You know the songs, you’ve seen the musicals over the years. But watching a talented ensemble in a Sondheim Tribute Review is like being immersed in musical theater heaven, and that’s just what’s happening at Creative Cauldron. Under Matt Conner’s fun-filled direction, eight terrific performers have a fabulous time rendering the legendary composer’s material in creative new ways. The twists and turns of unexpected ensemble combinations add new perspectives and points of view for fresh new experiences. Conner calls the work a “sketchbook” where the characters from various productions “meet in one world,” and that’s just what happens. Ben Ribler, Molly Rumberger, Kiana King, Ricky Drummond, Trenton McKenzie Beavers, Sumié Yotsukura, Katie McManus, and Erin Granfield in ‘Sondheim Tribute Review.’ Photo by William T. Gallagher Photography. For the opening, each performer enters in a costume from one of the shows, so from the outset we’re all anchored in the wonderful world of Sondheim, thanks to costume and set designer Margie Jervis. From “Saturday Night” to “A Weekend in the Country,” everyone mills around connecting with each other as friends on a stroll. From there, several peel off until Sumié Yotsukura with full-bottomed back bustle (that she fiddles with playfully) hits her musical stride by sitting perfectly still while posing for “Sunday in the Park with George.” Katie McManus wields her trusty rolling pin for “Worst Pies in London,” and Molly Rumberger delivers an impeccable “Getting Married Today” from Company. Both Erin Granfield and Ricky Drummond deliver rock-solid and masterful performances, Kiana King relays a depth of meaning, and Trenton McKenzie Beavers and Ben Ribler are adorably self-absorbed Princes with their “Agony” from Into the Woods. The characters pair up, jostle, and regroup throughout with superb voices that range from soaring operatic to contemplatively personal. The ensemble casting is perfectly matched to handle Sondheim’s notoriously complex scores with great musical direction by Elisa Rosman. Trenton McKenzie Beavers, Katie McManus, Sumié Yotsukura, Molly Rumberger, Ben Ribler, Kiana King, Ricky Drummond, and Erin Granfield in ‘Sondheim Tribute Review.’ Photo by William T. Gallagher Photography. Conner has a gifted sensibility presenting Sondheim’s work that “delves into the human psyche and examines universal conditions of love, hate, life, death, success, and failure.” He also appreciates Sondheim’s “genius in music, lyrics, puzzles, and the human condition.” Conner stokes the characters’ musical and theatrical expressions, relationships, and movements around the stage in telling the stories that are more shaded with touches of emotional rumblings in the second act. Once McManus belts out “Could I Leave You” and the women maneuver around “Ladies Who Lunch,” the ensemble ends in the magnificent tableaux of camaraderie in the formation of the famous Seurat painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Grande Jatte.” It’s a striking finish. If all goes well, this could very well be a finale pre-holiday performance in the precious black box theater that has housed the Cauldron wonderfully over these past years. Plans are underway for a major move to a newly built theater nearby sometime next year. Whether catching works of the incredible Steven Sondheim for the first or umpteenth time, finding your way to the Cauldron for this top-notch Tribute Revue will be a treat. Running Time: One hour and 50 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission Sondheim Tribute Revue plays through October 27, 2024 (Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm), at Creative Cauldron – 410 South Maple Avenue, Retail 116, Falls Church, VA. For tickets (Tier One, $50; Tier Two, $40; Students, $25), call (703) 436-9948 or purchase them online. The program for Sondheim Tribute Revue can be viewed here. COVID Safety: Creative Cauldron is a mask-optional environment.​ Creative Cauldron’s COVID-19 Theater Protocol is available here. Sondheim Tribute Revue Music and Lyrics by Steven Sondheim Directed by Matt Conner FEATURING Kiana King, Molly Rumberger, Sumié Yotsukura, Ricky Drummond, Katie McManus, Trenton McKenzie Beavers, Ben Ribler, and Erin Granfield PRODUCTION DESIGN Costume, Props and Set Design: Margie Jervis Lighting/ Projection Design: Lynn Joslin Music Supervisor/Orchestrator: Elisa Rosman Drums: Dakota Kaylor Stage Manager: Nicolas J. Goodman