Kris Zgorski recommended me (because he knows I adore Sondheim works) when Josh Pachter (editor extraordinaire) initiated one of his themed anthologies: this time to connect crime fiction short stories to Stephen Sondheim songs.
I came late to the anthology and many of my fav Sondheim musicals were already assigned. So presented with the choice of two remaining plays (I wasn’t familiar with either), I chose a show that had used four different names over the course of its 14-year development.
Wise Guys or Gold or Bounce —book by John Weidman, finally landed on the title Road Show. The musical follows the “follies” of the colorful Mizner brothers, Wilson and Addison, a turn-of-the-century duo chasing the American Dream through a series of enterprises, escapades and scams.
I listened to every song (IMO none were leave-the-theater-whistling ditties); and read about each iteration of the show (the brothers had been played by the likes of Nathan Lane, and Victor Garber). Of course, Sondheim’s brilliant lyrics sparkle like poetry on the page, but ultimately Road Show is a story about greed, ambition, and the love and conflict of brothers. The Addison character is queer, and I have no proof, but as I researched the origins and tribulations of this show, I wondered if it floundered because it invoked Sondheim's conflicts about his own homosexuality.
My short story-Brotherly Love-is a departure from the show's book. And I took a murderous liberty with the story. Ultimately it’s a tale as old as time (thank you, Angela Lansbury)—Biblical times. Check it out (along with many wonderful and surprising stories-including a fun and twisty one from Kris) in Every Day a Little Death: Crime fiction inspired by the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Publication date: March 22, 2025 from Level Best Books
I loved your take on "Brotherly Love," Cheryl, and I know that readers of EVERY DAY A LITTLE DEATH are going to love it, too!