Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies.”

On this day (April 4th, 1971), Stephen Sondheim’s musical "Follies" opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. It ran for 524 performances and became the most expensive Broadway musical at the time.

It is a nostalgic, bittersweet musical set at a reunion of former showgirls in a crumbling Broadway theatre scheduled for demolition. As they gather, past and present collide. Characters confront lost dreams, regrets, and the realities of ageing.

The story mainly follows two couples: Sally and Buddy, and Phyllis and Ben. It shows their relationships unravelling as memories and “ghosts” of their younger selves appear onstage.

Famous Sondheim songs that appear in the production include 

“Losing My Mind”

“I’m Still Here”

“Could I Leave You?”

“Broadway Baby”

“Too Many Mornings”

This original Broadway production was directed by Harold Prince and Michael Bennett and won seven Tony Awards from eleven nominations.