The Stevies: Broadway's "Content Dictates Form" Awards
A quintet of non-Sondheim musicals with Sondheim DNA
Come hear the people sing at a FREE class on Les Misérables on Tuesday, June 10 at Noon and 7 pm. This is the first of three Les Miz classes (the other two are Members-only) that explore the show from dozens of angles small and large, from the musical’s motifs to its stellar international reception to the show’s sweeping grand themes.
Shalom, Broadway lovers!
In today’s issue of MARQUEE: The Broadway Maven’s Weekly Blast: A) an essay offering prizes to Broadway shows that have Sondheim DNA despite being written by others; B) a Broadway Maven YouTube GEM about “Please Hello” from Pacific Overtures; C) a Broadway Blast about Guys and Dolls; D) a quiz about Broadway shows with animals in them; and E) a Last Blast about Spring Awakening.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just in time for Sunday's Tonys, I've created a new kind of award—the Stevies. The Stevies honor shows in which "content dictates form"—a Sondheim slogan—but which are not written by Sondheim. Thank you to Gail Leondar-Wright for helping me conceive this essay.
ESSAY: Stephen Sondheim didn’t just write musicals. He built them meticulously, like a master craftsman—each one an heirloom. In fact, he famously championed the principle that content dictates form, meaning a show’s architecture serves its message. Inspired by that idea, I hereby present The Stevies: five awards for musicals whose structures aren’t just vehicles for meaning—they’re the meaning itself.
Take The Last Five Years, which receives the Merrily We Roll Along Award. Its story of a doomed relationship is told through two intersecting timelines: Cathy’s unfolds in reverse, Jamie’s in forward motion. Just like in Sondheim's backwards play, the structure is the heartbreak—it’s what makes the story resonate.
The other four are:
2. Ragtime—The Sunday in the Park with George Award: a show whose structure, like Sondheim’s pointillist portrait, borrows the form of an art style—ragtime music as dramatic design. Just as Sunday mimics Seurat’s technique in its very pacing and fragmentation, Ragtime’s syncopated storytelling echoes the layered, pulsing rhythms of its namesake genre.
3. Chicago—The Assassins Award: murder as spectacle, and vaudeville as critique. Both shows weaponize entertainment forms to expose a culture addicted to fame and violence, forcing the audience to question their own role as spectators.
4. A Chorus Line – The Follies Award: a show where the chorus line steps forward to reveal their inner lives, one memory at a time. Like Follies, it strips away theatrical illusion to reveal raw vulnerability, using presentational structure to mirror emotional excavation.
5. Next to Normal – The Company Award: fragmented scenes and recurring motifs express the inner dislocation of complicated characters. In both musicals, narrative splinters become character maps—emphasizing how disorder on the surface reflects disorder within.
YouTube GEM: One of Stephen Sondheim's most complex and satisfying numbers is "Please Hello" from Pacific Overtures, a mélange of pastiche styles from five European countries. In this video from a recent Broadway Maven class, Juilliard Professor Edward Barnes shows how The Master weaved tunes from "Someone in a Tree" into this number to create contrast and harmony at the same time.
BROADWAY BLAST: The Hot Box, with its glitz and glamour, becomes an ironic stage for Miss Adelaide’s dreams of domestic happiness in Guys and Dolls. “Take Back Your Mink,” while humorously centered on a luxurious coat, subtly nods to her desire for a life of meaningful possessions and emotional warmth. Meanwhile, “I Love You a Bushel and a Peck” translates a farmyard measurement into an expression of affection that’s rooted in homey simplicity. Together, these playful numbers reveal Adelaide’s longing for a nurturing, stable life—one that contrasts sharply with the artifice of her performances, making the Hot Box a mirror of her inner conflict.
