Loving You: The Untold Sondheim Podcast By Martin Milnes & Peter E Jones cover art

Loving You: The Untold Sondheim

Loving You: The Untold Sondheim

By: Martin Milnes & Peter E Jones
Listen for free

Made by Steve's friends, with Steve friends.All rights reserved. Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Music
Episodes
  • Come Play Wiz Me | Sondheim's Parties, Puzzles, Games & Ambivalence

    Come Play Wiz Me | Sondheim's Parties, Puzzles, Games & Ambivalence
    Apr 9 2026

    A rib-tickling whirlwind tour exploring how Stephen Sondheim’s passions for puzzles, games and parties reveal the man behind the myth. Steve’s glorious humour and skill are celebrated by Sondheim’s chum Martin Milnes and Steve’s first love Peter E. Jones, alongside Ronan Farrow, Mia Farrow, Patti LuPone, Adam Guettel, Jamie Bernstein, James Lapine, John Weidman and more.

    “What happens when two dames from Planet S come from Outer Space hit Earth? Your sides will explode with merry Martian marital mix-ups!” – Stephen Sondheim


    Discover how Patti bonded with Steve during Mia’s magical ‘Full Moon Parties’; Steve’s excitement over his and Ronan’s favourite video game; why Steve used pot while writing; and much, much more … including untold stories about ‘It’!

    “He loved games because there are solutions. There are solutions that there aren't in real life. There's a way to get the answer. There's no bloody answer in real life.” – Maria Friedman


    CHAPTERS:

    00:00 - Ronan Farrow: Steve & Video Games

    02:46 - Games & Puzzles: Steve’s ‘Perspicacity’

    12:23 - Cryptics & Treasure Hunts

    18:35 - Anagrams & Parlour Games

    27:54 - Musical Parties: Steve, Hal & Lena

    32:36 - ‘Full Moon’ Parties: Steve, Mia & Patti

    37:17 - Steve & Pot: ‘The most audacious thing I had ever seen’

    42:26 - Ambivalence, Acceptance & Spatulas

    50:23 - Joshua & Mia: ‘It’ and ‘Serious Consideration’

    58:13 - Laying Rumours To Rest

    Subscribe to Loving You: The Untold Sondheim on Apple and all good podcast apps to get every episode the moment it is released.

    SUPPORT THE SHOW:

    ► SUBSCRIBE to Loving You: The Untold Sondheim in your podcast app and be sure to get every episode the moment it is released.

    ► RATE & REVIEW Leave a review in your podcast app and tell other Sondheim fans why they should listen.

    ► SHARE Don't keep it to yourself! Share Loving You: The Untold Sondheim with other Sondheim fans you know.

    ► FOLLOW Loving You: The Untold Sondheim on Instagram.

    CREDITS

    Hosts and Producers: Martin Milnes and Peter E. Jones

    Executive Producer: Jason Caffrey

    Produced in partnership with: Creative Kin

    Mixing and Mastering: Chris Traves
    Directed, Devised and Written by Martin Milnes

    CAST AND VOICE ACTORS

    Alistair McGowan, Daniel Cane, Charlotte Page, Arthur Magee, Yeukayi Ushe, Tom Hopcroft, James Gower-Smith, Samuel Black, Rebecca Ridout, Jude Peters, Melissa Redman, Mehran James McCullough, Becky Hopcroft, Maya Post, Rosanna Roscoe, Colm Molloy, Jonathan Christopher, Simon Butteriss.


    DRAMATIC RE-ENACTMENTS
    Written by:     Martin Milnes
    Produced by: Peter E. Jones


    MUSIC AND SCORE

    Original Score Composed by: Peter E. Jones
    Music and Lyrics of Stephen Sondheim: Courtesy of The Stephen Sondheim Trust

    Sondheim and Bernstein Instrumental Tracks: Provided by Broadway Studio Orchestra

    Music of Stephen Sondheim: Played by Colm Molloy

    ‘Come Play Wiz Me’ (Sondheim): Played by The National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by John Owen Edwards

    The Good Life Theme Music: Composed by Burt Rhodes


    FEATURED SONGS & VOCAL PERFORMANCES

    "Thanks A Lot, But No Thanks” (Previn, Comden & Green): Sung by Dolores Gray
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Anything You Do, Let It Come From You | Sondheim: The Mentor

    Anything You Do, Let It Come From You | Sondheim: The Mentor
    Apr 2 2026

    Presenting the exclusive story of Stephen Sondheim’s Oxford University Masterclass. For six months in 1990, Steve personally mentored 13 hand-picked young composer-lyricists in a classroom setting. In this episode, for the first time ever, Steve’s protegees’ reunite to share their never-before-heard testimony about how Steve shaped not just their careers – but their entire lives.


    “To a musical theatre writer, studying with Stephen Sondheim is like a Christian meeting Jesus. And I measure my life in before and after.” Leslie Arden

    Steve always said ‘Teaching is the sacred profession’ – but how did it feel to receive Sondheim’s committed mentorship? For his students, what was the long-term personal impact of Steve’s dedicated teaching? And discover how Steve’s six months in Oxford became just as important to him as it did to his protegees.

    “This is not just about musicals. He changed our lives. He changed the direction and scent of our lives.” Ed Hardy

    Join Sondheim’s chum Martin Milnes – and first love Peter E. Jones – for a unique tribute to Steve The Mentor. With guest appearances from Sondheim protegee Lin-Manuel Miranda, Steve’s contemporaries Maltby & Shire, and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Bill Deamer.

    CHAPTERS:

    00:00 - Lin-Manuel: Larson & Sondheim

    02:01 - The Sacred Profession: Maltby & Shire and Bill Deamer

    09:24 - Introducing The 1990 Oxford Masterclass

    13:56 - ‘He changed our lives’: Ed Hardy and Leslie Arden

    19:43 - January 1990: The Masterclass Begins

    25:41 - Sondheim: The Teacher

    30:49 - Steve Meets Julian and Lionel

    33:24 - A Day In The Death of Joe Egg

    37:59 - Sunday & Ed’s Confession

    45:26 - The Masterclass Concludes

    48:32 - ‘Move On’: Life after Oxford

    53:00- ‘What That Masterclass Meant To Us’

    Subscribe to Loving You: The Untold Sondheim on Apple and all good podcast apps to get every episode the moment it is released.

    SUPPORT THE SHOW:

    ► SUBSCRIBE to Loving You: The Untold Sondheim in your podcast app and be sure to get every episode the moment it is released.

    ► RATE & REVIEW Leave a review in your podcast app and tell other Sondheim fans why they should listen.

    ► SHARE Don't keep it to yourself! Share Loving You: The Untold Sondheim with other Sondheim fans you know.

    ► FOLLOW Loving You: The Untold Sondheim on Instagram.

    CREDITS

    Hosts and Producers: Martin Milnes and Peter E. Jones

    Executive Producer: Jason Caffrey

    Produced in partnership with: Creative Kin

    Mixing and Mastering: Chris Traves
    Directed, Devised and Written by Martin Milnes

    CAST AND VOICE ACTORS
    Susan Fleet, Jonny-James Kajoba, Rebecca Ridout, James Gower-Smith, James Bentham, Mehran James McCullough – and – Sondra Lee.


    DRAMATIC RE-ENACTMENTS
    Written by:     Martin Milnes
    Produced by: Peter E. Jones


    MUSIC AND SCORE

    Original Score Composed by: Peter E. Jones
    Music and Lyrics of Stephen Sondheim: Courtesy of The Stephen Sondheim Trust

    Sondheim Instrumental Tracks: Provided by Broadway Studio Orchestra

    Music of Stephen Sondheim, Jonathan Larson & Jule Styne: Played by Colm Molloy

    Selections from Salad Days (Slade & Reynolds): Played by Julian Slade on Minnie The Magic Piano


    FEATURED SONGS & VOCAL PERFORMANCES

    "The Morning After” (Maltby & Shire): Sung by Barbra Streisand

    "I Want It All” (Maltby & Shire): Sung by Beth Fowler

    "If I Sing” (Maltby & Shire): Sung by George Dvorsky

    "Robert Dreams” (Arden): Sung by Leslie Arden

    “Move On” (Sondheim): Sung by Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin

    "Intelligent Beautiful Person” (James & Mason): Sung by John Winfield, Guitar by Richard Bolton, Drums by Ralph Salmins

    "Isn’t She Sweet?” (James & Mason): Sung by Paul James

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • And He's Into Making Movies | Sondheim: Director, Actor, Screenwriter, Composer

    And He's Into Making Movies | Sondheim: Director, Actor, Screenwriter, Composer
    Mar 26 2026
    Join Steve’s chum Martin Milnes and first love Peter E. Jones to explore Sondheim’s life both behind – and in front – of the camera. From directing Leonard Bernstein’s family in home movies and acting in his own work on screen, through to writing screenplays, his Oscar-win, and investigating the abandoned Hollywood movie of a cult Sondheim musical. ‘I've got a treatment of Anyone Can Whistle, set in the Swiss Alps, called Anyone Can Yodel. If you know anyone who might be interested in producing, give me a call.' – Sondheim's email to Lin-Manuel Miranda How did Madonna react to Warren Beatty choosing Steve’s songs over hers? What did Steve feel about the Oscar-winning movie versions of his shows? And just what exactly happened that memorable night between Katharine Hepburn, Michael Jackson, Tom Stoppard and Steve? ‘Mr. Sondheim – you are a sombre fellow. Couldn't you put a ray of hope into your show by having a ballerina in white coming down from the flies – and dancing across the stage - in such a dark piece as the one you've written?’ – Katharine Hepburn on AssassinsCHAPTERS:00:00 - Jamie Bernstein: Steve The Director04:03 - James Lapine: Sondheim Acts in ‘Opening Doors’06:53 - Tom Fitzsimmons: Sondheim Acts in June Moon11:05 - Steve & Martin: Movie Wordplay Puzzles18:33 - Katharine Hepburn: The Prickly Next-Door-Neighbour25:44 - Anthony Perkins: Co-writing The Last of Sheila27:18 - Madonna & The Oscar: ‘Sooner Or Later’31:25 - Lin-Manuel Miranda: Movie Versions of Steve’s Shows35:30 - Exploring The Sondheim Movie-That-Never-Was44:37 - Follies: 197450:50 - Steve & Martin: ‘A Beautiful Friendship’Subscribe to Loving You: The Untold Sondheim on Apple and all good podcast apps to get every episode the moment it is released. SUPPORT THE SHOW:► SUBSCRIBE to Loving You: The Untold Sondheim in your podcast app and be sure to get every episode the moment it is released.► RATE & REVIEW Leave a review in your podcast app and tell other Sondheim fans why they should listen.► SHARE Don't keep it to yourself! Share Loving You: The Untold Sondheim with other Sondheim fans you know.► FOLLOW Loving You: The Untold Sondheim on Instagram. CREDITSHosts and Producers: Martin Milnes and Peter E. JonesExecutive Producer: Jason CaffreyProduced in partnership with: Creative Kin Mixing and Mastering: Phoebe Murdoch, Chris Traves Directed, Devised and Written by Martin Milnes CAST AND VOICE ACTORSAlistair McGowan, Charlotte Page, Eddie Andrews, James Gower-Smith, Rebecca Ridout, Daniel Cane and Mehran James McCullough. With Special Appearances by Tom Fitzsimmons, Gary Raymond – and – Elizabeth Seal.DRAMATIC RE-ENACTMENTSWritten by: Martin MilnesProduced by: Peter E. JonesFollies Screenplay by: Hugh Wheeler (with thanks to the Estate of Hugh Wheeler) MUSIC AND SCOREOriginal Score Composed by: Peter E. Jones Music and Lyrics of Stephen Sondheim: Courtesy of The Stephen Sondheim TrustSondheim and Bernstein Instrumental Tracks: Provided by Broadway Studio OrchestraMusic of Stephen Sondheim: Played by Colm Molloy"Give Another Regis Toomey" and Music by Ravel: Played by Gareth Valentine"Night and Day" and "From This Moment On" (Porter): Played by Steve RossFEATURED SONGS & VOCAL PERFORMANCES"Vissi D’arte” (Puccini): Sung by Maria Callas"The Glory of Love” (Hill): Played by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra"Love Me Tonight” (Rodgers & Hart): Sung by Jeanette MacDonald"I Love The Way You Say Goodnight” (Wyle & Pola): Sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson"Our Language of Love” (Monnot, More, Henecker & Norman): Sung by Elizabeth Seal"Always Mademoiselle” (Previn & Lerner): Attempted by Katharine Hepburn
    Show more Show less
    57 mins
No reviews yet