Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Podcast

Let me give you more to hear! A bonus episode. Revisit my interview with Richard Schoch, author of How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, exploring how Sondheim's works and different analytical lenses bring out varied interpretations. Dig deeper into the promotional jigsaw puzzles for the The Last of Sheila. Listen to anecdotes from my experience with the first-ever alternative reality game, The Beast. We’ll end with reflections on publishing a new book, sharing poignant advice for aspiring authors from Richard Schoch, and highlighting how the release of my book has resonated with readers and fans alike. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 The GIve Us More episode (Podcast) 01:57 1. Richard Schock and Anyone Can Whistle 07:53 2. The Last of Sheila's Promotional Jigsaw Puzzles 33:05 5. Richard Schoch, Puzzle Boxes, and Advice to Authors with Upcoming Books 47:37 7. Broadway Radio Show Recommendation 48:14 8. Katz JCC Q&A Special Links: Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis Reality Escape Pod Richard Schoch The Last of Sheila production short Bernie De Koven’s The Well-Played Game Matthew Farber and Tracy Fullerton’s The Well-Read Game The Grammar Girl Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are formally invited to my Sondheim game night party, already underway. Join previous guests David Spira, Kellian Adams, and James McCusker as we tackle and explore Sondheim's intricate world of parlor games, such as Running Charades, The Listening Game, Bartletts, Camouflage, Hostilities, and The Murder Game. Discussions touch on game history, clever designs, and the emotional nuances Sondheim orchestrated. Learn why Kellian calls Sondheim an “Ace Human Hacker” and why this is my favorite episode to date!  Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 Introduction to Matching Minds with Sondheim 00:57 Welcome to the Halloween Party 02:06 First Guests Arrive 04:58 Discussing Parlor Games 08:33 Exploring the Listening Game 14:23 Running Charades: Sondheim's Twist 18:26 Playing Bartletts: A Creative Challenge 27:23 Camouflage: Hidden in Plain Sight 33:57 Introducing the Game 'Hostilities' 34:38 Rules and Mechanics of 'Hostilities' 38:05 Reflecting on the Brutality of 'Hostilities' 47:11 Exploring the Murder Game 58:00 Sondheim's Approach to Game Design 01:03:24 Closing Thoughts and Reflections Special Links: Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis Club Drosselmeyer Melissa Errico Sondheim In the City The American Girl's Handy Book Stephen Schiff  Richard Maltby, Jr. Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by the one and only Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along.  And please welcome our new line producer, Dennis Caouki. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please join me as we revisit my guest spots on Hello Puzzler, a delightful podcast hosted by AJ Jacobs and his Chief puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. Each week, they have a celebrity guest who appears across three episodes, and they then toss puzzles at them like peanuts to an elephant. However, to me it was more like knives to a juggler who can't juggle. I tried. Really, I tried. So today you can listen to my second and third appearance. In the first one, Greg challenged me with an inventive and hilarious Sondheim theme puzzle. I'll let him explain how it works. But all you who know the names of Sondheim songs will especially enjoy playing from home. Then in my final appearance, I get to relax and turn the tables on them. I found a number of Sondheim's own puzzles from crosswords and treasure hunts, and challenged both AJ and Greg to try and solve them. Give it a shot at home and see if you do a better job than they did at… matching minds with Sondheim. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 Introduction to the Puzzle Concept 05:07 Introducing Steven Sandheim 05:26 The Twist: One Letter Changes Everything 05:40 Example: West Side Stork 06:06 Explaining the Puzzle Format 06:13 First Puzzle Challenge Special Links: Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis The Wonderful World of Words Weekend The Hello Puzzler Podcast Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by the one and only Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What. An. Episode! This one focuses on Stephen Sondheim's relationship with video games... sort of. This episode is hard to describe. The audio from today comes from a podcast I was a guest on by Dennis Hensley called Dennis Anyone? So is this just a re-podcast? Well, no. This is my own edit of that episode. See, this is what happened: Dennis invited me onto his podcast, then about an hour in his friend joined us. His name is also Dennis. So this episode could be called A Tale of Two Dennis. Let's call him Dennis 2. It turns out Dennis 2 was friends with Sondheim for around 35 years playing digital games with him. In fact, Sondheim would fly Dennis 2 out from LA just for weekend marathon play sessions of games like Myst and Oxyd. The thing is, Dennis 2 had never spoken publicly about his relationship with Sondheim. Even when Sondheim sent his biographer Meryle Secrest in the nineties to interview him. He never spoke about his relationship with Sondheim until this podcast episode, and it was pretty remarkable. Dennis 1 invited me to be both guest and host, so I got to interview Dennis 2 as well. As you know, my book is based on conversations with and information from over 120 people. But other than John Weidman, no one else spoke with me about playing digital games with Sondheim and how it framed their relationship. And no one shared photos with me. Until Dennis 2. It has been quite a trip! so please join me as we revisit it  together. