Angela Lansbury set to receive Sondheim Award

Angela Lansbury, the legendary actress, will receive the first Stephen Sondheim Award from Signature Theatre, the company will announce Thursday. The honor reunites two old friends, as well as artistic talents who are acknowledged innovators in their disciplines and have each forged careers that cover 50 years of theater and music history. 'Angela Lansbury's first appearance on the musical stage was in a show called 'Anyone Can Whistle,' for which I wrote the score. That appearance was a gift to the musical theater, although perhaps not such a gift to her, since the show only ran for nine performances,' Sondheim said in a statement, referring to his 1964 musical. 'I am thrilled that Signature Theatre is helping me make it up to her by giving her the first Stephen Sondheim Award.'