“Children and Art” – Marie
“Lesson #8” – George
“Move On” – George, Dot
“Sunday” (reprise) – Company
Orchestra
Violin: Marilyn Reynolds (Concert Mistress)
Viola: Karl Burgen
Cello: Eileen M. Folson
Piano & Synthesizer: Paul Ford
Synthesizer: Ted Sperling
Harp: Beth Schwartz Robinson
French Horn: Ronald Seil
Woodwinds: Les Scott, Al Hunt
Percussion: Adrienne Wilcox
Awards:
Tony
Best Scenic Design (Tony Straiges)
Best Lighting Design (Richard Nelson)
Drama Desk
Best Musical
Best Director of a Musical (James Lapine)
Best Lyrics (Stephen Sondheim)
Best Book of a Musical (James Lapine)
Best Orchestrations (Michael Starobin)
Best Scenery (Tony Straiges)
Best Lighting (Richard Nelson)
Best Special Effects (Bran Ferren)
Pulitzer Prize
Pulizer Prize for Drama
New York Drama Critics Circle Award
Best Musical
Outer Critics Circle Award
Best Musical
Best Scenery (Tony Straiges)
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Recording:
Sunday in the Park with George - Original Broadway Cast Recording
Producer: Thomas Z. Shepard
Engineers: Paul Goodman and Anthony Salvatore
Recorded: 27 and 29 May 1984 at RCA's Studio A, New York City
Programme notes and synopsis: Robert Kimball
Lyrics included
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LP, 1984 [RCA HBC1-5042] [69 minutes]
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Cassette, 1984 [RCA HBE1-5042]
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Compact Disc, 1984 [RCA RCD1-5042] [69:14 minutes]
Selections: "Sunday In The Park With George" (6:36), "No Life" (1:23), "Color And Light" (7:00), "Gossip" (1:01), "The Day Off" (7:59), "Everybody Loves Louis" (3:07), "Finishing The Hat" (3:21), "We Do Not Belong Together" (3:55), "Beautiful / Sunday (Part 1, combined track)" (3:05 + 4:31), It's Hot Up Here" (4:28), "Chromolume #7 / Putting it Together" (7:17), "Children and Art" (4:53), "Lesson #8" (2:53), "Move On" (3:38), "Sunday" (3:52)
Grammy Award winner for Best Original Cast Show Album
Remastered Version
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Compact DIsc, 2007 [RCA Victor 82876 68638-2] [76 minutes]
Selections: As above plus: "Putting it Together" by Julie Andrews, Stephen Collins, Rachel York, Michael Rupert and Christopher Durang from the 1993 Off-Broadway production of Putting it Together (3:36), "Sunday" with Bernadette Peters and the Ensemble from the 1992 Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (4:17).
London Revival - Barbican (2027)
Barbican Theatre, Silk Street, London
Opens: Summer 2027
Producer: Empire Street Productions in association with the Barbican
Director: Marianne Elliott
Designer: Tom Scutt
Cast
George: Jonathan Bailey
Dot/Marie: Ariana Grande
