... practically made Stephen Sondheim a genre in and of himself, with a talent for connecting an audience to a song using catchy music and memorable lyrics. Sondheim understands the importance of lyrics as well as the visceral impact that it can make on the actor's connection to the material. In his book, "Finishing The ... or musicals that have been taken to film such as Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd (which Stephen also wrote), Mama Mia, The Phantom of the Opera, and Rent just to name a few. Another show influenced by earlier playwrights is "West Side Story." Upon a closer inspection, the po...

• Word Count: 1723
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School