Preview

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Putting It Together

By: James Lapine
Narrated by: Adam Grupper, Alyssa Bresnahan, Eva Kaminsky, Graham Winton, T. Ryder Smith, Len Cariou
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the iconic musical Sunday in the Park with George

Putting It Together chronicles the two-year odyssey of creating the iconic Broadway musical Sunday in the Park with George. In 1982, James Lapine, at the beginning of his career as a playwright and director, met Stephen Sondheim, nineteen years his senior and already a legendary Broadway composer and lyricist. Shortly thereafter, the two decided to write a musical inspired by Georges Seurat’s nineteenth-century painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

Through conversations between Lapine and Sondheim, as well as most of the production team, and with a treasure trove of personal photographs, sketches, script notes, and sheet music, the two Broadway icons lift the curtain on their beloved musical. Putting It Together is a deeply personal remembrance of their collaboration and friendship and the highs and lows of that journey, one that resulted in the beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning classic.

©2021 James Lapine (P)2021 Recorded Books
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Putting It Together

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    186
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    149
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    167
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really hard not to give this all 5 stars

While the performances are great, this is one time I wish it had only been one narrator. The content is fascinating and it’s all performed well; but knowing what the actual people interviewed sound like in real life, I found it distracting to have someone else read their interviews because it took me out of the story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the Story, Not the Performances

If you’re a fan of Sondheim, Lapine or just theater in general, you’ll love this behind the scenes look into the making of a difficult show. The voice actors, however, take you out of the story. There’s no attempt to match even well-known people to what their natural speaking voices sound like. Many of them sound like they’re voicing a Lexapro ad — forced, & almost like they’re making an effort to imitate human speech. Very distracting. But otherwise, it’s well written, honest & it drew me in.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An absolute must-listen!

What a gift this is to the musical theatre world! Honest, meticulous, fascinating, funny, poignant - James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim have opened our eyes to the amazing journey of creating this masterpiece work. I enjoyed every minute and every detail!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful …

… and exhilarating. Fantastic to hear the amazing Len Cariou as Sondheim. Wish that the folks still with us said their own words, though. A bit jarring to hear others say the words of such recognizable voices as Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, Christine Baranski, etc. Still fabulous, though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

really great history of "putting it together"

really worth the listen.
my only quibble is with the editing. sometimes there's too much of a pause between performers lines. but I gave the performance 5 stars because the performers themselves were fantastic. do listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Marvelous

It’s a marvelous book about the development, history, and people who created an amazing musical - one of my favorites.

It wasn’t structured how I imagined it would be, it’s better. Instead of a recitation of facts, it plays out through a series of short conversations between the author and the people involved in the musical’s creation. Interspersed with Lapine’s personal recollections, insights, and emotions.

In addition to specifics about the individuals and the musical, it delves into the complex process of staging a production, and artistic theory and practice.

The use of several narrators serves the material very well.

Recommended to those who’d like a peek behind the curtain, more so if you admire the works of Sondheim, and especially to fans of this wonderful musical.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a great backstory!

I enjoyed this book so much because I love Sunday in the Park with George. I wish we could have the backstory on all of Sondheim’s musicals. This book is a treat!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Certainly a great read

Most certainly a magnificent read. The content was very enlightening and entertaining. Highly recommend if you are a fan of the theater.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book and narrator…

Not a musical theater “person” but a long time lover of the theater in general. This is by far the finest book on the creation of a work of art I’ve encountered. The story of the musical mirrors the relationship of the author and Stephen Sondheim. It’s a very enjoyable listen…Lupine can be self-indulgent but he also doesn’t shy away from relating conflict (which he sometimes is the cause of), portrayed as a normal part of artistic collaboration. This isn’t just great gossip (which it sometimes is) but a real exploration of creativity. Great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If your passion is theater…

If your passion is theater, this book will be your new passion for the next few days.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!