James Lapine, Sunday’s book writer and director, is a legend in his own right — with Sondheim, he wrote Into the Woods and Passion, and his work on landmark pieces such as Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has proved deeply influential for generations of creatives. In 2017, after viewing a revival of Sunday in the Park with George, he was inspired to revisit the piece, creating an oral history through interviews with forty members of the original productions cast, creative team, and crew.
That oral history, Putting It Together: How Stephen Sondheim and I Created “Sunday in the Park with George”, will be released on August 3rd, from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. The following is an edited version of Mr. Lapine and I’s conversation and an exclusive excerpt from Putting It Together.