This is a podcast about Stephen Sondheim's entire body of work show by show and song by song. Each week Kyle Marshall invites an expert to discuss a Sondheim song in-depth. Together they discover the humour, how the songs inform character, and any hidden meanings. Most importantly they try to understand the man behind the music, the Shakespeare of our time, as best they can.
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Sep 28, 2026 · 1:13:42
It started off as a song between Wilson and his girlfriend, but ended up being a song between Addison and his boyfriend. Matt Koplik returns to discuss the differences in how…
Sep 20, 2026 · 1:01:41
What's a guy to do when even his own parents like his brother more? Head out on the road! Jim Cullen returns to discuss how the song Addison's Trip survived every version of the…
Sep 14, 2026 · 42:23
Does this song even need to be in the show? Shannon Dohar returns to try and answer that question and unpack other bizarre decisions in Bounce. You can listen to Shannon's…
Sep 7, 2026 · 32:27
Matthew Gardiner is the Artistic Director at Signature Theatre. He joins Kyle to discuss their production of Merrily We Roll Along , which is currently playing. He also gives a…
Aug 30, 2026 · 58:24
The character motivation for Wilson is all laid out in the song "The Game." Shannon Migliore returns to discuss the slight differences between how it appears in Bounce, versus…
Aug 23, 2026 · 37:52
The last song written for the show(s) is a sweet tune about two brothers. Does it add anything? Evan Lopes joins Kyle to figure that out. Learn more about SPARC Theater by…
Aug 17, 2026 · 46:39
Kennedy Caughell joins Kyle to discuss her debut album, Just the Beginning, which highlights a variety of stellar musicals in which she has appeared, including Wicked , 9 to 5 ,…
Aug 9, 2026 · 47:55
If I had a nickel for every time a character in a Sondheim show, named Nellie, asked the question "what's your rush?" I'd have ten cents. That's kinda weird isn't it? Dimitris…
Aug 2, 2026 · 44:03
Gold! The Mizner brothers are headed for Alaska to find their fortune. Will C. White returns to discuss this song's history throughout the iterations of the show and some of the…
Jul 27, 2026 · 46:47
Papa's message to his sons becomes far less comedic in Road Show. And if the melody sounds familiar that's because you may have heard it in a cut song from Assassins! Charlotte…
Jul 19, 2026 · 51:46
Sometimes you just need to sing about the American Dream. Erik Stadnik returns to discuss the purpose of this song to Bounce and whether it's even needed. Erik's podcast So Much…
Jul 12, 2026 · 52:46
Mike Meaney returns to the podcast to discuss whether the opening number to Bounce/Road Show was ever figured out, or whether it was just a waste. Follow Mike on Instagram . Send…
Jul 4, 2026 · 37:43
Richard Kind learned to do what counts, by knowing when to pounce, and dishes about Bounce. Send feedback to puttingittogetherpodcast@gmail.com Keep up to date with Putting It…
Apr 5, 2026 · 36:47
Claybourne Elder joins the podcast to discuss his latest album If the Stars Were Mine. Plus, he reveals where he feels the spirit of Sondheim to this day. Center Stage Records is…
Mar 22, 2026 · 31:07
In honour of Sondheim's birthday this is a conversation with Laurent Ziliani about his new album Anyone Can Whistle: A Sondheim Journey which is a deeply personal album…
Feb 1, 2026 · 31:10
Saturday Nights turns into Sunday Afternoons. Christine Chen joins Kyle to continue the discussion about Sondheim first show that was shelved for five decades. Christine's Blog :…
Jan 31, 2026 · 33:24
What would have happened had Saturday Night come out in the mid-1950s? Eric Henwood-Greer joins Kyle to discuss that and other matter related to a young man's first work. Send…
Nov 30, 2025 · 23:38
This month a quick discussion on two recent film. First, the mega blockbuster Wicked: For Good. Second, the small character piece Blue Moon. Send feedback to…
Nov 2, 2025 · 24:47
