One difference between poetry and lyrics is that lyrics sort of fade into the background. They fade on the page and live on the stage when set to music. – Stephen Sondheim
Musicals are, by nature, theatrical, meaning poetic, meaning having to move the audiences imagination and create a suspension of disbelief, by which I mean theres no fourth wall. – Stephen Sondheim
Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos. – Stephen Sondheim
All the best performers bring to their role something more, something different than what the author put on paper. Thats what makes theatre live. Thats why it persists. – Stephen Sondheim
While also, importantly, not wanting to dumb it down or pretend the days of difficult poetry are over, because we live in a pluralist culture and theres room for difficult poetry alongside rap and everything else. And poetry wont be for everyone, but everyone should have the choice. – Andrew Motion