QUIZ: Given the year and the name of an animal character, identify the show. Answers at the end of the issue below the Last Blast:
1977, a dog named Sandy
2001, an elephant with a big heart
1982, Jellicle felines at a junkyard ball
2007, a perky little dog named Bruiser
2003, The Bad Idea Bears
2003, a goat professor named Doctor Dillamond
1997, regal felines in the African savanna
2008, a flounder and a scheming cephalopod
1987, a cow named Milky White
2009, a wisecracking donkey sidekick
PITCH DAY: Later this year, The Broadway Maven will be hosting a “pitch day” where MARQUEE subscribers will be able to present their show ideas to a panel of experts for feedback. I’m planning to have at least one Tony winner on the panel. Presentations could be anything between a rough idea for a show to a completed plot with a prepared song. So far, four MARQUEE subscribers have signed up, including the co-creator of a 15-minute musical about Egyptian cats and a project its author calls “Annie meets Frozen.” We have room for about 3-4 more presenters. If you are interested in participating in the pitch day (which will take place in August or September) please contact David at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.
PETITION: In opposition to the looming Times Square casino, The Broadway Maven is circulating the following petition. Read more here:
We, the undersigned, oppose the construction of a casino in Times Square. It would threaten the fragile ecosystem that sustains Broadway’s theaters, artists, and surrounding community. While we respect the many perspectives within the theater industry, we encourage Actor’s Equity, allied unions, and other Broadway stakeholders to end their support and let individuals weigh the issue on its merits. Times Square is not the right place for a casino—and it’s not too late to stop it.
Great news! First-time Members who join The Broadway Maven can get 30 days FREE at the link below. Normally $18, a one-month Membership comes with invitations to 5-15 classes and other expert-led Broadway experiences. In the case of the next 30 days, that means four meetings of The Broadway Institute, one meeting of Sondheim Academy (Pastiche in Sondheim), two classes on Les Misérables, and the Tonys Watch Party. Cancel at any time, or continue exploring Broadway with this vibrant educational community. It’s your home for Broadway appreciation.
Note: A full calendar of upcoming classes is always available at TheBroadwayMaven.com.
• Sunday, June 8 Tonys Watch Party (Members only) including an in-person gathering in St. Louis (Membership not required)
• Monday, June 9 Noon and 7 pm ET The Broadway Institute (Sondheim) (Members only)
• Tuesday, June 10 Noon and 7 pm ET Les Misérables part one (FREE, register here)
• Monday, June 16 Noon and 7 pm ET The Broadway Institute (Jewish Broadway) (Members only)
• Tuesday, June 17 Noon and 7 pm ET Les Misérables part two (Members only)
• Monday, June 23 Noon and 7 pm ET The Broadway Institute (Broadway and Society) (Members only)
• Tuesday, June 24 Noon and 7 pm ET Les Misérables part three (Members only)
• Monday, June 30 Noon and 7 pm ET The Broadway Institute (Broadway’s future) (Members only)
• Monday, July 7 Noon and 7 pm ET Come From Away (FREE, Registration opens soon)
LAST BLAST: The rock score of Spring Awakening might seem jarring in a show set in 19th-century Germany, but that disconnect is exactly the point. The rigid, repressive world of the adult characters is reflected in the spoken dialogue—stiff, formal, and locked into period-appropriate language. But the moment the teenagers step into song, their inner lives explode in a modern rock idiom, breaking free of their stifling reality. These songs aren’t just expressions of emotion—they’re acts of defiance. The music isn’t trying to fit into the world of the play. It’s trying to escape it.
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ: Annie, Seussical, CATS, Legally Blonde, Avenue Q, Wicked, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Into the Woods, Shrek the Musical
The Broadway Maven is a vibrant educational community that helps its members think more deeply about musical theater. Every month, members may attend 5-15 expert-led classes and innovative Broadway experiences, all for just $18. We also foster enthusiasm for Broadway through the FREE weekly Substack newsletter MARQUEE and host an expansive YouTube channel. It's your home for Broadway appreciation. Contact The Broadway Maven at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.