Just an update about me (Kyle) and what to expect from the podcast over the next year. Send feedback to puttingittogetherpodcast@gmail.com Keep up to date with Putting It…
Oct 2, 2025 · 37:46
Rick Pender returns to discuss his latest book Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: Behind the Bloody Musical Masterpiece. Purchase the book by clicking here . Send feedback to…
Sep 20, 2025 · 43:32
This song is probably the only time in Gypsy where June gets to have a showstopper of a performance. Christine Chen returns to give her thoughts on why this shouldn't be…
Aug 28, 2025 · 45:00
Between a matinee and evening performance, musical director Andy Einhorn talked with Kyle about his relationship with Audra McDonald, revivals, and the decisions that were made…
Aug 13, 2025 · 46:15
Peter Foley was an accomplished composer/lyricist and mentee of Stephen Sondheim. The New Yorker praised Foley for his “gift for sinuous, haunting melody and surprising musical…
Jul 7, 2025 · 1:29:32
Death, love, and letters. What more could you want in a finale? Matt Koplik returns to discuss Fosca and Giorgio's journey through the musical and how this piece wraps up. You…
Jun 26, 2025 · 59:42
Fosca lays it out plainly. She will live and die for Giorgio. Dimitris Dimopoulos joins Kyle to discuss choices, asking Sondheim a question, and missing out on the original…
Jun 19, 2025 · 52:42
Giorgio finally realizes what love is. Mike Meaney joins Kyle to discuss letter, realizations, and duels. Follow Mike on Instagram . Send feedback to…
Jun 4, 2025 · 56:57
An amalgam of three previously heard songs, Farewell Letter shows how Giorgio has changed. Charlotte LeMay returns to discuss all the messiness of relationships. Send feedback to…
May 16, 2025 · 50:16
Beyond allowing for costume and scene changes are there thematic reasons for the transitions in Passion? Alex Asp returns to offer insight into three songs that stem from the…
May 8, 2025 · 1:10:04
All Giorgio wanted to do was sit underneath a tree and read about how Clara is getting grey hairs. Instead he's being watch by Fosca and he must release all his pent up anger.…
Apr 30, 2025 · 46:15
What's it like to watch Sweeney Todd in Portuguese? Gustavo Brunetti joins Kyle to discuss his experience seeing two different productions, and what the future of Sondheim looks…
Apr 24, 2025 · 1:20:22
It's time to get some backstory! Shannon Migliore returns to pick apart the lengthly Flashback sequence from Passion which explains Fosca, and very well may explain Giorgio's…
Apr 16, 2025 · 57:15
Who hasn't forced the person they're obsessing over to write them a love letter? Jim Cullen returns to discuss the operatic (sorry, Sondheim) nature of Passion and how this song…
Apr 2, 2025 · 43:32
A devastating letter bookended by transitions. Will C. White returns to discuss rhapsodies, epistolary works, and trains. Check out Will's website . Send feedback to…
Mar 27, 2025 · 1:21:49
They hear drums, we hear music. Anne Slovin joins Kyle to discuss the meaning of that quote as well as the complicated nature of the entire Garden Sequence. Follow Anne on…
Mar 22, 2025 · 40:54
The Liaisons Project, conceived by Anthony de Mare, is a landmark commissioning and concert project based on the songs of Stephen Sondheim. The original project brought together…
Mar 20, 2025 · 1:03:49
This is the introduction of Fosca into the narrative. Eric Henwood-Greer joins Kyle to discuss how this song sets up a lot of the drama that will unfold throughout the rest of…
Mar 13, 2025 · 48:23
How do you make letter writing interesting theatrically? Brain Holcomb returns to explain the importance of these notes and how they help inform the rest of the show. Send…
Mar 6, 2025 · 1:00:50
The show opens with a naked couple in bed singing about how happy they are. Obviously that means everything will turn out great. Christine Chen returns to discuss the opening…
Feb 28, 2025 · 40:12
The Broadway musical as we know it would not exist without the generations of Jewish songwriters who brought not only their talent but their heritage and perspective to their…
