Tonight, tonight, won't be just any night. Tonight there will be no morning star.
Stephen SondheimRead
By the time I was 22, I was a professional. A young and flawed professional, but not an amateur.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the journey of growth and accomplishment in one's career, acknowledging both achievements and imperfections.
Stephen Sondheim's quote emphasizes that by the age of 22, he had already attained a level of professionalism, highlighting the importance of early dedication and hard work in achieving success. It acknowledges that while he may have had flaws, the distinction between being an amateur and a professional is significant, suggesting that true professionalism comes with experience and learning from one's mistakes.
In practice
In a graduation speech to inspire young professionals about embracing their journey.
Tonight, tonight, won't be just any night. Tonight there will be no morning star.
After the Rodgers and Hammerstein revolution, songs became part of the story, as opposed to just entertainments in between comedy scenes.
Musical comedies aren't written, they are rewritten.
Let Pirelli's / Miracle Elixir / Activate your roots, sir... Keep it off your boots, sir- / Eats right through. Yes, get Pirelli's! / Use a bottle of it! / Ladies seem to love it... Flies do, too!
Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos.
Careful the spell you cast, not just on children. Sometimes the spell may last Past what you can see And turn against you... Careful the tale you tell. That is the spell.
Entrepreneurs constantly confuse what they do with who they are. We're all certainly responsible for what we do, but failing doesn't make us bad people and succeeding doesn't make us omniscient.
I've never achieved spectacular success with a film. My reputation has grown slowly. I suppose you could say that I'm a successful filmmaker-in that a number of people speak well of me. But none of my films have received unanimously positive reviews, and none have done blockbuster business.
The secret of success is that it is not the absence of failure, but the absence of envy.
Fun is one of the most important - and underrated - ingredients in any successful venture. If you're not having fun, then it's probably time to call it quits and try something else.
Future success is dependent upon and inseparable from the consciousness out of which the actions emanate
Work only on problems that are manifestly important and seem to be nearly impossible to solve. That way you will have a natural market for your product and no competition.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.