Studs Who Sang Sondheim

Friday marked the loss of one of the great geniuses of the theatre, Stephen Sondheim.

The legendary composer and lyricist created such memorable shows as Company, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods. If his musicals aren’t enough to endear him to the gay community, I can think of something else that can: Some incredibly hot men have appeared in the works of Stephen Sondheim!

Let’s have a look at some of the Sondheim Studs.

Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins was more than just Norman Bates in Psycho  (though let’s face it, that’s enough to make him a gay icon…) He was also a highly acclaimed stage actor and singer who appeared in a number of early Sondheim projects. After starring in Sondheim’s television musical Evening Primrose, Perkins co-wrote with him the now cult classic murder mystery The Last of Sheila in 1973.

The two were very close friends (and rumored to be more than that) for many years.

Larry Kert

One of the earliest and most acclaimed interpreters of Sondheim’s work was Broadway tenor Larry Kert. Kert originated the role of Tony in the first Broadway production of West Side Story in 1957, for which Sondheim wrote the unforgettable lyrics. Kert’s second greatest triumph after West Side was as Bobby in the original production of Sondheim’s Company. Both Sondheim and Kert took home Tonys for their work in this classic musical. In the show, Kert played a notorious playboy who is taking advantage of three different women. Ironic, since Larry Kert was known as one of the most out and active gay men in New York City theatre.

The gender-bending revival has now triumphantly returned to Broadway, and stars hot, out actors Matt Doyle and Claybourne Elder.

Victor Garber

Before he was the noble Mr. Andrews in Titanic or the Dad on Alias, Victor Garber was a super talented song and dance man who had started in musicals in the 1970s. Among his performances in Sondheim works are John Wilkes Booth in Assassins,, Anthony in Sweeney Todd and Frederick in A Little Night Music. In addition to being talented and handsome, Garber has always been out and proud. He married his longtime (hot) partner in 2015.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp may have seemed like odd casting for the lead in the film version of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Things got even weirder when he played the wolf in Into the Woods. This didn't stop the fans, including Sondheim himself who called Depp's performance “remarkable.”

Jake Gyllenhaal

As talented as he is handsome, Jake Gyllenhaal can seemingly do it all, including Sondheim. Gyllenhaal played the title character in the latest Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George, and there's rumor of a film adaptation on the way starring the Brokeback Mountain hunk. Now what about Saturday Night in the Bed with George?

Hugh Jackman

With his highly-anticipated revival of The Music Man set to open on Broadway next month, Hugh Jackman might be the biggest male star currently in musical theatre. Ironically though, Jackman has yet to appear in any major productions of a Sondheim musical. But who really gives a fuck! He’s Hugh (come out already and take me this instant) Jackman! Following Sondheim’s death, Jackman released a beautiful statement on Twitter saying, “Every so often someone comes along that fundamentally shifts an entire art form. Stephen Sondheim was one of those.”