Kerrytown Concert House is honored to bring back the enormously popular lecture series, The Great American Songbook: What Makes it Great? featuring the incomparable Brent Wagner (University of Michigan Emeritus Professor of Musical Theatre) with pianist Tyler Driskill (U-M Asst. Prof of Musical Theatre).

Exploring Stephen Sondheim’s work is a natural ‘sequel’ to our Rodgers and Hammerstein presentation, since Oscar Hammerstein was Sondheim’s teacher and mentor. With Sondheim’s passing just 4 years ago, major revivals and re-assessments are proliferating, as we all appreciate anew Sondheim’s monumental achievements. He was surely the most impactful and inventive writer since Oscar Hammerstein himself.

Part Two: Sondheim’s own “Golden Age” encompasses his work with director Hal Prince, including Company, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, and continuing with his collaborations with James Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods). These works continue to stimulate, entertain, and… astonish!