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| SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 11:23 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET The 8-Time Tony-Nominated Musical Revival TO LAUNCH A NATIONAL TOUR IN EARLY SPRING 2025 Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM Book by HUGH WHEELER From an Adaptation by CHRISTOPHER BOND Orchestrations by JONATHAN TUNICK Music Supervision by ALEX LACAMOIRE Choreography by STEVEN HOGGETT Direction by THOMAS KAIL ON BROADWAY NOW AT THE LUNT-FONTANNE THEATRE STARRING 2023 TONY AWARD NOMINEES JOSH GROBAN AND ANNALEIGH ASHFORD (May 31, 2023 – New York, NY) Producer Jeffrey Seller is pleased to announce that the Tony Award-nominated revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's landmark musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will launch a national tour in late winter / early spring of 2025. The tour will span both the 2024/25 and 2025/26 theatrical seasons and will bring Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award®–winning score and Jonathan Tunick's original orchestrations to cities across the country. Casting, dates and cities for the national tour will be announced at a later date. "It has been an absolute thrill to conduct a 26-piece orchestra on Broadway, bringing Stephen Sondheim's masterful music and Jonathan Tunick's lush, original orchestrations to audiences at the Lunt-Fontanne," said Sweeney Todd's music supervisor, Tony Award winner Alex Lacamoire. "To bring that same sound on the road, we'll be looking to the high-caliber locally-established musicians who have been waiting for the chance to play this score at this scale. We look forward to bringing this show and this music across the country, and I'm excited to work with the local musicians to tell Sweeney's tale. Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's landmark musical, from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, tells the tale of a resourceful pie shop owner and a vengeful barber out for blood. After he's sent away by a corrupt judge, Sweeney returns to London years later seeking his long-lost family, and forms an unlikely partnership with Mrs. Lovett, who serves up pies underneath his former shop. Together, they wreak havoc on Fleet Street and serve up the hottest – and most unsettling – pies in London. The current Broadway production was recently nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Josh Groban), Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Annaleigh Ashford), Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Ruthie Ann Miles), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Mimi Lien), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Natasha Katz), Best Sound Design of a Musical (Nevin Steinberg), and Best Choreography (Steven Hoggett). For the first time since 1980, Broadway audiences are experiencing Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award®–winning score as it was performed in the original production—with Jonathan Tunick's original 26-player orchestration on an epic scale. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Hugh Wheeler, from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street began performances on February 26, 2023, and opened on March 26, 2023, at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036). Tony Award–winning director Thomas Kail (Hamilton) helms the return of this musical thriller starring Tony and Grammy® nominee Josh Groban (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) as Sweeney Todd, and Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford (Sunday in the Park with George, Kinky Boots) as Mrs. Lovett. Producer Jeffrey Seller is leading the revival. Joining Groban as Sweeney Todd and Ashford as Mrs. Lovett are Jordan Fisher (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen) as Anthony, Gaten Matarazzo ("Stranger Things") as Tobias, Tony Award winner and Laurence Olivier Award nominee Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I) as Beggar Woman, Maria Bilbao (On Your Feet!) as Johanna, Jamie Jackson (The Last Ship) as Judge Turpin, John Rapson (Les Misérables) as Beadle Bamford, Nicholas Christopher (Hamilton) as Pirelli / Standby for Sweeney Todd, and Jeanna de Waal (Diana, The Musical) as Standby for Mrs. Lovett and Beggar Woman. The cast also includes Galyana Castillo (Waitress), Jonathan Christopher (Hamilton), Dwayne Cooper (Motown), Kyrie Courter (Ragtime), Taeler Cyrus (Wicked), Timothy Hughes (Hadestown), Paul-Jordan Jansen (Beauty and the Beast), Alicia Kaori (The King and I), Michael Kuhn (Le nozze di Figaro), Raymond J. Lee (Groundhog Day), Megan Ort (Cats), Patricia Phillips (The Phantom of the Opera), Mia Pinero (West Side Story), Samantha Pollino (Hamilton), Lexi Rabadi (Beauty and the Beast), Danny Rothman (Loophole), Nathan Salstone (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Kristie Dale Sanders (Oklahoma!), Daniel Torres (The Music Man), Felix Torrez-Ponce (Newsies), DeLaney Westfall (Kinky Boots) and Hennessy Winkler (Oklahoma!). Tony winner Alex Lacamoire serves as Music Supervisor, and Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett choreographs with set design by Tony Award winner Mimi Lien, costume design by Tony Award nominee Emilio Sosa, lighting design by seven-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz and sound design by Tony Award winner Nevin Steinberg. J. Jared Janas serves as Wig, Hair, & Makeup Designer and special effects design is by Jeremy Chernick. Casting is by The Telsey Office. Baseline Theatrical serves as General Manager. Cody Renard Richard serves as Production Stage Manager. For more information on Sweeney Todd: www.sweeneytoddbroadway.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SweeneyToddBway Instagram: @sweeneytoddbway Twitter: @SweeneyToddBway TikTok: @sweeneytoddbway |