Feb 27, 2025 · 43:59
Sondheim was inspired to create a musical because of this movie. Joel DeCandio returns to discuss the differences and many similarities between this and the eventual stage show.…
Feb 18, 2025 · 46:57
The story of Passion starts over a hundred years before the musical debuted on Broadway. In this episode Kyle talks with Michael Vecchio about what was going on in Italy at the…
Jan 19, 2025 · 25:00
Alex Asp returns to discuss his Sondheim Database project, along with some data he's collected about the shows! Follow Alex on Instagram here:…
Dec 23, 2024 · 24:50
Gail Leondar-Wright joins Kyle to offer some further insight into the song Unworthy of Your Love. Find out more at the Talking Sondheim website: https://www.talkingsondheim.com/…
Dec 4, 2024 · 51:26
We've reached the end of Assassins . What does it say about America as a whole, not to mention the American Dream™? Luckily, Margaret Hall wrote her thesis on this very subject…
Nov 6, 2024 · 50:17
Feels appropriate doesn't it? Micah Mooney returns to discuss a song that was added to the show for the first London production, and has stayed ever since. Is it essential or…
Oct 30, 2024 · 1:06:45
What do we think the other national anthem actually sounds like? Charlotte LeMay returns to offer opinions on why Samuel Byck should be the main character of this song, and the…
Oct 24, 2024 · 46:21
This week we don't talk about a song, but rather a scene. Reid Orphan joins the podcast to discuss how Samuel Byck has been depicted and how it can be destructive to those with…
Oct 17, 2024 · 1:10:58
Join us on our cakewalk up the gallows. Shannon Migliore joins the podcast to explain what the real Charles Guiteau was like and how Sondheim uses his actual words in this song.…
Oct 9, 2024 · 51:21
Two people, who never met in real life, join together to sing a 1970s love ballad. Chris Brown returns to discuss how this song plays differently if you don't know the context,…
Oct 4, 2024 · 56:40
You're telling me that "work your way to the head of the line" was a metaphor! Alex Asp returns to discuss the next "successful" assassin, President McKinley, and the beef.…
Sep 30, 2024 · 37:42
Joel DeCandio returns to the podcast to discuss the themes of Sondheim and his latest show that you can see live at the Green Room 42. Joel's Instagram :…
Sep 25, 2024 · 59:05
After seeing a couple of historical events we get a song about the idea of a gun. David Kincannon joins for the first time to discuss how this song works theatrically and why…
Sep 18, 2024 · 53:08
It seems like Roosevelt was saved by a lot of people. Who is correct? Steve Bell returns to discuss the real history of this event, John Philip Sousa, and (potentially) one of…
Sep 11, 2024 · 1:27:31
The assassin pioneer is the first person investigated in the show. Eric Matthew Richardson returns to discuss John Wilkes Booth, how he changed America, how Sondheim adapts his…
Sep 4, 2024 · 1:03:49
Kicking off our season on Assassins guest Isaac Bartels discusses how it got made, how provocative it still remains, and how the opening song sets the exact right tone. Follow…
Sep 3, 2024 · 1:15
This coming Wednesday we being our mini-series on the songs of Assassins. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Jul 17, 2024 · 1:23:37
An in-depth discussion on the making of the movie Dick Tracy and the impact its left. Josh Shelton joins Kyle to offer his thoughts as a filmmaker and composer. Find out more…
Jul 10, 2024 · 52:36
Ain't it grand? Christine Chen returns to discuss the last song from Dick Tracy and what makes it unique within the score. Christine's Blog : https://acrossthearch.wordpress.com…
Jul 3, 2024 · 49:58
If you have Mandy Patinkin in your movie it should be the law that you have him sing. Lucas Rougeux returns to discuss longing, unrequited love, and delicious ballgowns. You can…
Jun 30, 2024 · 46:50
A recent book entitled Here For the Hearing was published which featured different articles about musical theatre. Drew Nobile wrote about Sondheim's dissonant tonality. Micah…
