Stephen Sondheim 2009 Broadway revival cast of "West Side Story". A ballet was performed by Blaine Hoven and María Noel Riccetto to Sondheim's score for "Reds", and Jonathan Tunick paid tribute to his longtime collaborator. The concert was broadcast on PBS' "Great Performances" show in November, and its DVD was released on November 16. "Sondheim 80", a Roundabout Theatre Company benefit, was held on March 22. The evening included a performance of "Sondheim on Sondheim", dinner and a show at the New York Sheraton. "A very personal star-studded musical tribute" featured new songs by contemporary musical-theatre writers. The composers (who sang their
Stephen Sondheim needed money for rent. The network disliked the title and Sondheim's alternative, "A Little Night Music". After Sondheim finished "Evening Primrose", Jerome Robbins asked him to adapt Bertolt Brecht's "The Measures Taken" despite the composer's general dislike of Brecht's work. Robbins wanted to adapt another Brecht play, "The Exception and the Rule", and asked John Guare to adapt the book. Leonard Bernstein had not written for the stage in some time, and his contract as conductor of the New York Philharmonic was ending. Sondheim was invited to Robbins' house in the hope that Guare would convince him to write the