Sondheim on Esparza's "Bobby" in COMPANY

Sweevil · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 43

I was listening to Broadway Bullet, a show from last year. The
interviewer asked Raul Esparza if Sondheim had seen him play Bobby.
He said yes, and that he talked to him after the show and commended
him for making "one of the worst-written roles in musical theatre seem
like a human being".

Interesting ... Esparza feels their production showed that Bobby can
be much more than a cipher or a passive observer, if the show is
played and directed properly.

On thing about COMPANY ... does Bobby have a job? What does he do
besides visiting friends and going on dates? I don't recall knowing
the profession of anyone in the show except the stewardess.

Archived from group: rec>arts>theatre>musicals

AndrewJ · Joined: 29 Nov 2007 Posts: 17

> On thing about COMPANY ... does Bobby have a job? What does he do
> besides visiting friends and going on dates? I don't recall knowing
> the profession of anyone in the show except the stewardess.

In one of the prominent 1990s Company revivals -- maybe the London one
-- Bobby was made a photographer ("All those photos up on the
walls")...

stephen.farrow · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 60

On 9 Feb, 03:35, AndrewJ wrote:
> > On thing about COMPANY ... does Bobby have a job? What does he do
> > besides visiting friends and going on dates? I don't recall knowing
> > the profession of anyone in the show except the stewardess.
>
> In one of the prominent 1990s Company revivals -- maybe the London one
> -- Bobby was made a photographer ("All those photos up on the
> walls")...

That wasn't the London revival.

Neither of the two published scripts give any detail about Bobby's
employment - or, for that matter, anyone else's apart from April's
(except, I suppose, that we infer that Joanne is wealthy enough that
she doesn't need to work).

--
Stephen

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

Check out FORBIDDEN BROADWAY'S "Being Intense."

chromolume · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

On Feb 8, 11:07 pm, stephen.far...@gmail.com wrote:
> On 9 Feb, 03:35, AndrewJ wrote:
>
> > > On thing about COMPANY ... does Bobby have a job? What does he do
> > > besides visiting friends and going on dates? I don't recall knowing
> > > the profession of anyone in the show except the stewardess.
>
> > In one of the prominent 1990s Company revivals -- maybe the London one
> > -- Bobby was made a photographer ("All those photos up on the
> > walls")...
>
> That wasn't the London revival.
>
> Neither of the two published scripts give any detail about Bobby's
> employment - or, for that matter, anyone else's apart from April's
> (except, I suppose, that we infer that Joanne is wealthy enough that
> she doesn't need to work).
>
> --
> Stephen

It would seem that, unspecific as it is, all the guys have office jobs
(as they all sing "this girl from the office...") - but that's not
much to go on, lol.

cathy · Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Posts: 6

On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 18:00:46 -0800 (PST), Sweevil
wrote:

>I was listening to Broadway Bullet, a show from last year. The
>interviewer asked Raul Esparza if Sondheim had seen him play Bobby.
>He said yes, and that he talked to him after the show and commended
>him for making "one of the worst-written roles in musical theatre seem
>like a human being".
>
>Interesting ... Esparza feels their production showed that Bobby can
>be much more than a cipher or a passive observer, if the show is
>played and directed properly.
>
>On thing about COMPANY ... does Bobby have a job? What does he do
>besides visiting friends and going on dates? I don't recall knowing
>the profession of anyone in the show except the stewardess.

It's never mentioned because it's immaterial to the story, but the
likelihood is he's a stockbroker or banker or maybe in advertising.

David Levy · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 46

On Feb 8, 10:35 pm, AndrewJ wrote:
> > On thing about COMPANY ... does Bobby have a job? What does he do
> > besides visiting friends and going on dates? I don't recall knowing
> > the profession of anyone in the show except the stewardess.
>
> In one of the prominent 1990s Company revivals -- maybe the London one
> -- Bobby was made a photographer ("All those photos up on the
> walls")...

That was a production in Boston at the Huntington Theatre, starring
Davis Gaines and Karen Mason. Best production of Company I've ever
seen. I certainly didn't find Esparza to be anything but a cipher in
the latest Broadway incarnation.

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

dlevy@post.harvard.edu (David Levy)
I certainly didn't find Esparza to be anything but a cipher in the
latest Broadway incarnation.
-------------------------------------
When is PBS showing it?

EricV · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 6

On Feb 11, 3:12 am, NewportsRe...@webtv.net (Steve Newport) wrote:
> dl...@post.harvard.edu (David Levy)
> I certainly didn't find Esparza to be anything but a cipher in the
> latest Broadway incarnation.
> -------------------------------------
> When is PBS showing it?

Wednesday February 20, 2008.

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

From: ericesveda@comcast.net (EricV)
>>
------------------------------------------
Wednesday February 20, 2008.
-----------------------------------------
Ah, thanks.

IS SONDHEIM NIETZSCHE??? I'm pulling this post out of a lengthy thread because I'd love to see others' thoughts (including vehement disagreement) on these musings I had while drinking coffee this morning: ***** IS SONDHEIM ***** >On Oct 22, 9:36 am, Sweevil
FA: Sondheim Playbills on eBay If anyone is interested, I've got a few early to mid-Sondheim Playbills and London Programs up on eBay: and

FA: Company, Larry Kert recording ("London Cast Album") I hope no one will mind if I note that I've listed on ebay the much- sought-after "London Cast Album" of _Company_, issued on CD by Sony West End, with Larry Kert instead of Dean Jones as Bobby. It was only ever released in the UK, and has been out of pr

Photos of Sondheim Are there any in which he'd recently washed his hair?

COMPANY on PBS We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.