Book Review of "Putting It Together..."

What did I think of James Lapine's "Putting It Together: How Stephen Sondheim and I Created "Sunday in the Park with George"

I enjoyed Putting It Together as an insightful behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Sunday in the Park with George. James Lapine offers an engaging mix of personal recollection, interviews, and theatrical history that gives a real sense of how such an ambitious musical gradually came together—and how collaborative, complicated, and sometimes uncertain that process could be.

For anyone interested in Stephen Sondheim, musical theatre, or the creative process in general, there is plenty here to appreciate. At times the level of detail may be more interesting to devoted theatre fans than casual readers, but I found the glimpses into Sondheim and Lapine’s working relationship particularly rewarding. A thoughtful and enjoyable account of the making of one of modern musical theatre’s most distinctive works.

★★★★☆