Jun 26, 2024 · 58:55
The song that won Sondheim his Oscar. It's used to show Dick Tracy's prowess, but is also a yearning song from Breathless herself. Witti Repartee returns to discuss Madonna and…
Jun 19, 2024 · 35:07
From the radio plays the crooner hit "Live Alone and Like It." But is it possible this song is really talking about Dick Tracy himself? Or The Kid? Or even Warren Beatty! Alex…
Jun 12, 2024 · 56:04
I thought diamonds were a girl's best friend? Apparently it's more! Cooper Williams joins Kyle to discuss how the theme of this song runs through the entire film of Dick Tracy.…
Jun 10, 2024 · 1:30
This coming Wednesday we being our mini-series on the songs of Dick Tracy. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
May 31, 2024 · 28:06
Let's talk about the recent release of Here We Are on streaming! Send feedback to puttingittogetherpodcast@gmail.com Keep up to date with Putting It Together by following its…
May 2, 2024 · 1:08:14
The movie version of Into the Woods came out in 2014. While it did well financially, and even picked up a couple of Oscar nominations, fans of the stage musical felt cheated.…
Apr 25, 2024 · 1:20:22
There's been quite a few cast recordings of Into the Woods. Chris Brown (not that one) joins Kyle to discuss the ones that most people could listen to right now. We are using…
Apr 10, 2024 · 1:05:05
While "Children Will Listen" has been used as a standalone song since the original production premiered, it's part of the entire finale of Into the Woods. Ben Malone joins Kyle…
Apr 3, 2024 · 50:33
How can a song whose message is "no one is alone" feel so lonely? Charlotte LeMay returns to dig into the complicated emotions that run through this song. You can contact…
Mar 31, 2024 · 36:01
Bernadette Peters co-starred in the movie Pennies From Heaven. In this Sondheim Adjacent episode Will C. White returns to discuss if this is a successful musical and the lost art…
Mar 27, 2024 · 47:37
Is the Baker going to run away from his problems or stay and face them? Ryan Mardesich returns to discuss how this song contains some good fatherly advice from an unlikely…
Mar 20, 2024 · 56:00
The Witch is very upset and expresses her raw nerves through song. Shoshana Greenberg returns to discuss how this song is a prelude to "Children Will Listen" and the interesting…
Mar 13, 2024 · 1:44:53
So whose fault is it? Matt Koplik returns to discuss how the idea of blame is explored in the two songs "Your Fault" and "Last Midnight." Plus they get into detail about what…
Mar 6, 2024 · 59:39
Wouldn't it be good if life were only moments? Well, Jim Cullen discusses with Kyle if it would be or not and how Sondheim uses lyrics and musical themes to communicate…
Feb 29, 2024 · 23:27
James Lapine's second film was Life With Mikey which starred Michael J. Fox. Kyle discusses how he's seen this movie poster for years and what his experience was like watching it…
Feb 28, 2024 · 56:40
We're back after our intermission! Act 2 of Into the Woods makes us believe that our characters are living their happily ever afters. But lyrically and musically we discover that…
Feb 21, 2024 · 42:55
There's a recurring melody throughout the score of Into the Woods which has been referred to as The Bean Theme. Steve Bell returns to go through every time it shows up and offer…
Feb 14, 2024 · 46:25
While not his most popular project, the music of Evening Primrose seems to have grown in popularity over the last few years. Mario Mendez joins Kyle to discuss that phenomenon…
Feb 7, 2024 · 35:21
The two times "Sunday" appears in Sunday in the Park with George the lyrics are the same but the intention is different. James Pinneri returns to discuss that and other stuff in…
Jan 31, 2024 · 59:17
At the end of Act 1 the characters believe they will be living happily ever after. As upbeat as this song is, does it have some foreshadowing about the darkness that's about to…
Jan 31, 2024 · 35:36
