The Puzzler’s Mind of Stephen Sondheim: A Journey with Barry Joseph

Barry Joseph’s new book, Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzles and Games of the Broadway Legend, offers a fresh perspective on the life and work of the legendary composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim. Instead of focusing on his well-known theatrical masterpieces, the book delves into Sondheim’s lifelong passion for designing and creating intricate puzzles and games. This deep dive reveals a new layer to the genius behind shows like West Side Story and Sunday in the Park with George, showcasing how his “puzzler’s mind” influenced both his personal relationships and his creative process.

The Book: Unlocking Sondheim’s Lesser-Known Creativity

Matching Minds with Sondheim is the result of Barry Joseph’s extensive research into a previously unmapped area of Sondheim’s creative life. Joseph, a leading expert in games-based learning and the co-founder of the Games for Change Festival, was inspired to write the book after a shocking revelation: Sondheim once considered leaving musical theater to design video games. This discovery led Joseph on a quest to explore the puzzles and games Sondheim designed for his friends and colleagues over more than 80 years.

The book is an enthralling tour through a treasure trove of rare and never-before-seen materials. Joseph drew from deep archival research and conducted scores of original interviews with Sondheim’s celebrity friends who played these games. The book does more…