March 22 - Stephen Sondheim & Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Musical Birthday Series)

Today we observe the astounding coincidence that Stephen Sondheim (born 22 March 1930)  and Andrew Lloyd Webber (born 22 March 1948) share a birthday. 

Compare and Contrast

Lloyd Webber and Sondheim, who both share this day,

Expect different things of a musical play.

They write to appeal to dissimilar classes:

One for the in-group, and one for the masses.

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Wotan on the Thames

If Sondheim

Wrote Stabreim,

Our friend Sweeney Todd,

The harbor’s

Best barber,

Would sound like a god.

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West End Story

Sing a song of Andrew Lloyd Webber,

Beloved of the crowd,

Who alternates in every endeavor

‘Twixt sentiment and loud.