--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Musicals are — particularly musicals…" description: "\"Musicals are — particularly musicals — plays also, but musicals particularly are… the last collaborator is your audience, and so you’ve got to wait ’ti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/stephen-sondheim-1556_audience_musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays_1173646.jpg" --- # Musicals are — particularly musicals — plays also, but… ![“Musicals are — particularly musicals — plays also, but musicals particularly are… the last collaborator is your audience, and so you’ve got to wait ’til the last collaborator comes in before you can complete the collaboration.” quote by Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/stephen-sondheim-1556_audience_musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays_1173646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/stephen-sondheim-1556_audience_musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays_1173646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/stephen-sondheim-1556_audience_musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays_1173646.jpg) > “Musicals are — particularly musicals — plays also, but musicals particularly are… the last collaborator is your audience, and so you’ve got to wait ’til the last collaborator comes in before you can complete the collaboration.” [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Musicals rely on audience participation as the final collaborator to complete the work. **In simple terms:** Audience finishes the performance. Key Takeaway Engage the audience fully. Themes theatre collaboration audience Mood creative thoughtful Type theatrical educational When to use this quote - live concerts - improv shows - film screenings Key Concepts performance theory interactive art Questions to Reflect On - How can performers invite audience involvement? - What role does the audience play in storytelling? A Different Perspective Audience may be disengaged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Collaborators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaborators/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicals/) [Musicals Particularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicals-particularly-3412640/) [Musicals Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicals-plays-3218321/) [Particularly Musicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particularly-musicals-3412641/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plays Musicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-musicals-1722211/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [Musicals are plays, but the last collaborator is your audience, so you've got to wait 'til the last collaborator comes in before you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-plays-but-the-last-collaborator-is-your-audience-so-you/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Before 'Grey's Anatomy,' I was doing musicals, plays, commercials, you name it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandra-wilson/before-grey-s-anatomy-i-was-doing-musicals-plays-commercials-you-name/) [Chandra Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandra-wilson/) > [You can easily become boxed in and be only identified with musicals or plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-paice/you-can-easily-become-boxed-in-and-be-only-identified-with-musicals/) [Jill Paice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-paice/) > [I don't see that many plays, and for me, musicals are rarely pleasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-don-t-see-that-many-plays-and-for-me-musicals-are-rarely-pleasing/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I majored in theater. I did plays. But musicals were not my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daveed-diggs/i-majored-in-theater-i-did-plays-but-musicals-were-not-my-thing/) [Daveed Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daveed-diggs/) > [I love film scores and opera, and I wanted to work in those forms. But theater was more accessible. And no one was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-britting/i-love-film-scores-and-opera-and-i-wanted-to-work-in-those-forms-but/) [Jeff Britting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-britting/) > [I did a lot of stage plays and musicals, and my first proper acting job was on 'Holby City' when I was 15.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ryan/i-did-a-lot-of-stage-plays-and-musicals-and-my-first-proper-acting/) [Lee Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ryan/) > [I write plays, and I have a musical that's starting to get produced now. That's what I would love to do, but it's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-write-plays-and-i-have-a-musical-that-s-starting-to-get-produced/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [I don't see that many plays, and for me, musicals are rarely pleasing. I feel the actors are being put through a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-don-t-see-that-many-plays-and-for-me-musicals-are-rarely-pleasing-i/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [Magic in plays and musicals, I think, is more often created because of the work of an incredible company rather than a single component.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arden/magic-in-plays-and-musicals-i-think-is-more-often-created-because-of/) [Michael Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arden/) > [People in their early 20s are not often considered the target demographic for new plays; musicals have had much more success in exploring that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-downs-colaizzo/people-in-their-early-20s-are-not-often-considered-the-target/) [Paul Downs Colaizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-downs-colaizzo/) > [Maybe I'm old-fashioned. But I remember the beauty and thrill of being moved by Broadway musicals - particularly the endings of shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hamlisch/maybe-i-m-old-fashioned-but-i-remember-the-beauty-and-thrill-of-being/) [Marvin Hamlisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hamlisch/) > [I started performing in high school. There was a pretty great drama department at my school, and