Color and Light

A full-scale production of this painterly musical launches Pasadena Playhouse's Sondheim Celebration season, paying tribute to the late great theatre creator. Widely considered his masterpiece, the Pulitzer Prize-winning show takes us behind the easel and into the life of unconventional painter Georges Seurat as he faces the choice between creative perfection and personal happiness in the shape of his mistress and model Dot. With a book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Sondheim, it is a fascinating exploration of artistic inspiration set to some of Sondheim's most playful musical numbers, including "Colour and Light" and "Finishing the Hat".

What is the story?

The show centers on the painter Georges Seurat as he creates his most famous painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Art and reality merge as the show delves into Seurat's obsessive imagination, while also offering up glimpses into the lives of the people he immortalized on his canvas.