What's Wrong with Superficial?": Sondheim and Ives's Here We Are as a Case Study of Modern Adaptation

Publication Date

2025

Presentation Length

15 minutes

College

College of Music & Performing Arts

Department

Theatre and Dance, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

SPARK Category

Scholarship

Faculty Advisor

Dr. James Al-Shamma

WELL Core Type

Intellectual Wellness

SPARK Session

Theatre History

Presentation Type

Talk/Oral

Summary

Many would consider adaptation to be the backbone of the American musical. For almost a century, audiences have been drawn all over the world to see their favorite stories presented on the stage as musical spectacles. However, in recent years, Broadway has become oversaturated with adaptations, prompting audiences to turn to original works. This begs the question: Do modern audiences hate adaptations in general? Or do they just hate bad ones?

Enter Stephen Sondheim, a musical theatre titan known for his decades-long career composing music for his innovative - and mostly successful - musical adaptations. In the final years of his life, Sondheim would collaborate with playwright David Ives to create Here We Are, a musical adaptation that combines two films by surrealist director Luis Buñuel: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise and The Exterminating Angel. By examining this musical and the circumstances under which it was conceived, I seek to answer whether or not Here We Are can be considered a good adaptation, and in turn, what sets apart a good adaptation from a bad one.

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