Chip Zien is well known for his role as the Baker in Into the Woods. But he's currently getting great reviews for his performance in Harmony. Alex Asp joins Kyle to discuss the…
Jan 24, 2024 · 47:40
Here we are stuck in the goo. Tara Hutchison returns to discuss Cinderella and how she might be the most important character from the show. We are using four productions to frame…
Jan 17, 2024 · 32:28
A translated version of Sweeney Todd has been met with excitement in Mexico. It just won their version of the Tony Award for Best Musical. Sixto Montesinos joins Kyle to talk…
Jan 10, 2024 · 1:02:50
With a shriek we're brought into a mournful song where a mother pleads with their daughter not to leave them. Lucas Rougeux returns to discuss the need to break free from your…
Dec 31, 2023 · 20:42
As a bonus this month Kyle lists what he thinks are the 10 best songs Sondheim wrote from 1976 to 1985. Send feedback to puttingittogetherpodcast@gmail.com Keep up to date with…
Dec 20, 2023 · 45:26
We thought one was enough, but it's not true! Will White returns to discuss Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, and the wonderful moment they share in the woods. William's website :…
Dec 13, 2023 · 1:10:48
Agony! Misery! Woe! All words that DON'T describe this week's guest Tyler Joseph Ellis. He joins Kyle to discuss princes, comedy songs, and (perhaps) the best punchline in the…
Dec 6, 2023 · 1:04:13
There's a lot of interpretations on what this song means. Maybe they're all correct? Erik Stadnik returns to discuss the metaphor and the legacy of "Giants in the Sky." Erik's…
Nov 30, 2023 · 1:03:11
Joanna Gleason plays a supporting role in the 2004 Broadway production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Jonathan Chisolm returns to discuss how she uses her comedy skills to elevate…
Nov 29, 2023 · 55:52
One midnight gone! Sam Herriman returns to discuss why it's so important to have "First Midnight" in the show. Kyle describes the way the song "Second Midnight" was once much…
Nov 22, 2023 · 1:14:10
More of a conversation than a song. In this we see the different between a character who makes decisions fast and one who has a hard time making a single choice. Christine Chen…
Nov 15, 2023 · 52:14
It is good to know things, right? Shannon Dohar returns to offer her insight into Little Red's realization that she's been forced to grow up quicker than she would have liked.…
Nov 8, 2023 · 50:57
Our Little World is a song written for the original London cast of Into the Woods. Matt Steele joins Kyle to talk about Rapunzel, mothers, and hair. You can learn more about…
Nov 1, 2023 · 1:03:36
I Guess This is Goodbye is a short song about saying goodbye to your best cow. Maybe They're Magic explicitly shows the difference in worldview between the Baker and his wife.…
Oct 25, 2023 · 56:34
The subtext might not be that hard to pick up on. Isy returns to offer her thoughts on the metaphor of violence and sex when it comes to wolves preying on little girls. Find out…
Oct 20, 2023 · 1:00:25
[Apologies for Kyle's audio, somehow only his audio got corrupted.] After twice seeing Sondheim's last show, Here We Are, Kyle talks to Will C. White and Colm Molloy about their…
Oct 18, 2023 · 42:33
It might be a short song but that doesn't mean there isn't stuff to talk about. James Pinneri joins Kyle to discuss the character of Cinderella, the dramatic reason for this…
Oct 13, 2023 · 42:47
Alex Lacamoire is the music supervisor and co-producer of the lates Sweeney Todd cast album. It's been a dream of his for decades to get a chance to work on Sweeney Todd. He lets…
Oct 11, 2023 · 2:05:29
The musical Into the Woods opens with an intense 14 minute long song that introduces all the characters and details what each of their wishes are. Kevin Quillinan joins Kyle to…
Oct 4, 2023 · 51:37
Before we get into the individual songs of Into the Woods, Kyle takes you through a quick history of fairy tales and then reads four of the stories featured in the musical. We…
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