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| re: SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 | |
| Last Edit: pecansforall 01:26 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| Posted by: pecansforall 01:23 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 - Official_Press_Release 11:23 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| My first thought is with that large number of musicians in the pit this is going to be a very costly tour. I have a feeling that it will only play the major markets. I assume they would be picking up local musicians and those hired would have to be incredibly talented and quick studies. (But I could be wrong!) |
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| re: SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 | |
| Posted by: EvFoDr 04:57 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: re: SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 - pecansforall 01:23 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| It actually says in the release they will be relying on local musicians so I think your assumption is correct. And as dramedy notes they will surely travel with a core of musicians which could include any especially tricky chairs. That said, I have def known tours to travel their full orchestra on more complex shows, and then up with some sort of arrangement of paying locals (sort of like walkers) since local musicians are losing the opporunity to be hired. And I think there were/are a few cities where the show MUST hire locals, even if they don't anywhere else. There are lots of nuances, but that's the gist. | |
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| I think—more guess | |
| Last Edit: dramedy 01:32 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| Posted by: dramedy 01:31 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: re: SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 - pecansforall 01:23 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| That there are a few musicians that would tour like first violin and cello and the rest would be local. The local would probably be hired a week or two in advance to learn the score before showing up for rehearsal. | |
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| Bravo on the commitment to a full orchestra! | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 12:19 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 - Official_Press_Release 11:23 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| Yes, I know this is a long way off and plans for tours sometime fall through, but I will say, bravo to the producers for committing to full orchestras for the tour. As rare as it is to get a full orchestra on Broadway these days, it's even rarer on the road. Yes, I also wonder if it can be as big a hit without a star like Josh Groban. I struggle to think of a replacement star big enough to sustain Groban-like sales in NY, and with the acting and vocal chops for the role, after next year (when, presumably, Groban won't re-up for an extension), let alone a big enough star who would tour with the show. Hopefully this works out. Hopefully it's a huge success and encourages other producers to take this chance! |
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| a little surprised by this | |
| Posted by: dramedy 11:46 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: SWEENEY TODD To Launch National Tour in Early 2025 - Official_Press_Release 11:23 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| but maybe its Tony Award voter ploy for the revival. It's doing well on broadway most likely due to Groban. The revival certainly would not have happened without him. Will a tour do well without a big star? On the other hand, Woods is coming to San Fran for 1 week and is selling super well without being a subscription show. | |
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| re: a little surprised by this | |
| Posted by: JohninChicago 11:26 am EDT 06/01/23 | |
| In reply to: a little surprised by this - dramedy 11:46 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| Re Groban's effect on box office. - he's missed six performances that I'm aware of and the grosses haven't suffered that much. Granted, as it's been a sell out since day one, the only possible effect on grosses would be those who demand refunds. And I presume ticket holders might be inclined to just go ahead and see the performance without him, while someone who hasn't bought a ticket yet would not buy unless they know Groban would be performing. So, it's not a perfect argument. Also, on the Facebook fan page for the show there have been excited posts when it's known that he'll be out, from people who want to see Nicholas Christopher in his place, as the buzz on Christopher has been great. Full disclosure, I have a small investment in this production, so I'm not unbiased, but I do sense the production itself is seen as strong and not simply a vehicle for Josh Groban. I believe it will have legs after he leaves. I do wonder if they can get a star to take it over. When I saw Taron Egerton say on TB he'd like to do the role someday (while admitting he's too young now), that suggested to be that a lot of performers would love to do that role. That said, with the buzz on Nicholas Christopher as strong as it is, they might just offer it to him after Groban leaves. I have no inside info on anything, though. I only know what's in the press releases. And yes, it wouldn't have happened without him. It was his idea to do it in the first place, and he took it to Tommy Kail, who then apparently took it to his Hamilton producer, Jeffrey Seller. |
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