STAGE REVIEW : ‘Side by Side’ a Smorgasbord of Sondheim Hits

“Side by Side by Sondheim” at Saddleback College is a charming way to beguile a summer’s eve: Sit at an intimate table beneath starlit trees and savor a smorgasbord of tuneful tales by America’s master music man, Stephen Sondheim.

It’s an updated retrospective, which last weekend included numbers from “Into the Woods,” “Sunday in the Park with George” and “Sweeney Todd,” as well as selections from the original “Side by Side by Sondheim,” which predated these masterpieces. The song selection, however, has been changed somewhat for remaining performances.

Many of the more familiar songs upon which Sondheim collaborated with the likes of Jule Styne (for “Gypsy”) and Leonard Bernstein (“West Side Story”) are missing. But the represented oeuvre is rewarding listening for the attentive ear.

There are songs about love, sex, marriage, adventures, art, all crisply rendered by the accomplished cast of three: George Quick, Carole Best and Myrona DeLaney, to the sensitive and sure-fingered piano playing of Terence Alaric.

Beth Hansen has directed with an eye toward elegant simplicity. Sondheim’s delicious lyrics are enunciated to a “T” by the trio of performers, whose rich, sure voices blend beautifully.

These three met the challenge of a choral finale on “Sunday” and came back to zing home the acerbic wit of “We’re Gonna Be Alright.”

Quick is particularly expressive and triumphs warmly over the production’s slight sense of sanctimony. Sondheim is, after all, a pioneer. His songs demand daring and passions. They aren’t always memorable as tunes, but as stories, they are indelible.

‘SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM’

A Saddleback College production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical revue. Choreography by Susan Cable. Scenic designer Wally Huntoon. Lighting designer Kevin Cook. Costume designer Charles Castagno. Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. Performances Thursday through Saturday at 8:30 p.m., Sunday at 7:30 p.m. and matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Through Aug. 12. (No performances tonight or Friday.) Tickets: $8 to $11. Information: (714) 582-4656.