#30-Sondheim and Board Games

Our latest episode focuses on welcoming NYU Game Center co-founder Eric Zimmerman to discuss Stephen Sondheim’s board game designs as experience-forward, theatrical “art pieces.” Barry and Eric examine Sondheim’s 1953 game Stardom (or The Game of Camp), inspired by a Hollywood stars’ homes map and featuring rituals, hidden goals, props, and a climb through stardom by secretly “sleeping with” assigned actresses; Joseph shares Sondheim’s letter registering the rules and stating intent to market the game, plus notes on possible re-skins. They also discuss Sondheim’s birthday game for producer Hal Prince (Producer/The Game of Hal Prince), using hand-typed cards with gossip, critics, and Broadway’s economic systems, and Sondheim’s three-game 50th-birthday set for Leonard Bernstein, The Great Conductor Hunt—Diploma (with recorded “chance” audio), Itinerary, and the Lucite mazed Podium (two designed by Milton Glaser).

00:00 Theater Meets Games

00:49 Meet Eric Zimmerman

03:23 Games as Art Culture

05:58 Trivia and Ritual Start

07:26 Stardom Camp Hollywood

14:35 Rules Hidden Goals

19:22 Props and Commercial Plans

23:31 The Game of Producer for Hal Prince

27:42 The Great Conductor Hunt for Leonard Bernstein

35:40 Stars are shining bright!

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