Music and Lyrics

Clips from the career of librettist John Weidman ’68, including a Sesame Street sketch, excerpts from Assassins, and Weidman's reflections on works staged at Lincoln Center

For John Weidman ’68, a career as a librettist began with writing a Hasty Pudding show in 1966, and later included work on Sesame Street and collaborations with Stephen Sondheim. (Read more in "Storytelling with Sondheim," from the January-February 2011 issue.)

For the occasion of Lincoln Center's twenty-fifth anniversary, the venue filmed interviews with creators who'd done a significant amount of work there over the years. In one clip, Weidman discusses Anything Goes; in another, he discusses the development of Contact and Happiness.

View a Sesame Street clip written by Weidman—the children's show's take on the musical Oklahoma.

View a clip from the musical Assassins, a collaboration between Weidman and Sondheim that resulted from a mutual fascination with the men who have tried to kill U.S. presidents.

You might also like

How AI Is Reshaping Supply Chains

Harvard Kennedy School lecturer on using AI to strengthen supply chains

This Astronomer is Sounding a Warning on ‘Space Junk’

As debris accumulates in low Earth orbit, the danger of destructive collisions continues to rise.

Understanding AI Vulnerabilities

As artificial intelligence capabilities evolve, so too will the tactics used to exploit them. 

Most popular

The Harvard Professor Who Quantified Democracy

Erica Chenoweth’s data shows how—and when—authoritarians fall.

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

Mark Carney on the Limits of Soft Power

At the 2026 Davos summit, the Canadian prime minister echoes Harvard’s Joseph Nye.

Explore More From Current Issue

Lawrence H. Summers, looking serious while speaking at a podium with a microphone.

Harvard in the News

Grade inflation, Epstein files fallout, University database breach 

Man in a suit holding a pen, smiling, seated at a desk with a soft background.

A Congenial Voice in Japanese-American Relations

Takashi Komatsu spent his life building bridges. 

Historic church steeple framed by bare tree branches against a clear sky.

Harvard’s Financial Challenges Lead to Difficult Choices

The University faces the consequences of the Trump administration—and its own bureaucracy.