A Little Night Music
Reviewed by David Kashimba
Photo by Evan Johnson

 Pacific Alliance Stage Company in beautiful Rohnert Park presents one of Stephen Sondheim’s best musicals, A Little Night Music. Winner of six Tony Awards, it features the poignant song Send In The Clowns sung beautifully by Desiree (Milissa Carey). An American composer born in New York City, Sondheim studied with Milton Babbitt and earned his first success with his lyrics for Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story in 1957. Some of his own successful musicals include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), A Little Night Music (1972) and Sweeny Todd (1979).

Based on filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s romantic comedy Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music is, for the most part, a lighthearted story about many of the strange twists and turns of love relationships between men and women. But the deeper emotional story, lying behind this comedy, is forged in the music. Sondheim’s lyrics and the timing of their delivery echo the fears and isolationism of modern relationships.

I recommend this fine production, directed by Hector Correa, to both aficionados of Sondheim and to those discovering his music for the first time. After seeing this production, you’ll understand why the composer has contributed immeasurably to the revival of the musical in America.

For tickets or more information call (707) 588-3400.

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