We may have needed Stephen Sondheim too much — but he almost always came through.
The great composer and lyricist, who died in November at age 91, fulfilled the need for something in short supply in Broadway musicals in the late 20th century — creativity, innovation, a willingness to tackle challenging subjects. In a scene dominated by such commercially sure bets as reworkings of Disney films, jukebox musicals, and imported spectacles, Sondheim and his collaborators took risks, and they advanced the art form