Liz Callaway came home last night to deliver a love letter. Not a private note, but a public tribute on the Studebaker Theater stage, where she sang the works of Stephen Sondheim and acknowledged the impact the Broadway titan had on her career and the personal connection they shared over the last 40 years.
The daughter of famed Chicago broadcast journalist John Callaway, the singer performed a Sondheim review she first created at the New York cabaret 54 Below shortly after the composer's death in 2021, full of performances of both well-known numbers (Follies' "Broadway Baby" and "In Buddy's Eyes") and hidden gems ("What More Do I Need" from early and still-unproduced Saturday Night; "What do We Do? We Fly" from the Richard Rodgers collaboration Do I Hear a Waltz). But beyond Callaway's always-impeccable musical phrasing and bell-like vocal tone, maybe the most engrossing part of the evening were the stories she shared about the difference Sondheim made in her career.
As she recounts on stage, Callaway's introduction to Sondheim was an early one: she was taken by her parents to see Company at the Alvin Theater (now the Neil Simon Theatre)—perhaps not the most usual Broadway introduction for a 10-year-old. Still, that performance made an indelible impression on the young girl and, one decade later, she was on the exact same stage, performing in a new musical by the composer: the famous success d'estime but commercial flop Merrily We Roll Along.
As Callaway acknowledges near the end of the evening, "It all goes back to Merrily," which served as the springboard for her Broadway career and eventually established her as one of the foremost interpreters of Sondheim's genius—something on full display at Saturday's performance, beginning with her opening number: a medley of Company's title song, plus “Someone in a Tree” from Pacific Overtures and “I Know Things Now” from Into the Woods.
Sondheim's not easy, of course, not even for as seasoned a performer as Callaway, as she recounts in an anecdote about the last time she sang Sondheim in Chicago: a 2006 Millenium Park tribute concert (with Sondheim in the audience) where she sang the infamous tongue-twister "Not Getting Married Today." A moment she evokes with a parody of another Sondheim nugget: “Another Hundred People”—now christened "Another Hundred Lyrics" as she frantically sings about the complex arrangements and intricate lyrics listeners relish and performers dread.
The evening was a testament to Callaway's versatility and deep connection to Sondheim's work. Her performance of "Send in the Clowns" was a masterclass in emotional nuance, capturing the song's bittersweet essence. "I Remember" from Evening Primrose showcased her ability to bring lesser-known works to life with the same passion and precision as the classics.
Accompanied by pianist Alex Rybeck, Callaway's performance was both polished and spontaneous. Rybeck's arrangements complemented her voice perfectly, creating a seamless blend of piano and vocals that enhanced the emotional impact of each song. Their on-stage chemistry (and long-term—40 years!—collaboration) added an extra layer of magic to the evening.
The Studebaker Theater's intimate setting and impeccable acoustics provided the perfect backdrop for Callaway's tribute. The audience, a mix of longtime fans, local friends and family (including—notably–Callaway's equally accomplished sister Ann Hampton Callaway) were treated to a sensitive performance that delivered Sondheim with maximum emotional punch, even outside the narrative context of the shows the songs were written for.
Near the end of the show, Callaway said that this homecoming concert was something she had wanted to do for a long time, but had struggled to find the right location here in town to perform the show. For Chicago lovers of Sondheim, of Callaway and of musical theater in general—that's a very sad sentiment to hear. Surely, this town should be brimming with venues suitable for these sorts of performances. I am very glad that that the Studebaker was able to make Callaway's desire a reality; I hope it is the start of many more such dreams for Chicago audiences to enjoy.
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