Stephen Sondheim, master of constructing bookends.

He’s on record in calling Merrily We Roll Along’s “Opening Doors” the most autobiographical composition of his career, chronicling his early days trying to break into the industry; a lyric from the end of the song:

“We’re opening doors
Singing, ‘Here we are!’
We’re filling up days on a dime
That faraway shore’s looking not too far
We’re following every star—
There’s not enough time!”

So this section tells us that Sondheim was singing, “Here we are!” when first starting out. Now let’s flash forward to the end of his stage journey: what’s the title of his final, posthumous musical?

Here We Are. 

What a bookend.