that's when I started doing plays and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missi-pyle/i-started-performing-in-high-school-there-was-a-pretty-great-drama/) [Missi Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missi-pyle/) > [I've got three sons, and two of them would absolutely hate being on the stage and never liked appearing in their school plays or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-morgan/i-ve-got-three-sons-and-two-of-them-would-absolutely-hate-being-on/) [Piers Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-morgan/) > [The last collaborator is your audience ... when the audience comes in, it changes the temperature of what you've written. Things that seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/the-last-collaborator-is-your-audience-when-the-audience-comes-in-it/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) ## More by Stephen Sondheim > [I have, by nature, an analytical mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-have-by-nature-an-analytical-mind/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [“They all deserve to die. Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why. Because in all of the whole human race Mrs Lovett, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/they-all-deserve-to-die-tell-you-why-mrs-lovett-tell-you-why-because/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [It's not so hard to be married, I've done it three or four times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/it-s-not-so-hard-to-be-married-i-ve-done-it-three-or-four-times/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I don't find my life that interesting. The shows, maybe. But not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-don-t-find-my-life-that-interesting-the-shows-maybe-but-not-me/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [“Careful the things you say, Children will listen. Careful the things you do, Children will see. And learn. Children may not obey But children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/careful-the-things-you-say-children-will-listen-careful-the-things/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [“Because in all of the whole human race Mrs. Lovett, there are two kinds of men and only two There's the one staying put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/because-in-all-of-the-whole-human-race-mrs-lovett-there-are-two-kinds/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I love computers. I love writing on them. I love gadgetry. The thing is: I am a slow reader. So, if I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-love-computers-i-love-writing-on-them-i-love-gadgetry-the-thing-is/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I have inherited my father's sense of humour about myself. It's a lot more pleasant to make fun of yourself than when someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-have-inherited-my-father-s-sense-of-humour-about-myself-it-s-a-lot/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-prefer-neurotic-people-i-like-to-hear-rumblings-beneath-the-surface/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I'm sure many writers have these strange, tiny little habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-m-sure-many-writers-have-these-strange-tiny-little-habits/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Musicals are, by nature, theatrical, meaning poetic, meaning having to move the audience's imagination and create a suspension of disbelief, by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-by-nature-theatrical-meaning-poetic-meaning-having-to/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Nowadays, there are sometimes more producers than there are people in the cast, because it takes that much money to put a show on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/nowadays-there-are-sometimes-more-producers-than-there-are-people-in/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Perpetual anticipation is good for the soul but it's bad for the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/perpetual-anticipation-is-good-for-the-soul-but-it-s-bad-for-the-heart/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I was watching him crawl, Back over the wall-! Then bang! Crash! And the lightning flash! And- well, that's another story, Never mind- Anyway...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-was-watching-him-crawl-back-over-the-wall-then-bang-crash-and-the/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I'm always conscious of what I'm writing, conscious of what the actor may ask me. I have a defense for nearly every line in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-m-always-conscious-of-what-i-m-writing-conscious-of-what-the-actor/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) [Explore all 228 Stephen Sondheim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Musicals are — particularly musicals — plays also, but musicals particularly are… the last collaborator is your audience, and so you’ve got to wait ’til the last collaborator comes in before you can complete the collaboration.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Sondheim" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays-also-but-musicals/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays-also-but-musicals/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/stephen-sondheim-1556_audience_musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays_1173646.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/stephen-sondheim-1556_audience_musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays_1173646.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/stephen-sondheim-1556_audience_musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays_1173646.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Musicals are — particularly musicals — plays also, but musicals particularly are… the last collaborator is…” — Stephen Sondheim", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stephen Sondheim", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Musicals are — particularly musicals —...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays-also-but-musicals/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-particularly-musicals-plays-also-but-musicals/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```