#30-Sondheim and Board Games

Our latest episode focuses on welcoming NYU Game Center co-founder Eric Zimmerman to discuss Stephen Sondheim’s board game designs as experience-forward, theatrical “art pieces.” Barry and Eric examine Sondheim’s 1953 game Stardom (or The Game of Camp), inspired by a Hollywood stars’ homes map and featuring rituals, hidden goals, props, and a climb through stardom by secretly “sleeping with” assigned actresses; Joseph shares Sondheim’s letter registering the rules and stating intent to market the game, plus notes on possible re-skins. They also discuss Sondheim’s birthday game for producer Hal Prince (Producer/The Game of Hal Prince), using hand-typed cards with gossip, critics, and Broadway’s economic systems, and Sondheim’s three-game 50th-birthday set for Leonard Bernstein, The Great Conductor Hunt—Diploma (with recorded “chance” audio), Itinerary, and the Lucite mazed Podium (two designed by Milton Glaser). 00:00 Theater Meets Games 00:49 Meet Eric Zimmerman 03:23 Games as Art Culture 05:58 Trivia and Ritual Start 07:26 Stardom Camp Hollywood 14:35 Rules Hidden Goals 19:22 Props and Commercial Plans 23:31 The Game of Producer for Hal Prince 27:42 The Great Conductor Hunt for Leonard Bernstein 35:40 Stars are shining bright! Special Links: Eric Zimmerman NYU’s Game Center Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode: the Musical Stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, our line producer Dennis Caouki, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy and sung by the one only Anne Morrison, currently on the road starring in Kimberly Akimbo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices