Darren Chris - Blog Posts

darrencriss: Although “Do I Hear A Waltz?” was a somewhat famously troubled working experience for Sondheim, it was nonetheless the first show I ever did of his when I was 11 years old. It was the first time I would have ever really gotten familiar with any of his work, and as a result, a lasting fondness for it was instilled in me- despite his own rocky relationship with that particular material. ⁣

Being part of that musical would set me on a lifelong path of admiring his extraordinary body of work, inspiring me in my own path as a creator- one that would not only lead me to getting to work with him myself one day, but actually getting to thank him for working on that little show he had regrets about; had he not done it, I wouldn’t have been standing there talking to him. ⁣

It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life as an artist.⁣

Stephen Sondheim’s influence was immeasurable in his own life and times, and now that he has passed, that monumental legacy will only continue to bloom through the ages. His name is synonymous with the art form he so brilliantly redefined, and his work has changed the lives of countless audiences around the world. I am so grateful to have been part of that audience while he was alive. He will live on forever as one of the greatest contributors to not only the American Theater, but American Culture. ⁣

So I thought on this day I’d thank him once more for that wonderful contribution he made to my own life with words from the final song of that same show I did when I was just a little boy embarking on a life in the theater, aptly titled, “Thank You So Much.”