Roundabout to bring Sweeny Todd to Broadway fall '05- Page 2

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 8:42pm

SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!!
SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!!
SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!!
SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO EXCITED!!!

To keep London's intimate feel, it would be SO cool if Roundabout stripped Studio 54's main floor, flatted its raked seating, and performed it in the round with some of the audience sitting on the stage.

[seasons of love]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 10:17pm

yes! yes! yes! i just saw this at the theater in lincoln center a couple of years ago with elaine page as mrs. lovett and it was amazing. this will definitely be a must-see!!! yes! yes! yes! can you tell i'm excited?? :)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 10:27pm

Am I the only one that didn't think Sweeney was the best thing ever?

Nevertheless

I AM SO !@#%^&*() excited to see it!

Stokes, stokes, we want stokes!

[jim]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 11:20pm

Don't read if you don't want to know about the staging..
SPOILERS!


yes, intimate.Wooden planks with shelves in the background. Curios on the shelves. Lots of tin boxes,dolls. One set. Very stripped staging. No barber chair.A black casket center stage on a wooden table.Chairs lined up on both sides of the stage with music stands.One piano at the back wall.
No escape hatch. No oven...the murders were only hinted at on stage. At the point when someone's throat was slit- a cast member would pour a bucket of blood (red Kayro syrup??) into another bucket.
I was trying to find the website that had production photos. Someone posted this at ATC last month. So far, no luck.
After someone had 'died' that person would put on a white lab coat that had been 'stained' with blood.

Posted: 2/1/05 at 8:54am

I've seen Brian Stokes Mitchell play the part of Sweeney (Kennedy Center, Sondheim Festival 2002) and let me tell you, you don't want it. To listen to it's beautiful, and I would easily buy a cast recording that had Stokes as Sweeney. But as much as a cast recording would be nice, a DVD not so much. His acting just didn't hit the part; he walked around the stage like he was Frankenstein and the nuances and subtlety of the role was just lost.

On the other hand, if I get to see Christine Baranski as Lovett again, I'd pay for full priced tickets (a rarity for me).

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 9:01am

Please let there be no Patti.

[jim]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 9:11am

Unless Patti has taken up the trumpet, I seriously doubt she will be in this production.. :)

[timote316]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 9:44am

I wonder if this will be a limited engagement (a la Assassins, Pacific Overtures) or open-ended (Cabaret)

[JoshuaEads]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:06am

As exciting and interesting as this sounds, is anyone else ready for a grand full-scale revival??

~Joshua

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:29am

I may see it tonight.. People should remember this is a very different Sweeny from the usual stagings..

[jim]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 12:07pm

More spoilers so you might want to avoid-



yes lee is right! It is not grand scale staging at all..the ensemble remains on stage at all times. Very little choreography or, in this case ,musical movement. Only a couple of costume changes for Mrs. Lovett.In Act One she wears a black teddy and mules. During "A Little Priest" she wears a man's formal black top hat. In Act Two Mrs. Lovett's costume consists of a zebra stripe midi-jacket, a red bugle beaded mini skirt with matching purse. The men all wear black slacks w/white shirts and narrow black ties. And those lab coats.
No set to speak of---- except for chairs, music stands and one casket that doubles as the pie shop, the barber chair 'depository' and a well..... a casket, natch!
Very effective lighting design used in lieu of sets.
I wish I could remember where those production photos were so I could link them here.

Posted: 2/1/05 at 12:17pm

What about Micheal Arden as Tobias?!?!
That would be great casting!

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 12:21pm

Some Sweeney is better than none. And Roundabout has been doing well with its Sondheim fest....

[jim]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 12:21pm

can he play the flute?? Come to think of it I think Tobias played the violin......can't recall and the playbill doesn't list the instruments. :)

[JoshuaEads]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 3:50pm

Jim,

I'd love to know more about this particular production. If you ever have the time could you *please* indulge us inquiring minds?

~Joshua

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 3:56pm

Arden is too tall.

[chess12]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 4:28pm

I have to disagree that "some Sweeney is better than none at all." If it's bad, it's painful. And only 9 people? That sounds a bit sparse.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 5:32pm

I believe that at least some, if not all, of the original London cast will be brought over to repeat their roles. This production was built around the specific talents of this particular company of actor-musicians and due to the very unique demands of this production, it would be very difficult completely recast it with a different company without the director having to rethink the entire show (how many actresses who can sing and act Mrs. Lovett are also skilled trumpeters, for example?). Casting notices have been sent out here, but that's standard for every Broadway show (and those cast may simply end up as understudies).

[jim]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 8:35am

For Joshua--
Sent you an e-mail.

jim

[markadams99]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 1:23pm

I saw this London studio production twice. It is the most thrilling time I've spent in the theatre. Just wonderful and I realise now that more grandiose productions swamp the disharmonies of action and music that give Sweeney its cutting edge. You can hear the bones of the music clicking into place. Karen Mann as Mrs Lovett is so good it would be awful if she didn't transfer. I think New Yorkers will be astonished by this and I'd like to know what Sondheim thinks. Updated On: 2/2/05 at 01:23 PM

[bwayboi20]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 5:10pm

It will be a completey new, American cast.