On this day: Stephen Sondheim is born

Sondheim’s career began taking off in the 1960s and by the 1970s he had a string of successes to his name, including Company, A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd.

His work, which ranges from the fairytale Into the Woods to the drama Passion – both recently revived in London – also extends to contributing lyrics for musicals including West Side Story and Gypsy.

Awarded the Society of London Theatre's Special Award at the 2011 Olivier ceremony earlier this month, Sondheim added another gong to his collection of Tony Awards, his Pulitzer Prize and countless other honours.