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 The Mysterious Invitation 00:43 Introduction to the Episode 01:21 A Tale of Two Dennis 01:32 Sondheim's Gaming Obsession 12:22 The Myst Experience 28:24 Sondheim's Humble Beginnings 30:10 The Last of Sheila: A Lifelong Bond 32:14 Games and Mentorship 35:49 Creative Criticism and Friendship 38:49 The Doctor is Out: A Critical Review 40:55 Sondheim's Puzzle Legacy 45:09 Reflections and Final Thoughts Special Links: Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis "Dennis Anyone?" podcast Video of Oxyd in Sondheim’s issue of Games Magazine: https://youtube.com/shorts/A-fnPWuzU0U?feature=shareThanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. And SPECIAL thanks to both Dennis Osborne and Dennis Hensley! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special event at the New York Public Library for Performing Arts, Barry Joseph launches his new book, Matching Minds with Sondheim. The session dives into Stephen Sondheim's intricate world of puzzles and games, enriched by anecdotes from Joseph's extensive research, emphasizing the roles of research institutions in the development of the project. Attendees participate in an interactive game inspired by Sondheim, and hear from guest speakers including Richard Maltby Jr. (director and producer, lyricist, and screenwriter) and Daria Begley (writer for The Sondheim Society). Joseph shares insights into Sondheim's creative process, his love for puzzles, and his method of creating clarity and connection through games, offering a unique perspective on the Broadway legend. This event was recorded at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. All rights reserved. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:15 Introducing Barry Joseph and His Book 02:11 Acknowledgements and Special Thanks 03:00 Interactive Audience Participation 04:04 Honoring Those Who Contributed 05:37 Exploring Sondheim's Puzzles and Games 09:24 Sondheim's Unique Card Game 12:47 Sondheim's Board Games for Bernstein 19:30 Playing Sondheim's Murder Game 22:08 Insights from Richard Malty Jr. 29:17 Sondheim's Jurassic Treasure Hunt 32:07 Daria Begley's Winning Experience 36:10 Sondheim's Puzzle Philosophy 37:25 Book Release and Q&A Special Links: Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis Richard Maltby American Museum of Natural History Michelle King Lost for Words: A Party Card Game of Untranslatable Feelings The blog post about this event, with photos (including the one with Daria, her T.rex, and the audience).  Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we unpack the 1973 murder mystery film The Last of Sheila, written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins. The discussion features guest James McCusker, a 45-year fan of Sondheim and a college composition professor. They explore the movie's origins, the unique parlor games that inspired the screenplay, and its impact on pop culture. Additional insights are provided by David Leopold from the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, highlighting Hirschfeld's unique promotional artwork for the film. The episode concludes by examining the film's game design elements and how they reflect Sondheim's creative mind. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 Introduction to The Last of Sheila 01:26 Meet the Hosts: Barry and James 02:39 Origins of The Last of Sheila 05:02 Sondheim and Perkins: A Creative Partnership 13:52 The Games in The Last of Sheila 23:41 Exploring the Mysteries in Sheila 31:13 Clinton's Game and the Broken Pattern 32:23 The True Purpose of Clinton's Party 34:59 The Promotion and Press Book 36:23 Al Hirschfeld's Contribution 48:31 The Impact of 'The Last of Sheila' 53:53 Sondheim's Puzzle Design Values 57:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Special Links: Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis The Al Hirschfeld Foundation Hirschfeld's Sondheim: A Poster Book Animation from Sondheim’s notes at the Library of Congress that create a crossword grid of the actor’s names. The Last of Sheila production short Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by the one and only Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In It's Puzzling: The Power of Crosswords and Games, host Natan Last, author of the cultural history of crosswords, Across the Universe, moderates a discussion at the Brooklyn Book Festival with Barry Joseph, game designer and author of Matching Minds with Sondheim, and Juliana Pache, the creator of Black Crossword. The conversation delves into the cultural significance of games and puzzles and how they reflect history and community. Barry shares insights from his book while Juliana discusses the creation of Black Crossword and how it connects the African diaspora through daily mini puzzles. They explore themes such as the joy of solving cryptic crosswords, the social dynamics of community-based puzzles, and the personal impacts of puzzling on their own lives. The episode also introduces listeners to the intricacies of cryptic crosswords and how Sondheim popularized them in America. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 Introduction and Book Tour Updates 01:54 Brooklyn Book Festival Panel Introduction 02:49 Meet the Panelists 04:20 The Cultural Significance of Games and Puzzles 09:05 Creating Black Crossword 11:58 Sondheim's Fascination with Games 13:38 The Intersection of Puzzles and Culture 20:00 Challenges and Innovations in Crossword Puzzles 25:55 The Everything Bagel Crossword Controversy 26:25 The Art of Clue Writing 28:38 Community and Crosswords 30:32 The Power of Black Crosswords 34:42 Cryptic Crosswords Explained 37:08 Sondheim's Puzzle Legacy 41:42 Personal Stories and Puzzle Connections 44:26 Closing Thoughts on Crosswords and Community Special Links: Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis Natan Last Juliana Pache Brooklyn Book Festival Locavore Variety Store Recent talk: Interview and book reading at The Drama Book Shop Recent talk: Playing and Composing with Graduate Students at NYU Recent talk: Sondheim Week at the New York Public Library for The Performing Arts Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Exhibit Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by the one and only Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kellian Adams Pletcher, a game designer and immersive-theater creator, and Robert Lee, a book writer and chair of NYU Tisch's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, dive into Stephen Sondheim's playful genius in designing the 2013 City Center Treasure Hunt. They discuss Sondheim's love for puzzles and games, share memorable anecdotes from participants, and break down the intricate mechanics behind each clue. The conversation explores the overlap between game design and musical theater, highlighting Sondheim's intellectual generosity and his desire to entertain and challenge friends.

Barry Joseph and guest Andrew Parr page through Stephen Sondheim's passion for puzzle and game magazines. From Sondheim's early fascination with cryptic crosswords to his last major interview about puzzles, this episode uncovers how these collections provided inspiration for his works. Discover how Sondheim managed and preserved his assemblage, hear contributions from renowned puzzle creators, and explore the generational impact of Sondheim's puzzling endeavors. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:42 Introducing Tonight's Episode 01:56 Meet Andrew Parr 03:43 Andrew's Puzzle Box Journey 05:22 Connecting with Sondheim 08:13 Sondheim's Puzzle Collection 13:56 The Doyle Auction Experience 23:13 Unboxing Sondheim's Collection 25:34 Stephen Sondheim's Quest for Eye-Witness 26:41 The Significance of Games and Puzzles Magazine 28:29 Games Magazine and the 4-Star Puzzler 29:36 Stephen Sondheim's Puzzle-Solving Habits 36:55 Sondheim's Markings and Interests in Games 42:58 The Impact of Sondheim's Collection 47:08 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections Special Links: Results from Sondheim auction Andrew Parr’s True North Puzzles Dr. Nicholas Phillips’ AffineCreations Games World of Puzzles magazine The Strong Museum of Play Colm Molloy Ann Morrison Mateo Chavez Lewis Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically transcription and text editing by Jenny Westfall, the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by the one and only Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we revisit the historic, jaw-dropping June 18th, 2024, Doyle Auction featuring items from the collection of Steven Sondheim. The episode explores the special day through interviews by Barry Joseph with guests Grace O'Keefe, Michael Mitnick, and Pat D’Amico, who share their experiences and emotional journeys related to Sondheim memorabilia. The discussion covers the auction's catalog, its exhibit, the auction day, and the aftermath. Highlights include personal stories, bidding wars, and the unique community of Sondheim enthusiasts that emerged, spreading the iconic artist’s legacy in meaningful ways. Make sure to get the book everywhere books are found, ⁠⁠or click here⁠⁠. 00:00 Introduction to Matching Minds with Sondheim 00:52 Meet the Guests: Grace, Michael, and Pat 02:36 The Auction Overview: Catalog, Exhibit, Auction, Aftermath 03:37 Chapter One: The Auction Catalog 12:22 Chapter Two: The Exhibit 18:57 Chapter Three: The Auction Begins 23:26 The Auction Room Buzz 23:59 Bidding Stories and Experiences 24:37 Online Bidding Challenges 25:47 Winning and Losing at the Auction 28:03 The Long Auction Day 29:10 Grace's Mission for Tarot Cards 31:23 The Auction's Grand Finale 32:59 The Aftermath and Community Spirit 41:17 Personal Reflections and New Beginnings 45:22 Closing Remarks and Future Plans Special Links: Pat’s Estate Sale 2: For the Rest of Us Results from Sondheim auction Full pdf of the Dolye auction lots Thanks to everyone who contributed behind the scenes to this episode, specifically transcription and text editing by Jenny Westfall, the musical stingers composed by Mateo Chavez Lewis, and the theme song to our podcast with lyrics and music by Colm Molloy, and sung by the one and only Ann Morrison, who created the role of Mary in Merrily We Roll Along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices