FOIA request for all FBI files about Stephen Sondheim

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

A copy of all files and materials concerning noted composer and lyricist Stephen Joshua Sondheim (born March 22, 1930 in New York City‎, died November 26, 2021 in Roxbury, Connecticut).

Mr. Sondheim's recent death at age 91 was widely reported in the media, including the following obituary which was published on the front page of the New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/theater/stephen-sondheim-dead.html

Therefore, no Privacy Act waiver is needed.

Because of Mr. Sondheim's prominence, and particularly because of his authorship of the music and lyrics of the Off-Broadway musical "Assassins" -- whose subject matter dealt with the assassinations of multiple presidents of the United States -- I believe it is likely that the FBI may have investigated him or held other material on him, or about the show.

Please conduct searches of the FBI Central Records System, including but not limited to:

- Searches of the Electronic Case File System (ECF)
- Searches of the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) safes, including searches for materials marked/noted as formerly having been in a SAC safe during any requested time-period specified in this request
- Searches of SENTINEL
- Searches of the Electronic Surveillance (ELSUR) Indices, the Microphone Surveillance (MISUR) Indices, the Physical Surveillance (FISUR) Indices, and the Technical Surveillance (TESUR) Indices
- Searches of the Investigative Data Warehouse (IDW), including IDW-S, SPT, and DOCLAB-S sub-systems/indices
- Searches of the Data Integration and Visualization System (DIVS)
- Searches of the Law Enforcement National Data Exchange (N-DEx)
- Searches of the Counterdrug Information Indices System (CIIS)
- Searches of the FBI Automated Case Support system (ACS)
- Searches of the FBI e-mail system

Please further consult all available cross-reference indices, databases, and records, in addition to any other data sources containing potentially-responsive materials related to Mr. Sondheim.

Please include all potentially responsive materials, including but not limited to all communications, reports, investigations, inquiries, audio files, photographs or image files, video files, memos, email systems, directives, network packet captures, meeting minute notes, calendar entries, and any other data or data format that is used by the FBI. Please include all materials found in other subject files and all materials associated with any potentially-related names and any other known aliases, code names, nicknames, or any other identifying pseudonyms or references utilized by this agency or any other agency that is known to the FBI. Please additionally include searches for inter-agency or non-agency communications accessible by the FBI about Mr. Sondheim.

Please produce all records with their administrative markings intact, and all reports, memos, and documents to include any and all administrative pages. In any responsive material, please black out rather than white out or cut out material.

If any potentially responsive records have been destroyed and/or transferred to NARA, then please include copies of the destruction or transfer slips as well as any other documentation relating to, mentioning or describing said transfer or destruction, to include but not be limited to confirmation that the Bureau has no other copies of said records.

It is my understanding that your agency is also required to search the records stored at NARA’s Washington Records Center in Suitland, MD, which remain technically under your agency’s control (see 36 CFR 1250.8). Please also conduct a search of records at NARA's Washington Records Center in Suitland, for records related to Mr. Sondheim.

If previously released records are available, then please allow for a "rolling release" consisting of those records while additional records are located and processed for release.

Furthermore, I request the FOIA log and copies of all other requests for information on Mr. Sondheim including the responsive documents. I request the administrative case file (including search slips and processing notes, i.e. email correspondence and text messages) for this request. When searching email records, please also search for any tracking information/identification assigned to this request, including but not limited to appeal number/ID, request number/ID, tracking number/ID, etc.

In short, please send over a copy of everything you've got.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Brooke Schreier Ganz

"I've gotten through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover
Gee, that was fun and a half
When you've been through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover
Anything else is a laugh"
-- "I'm Still Here" from the musical "Follies", music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim