Groban & Ashford in SWEENEY TODD On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 50

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/6/23 at 2:38pm

Let's get Matt Doyle in there.

[Alex M]

Posted: 6/6/23 at 2:54pm

Chase Miller said: "Why is he leaving?"

I wonder if he only had a 4 month contract? Rather odd that he's leaving so suddenly.

Updated On: 6/6/23 at 02:54 PM

[B212323]

Posted: 6/6/23 at 11:07pm

I assume he got a TV series or film. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/6/23 at 11:09pm

Except with the writers strike there are no TV shows or films happening.

[OMG U Guyz]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 1:48am

Shows that have already been written are going into production overseas though where there’s a far less likely chance they’ll be picketed. There have been several workarounds already 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 3:07am

Another vote for Matt Doyle as Anthony.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 8:41am

Would also love to see Matt Doyle replace as Anthony. He was wonderful in the pie shop, but I wonder if at even 36 he might read a little too old against Maria Bilbao, who’s around 25-26.

But he’s also not leaving Little Shop until July 16th. So there’s that.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 12:41pm

I would actually love to see Aaron Tveit although the role is probably too small for him.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 1:31pm

They are clearly going to continue casting Anthony under 30. I’ve always found older Anthonys to be pretty ridiculous. 
 

MTI lists the character’s age as 20-30. 

Updated On: 6/7/23 at 01:31 PM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 1:36pm

ljay889 said: "They are clearly going to continue casting Anthony under 30. I’ve always found older Anthonys to be pretty ridiculous.


MTI lists the character’s age as 20-30."

Agree. I think we’re more likely to see Nathan Salstone or Felix Torrez-Ponce promoted from ensemble to principal than anyone cast externally. But I could be wrong.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 1:54pm

Tony award winners Aaron and Matt won't be replacing Jordan in this, the role is far too young for both of them. 

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 6/8/23 at 7:15pm

The show has been stopped. We didn't even make it through the prologue. The cast was cleared, house lights are up. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/8/23 at 9:07pm

They don’t need a name to replace Fisher, so why would they bother with the expense? Hopefully they can just cast someone who has the power to deliver Johanna in the thrilling manner it deserves. 
 

The show is selling out with Groban, Ashford and Gaten. They don’t need the expense of another high profile performer. Even a little known Tony winner like Doyle would cost a lot of money. 
 

As for what make Ruthie Ann Miles performance so stellar for me was her physicality. She broke my heart. I have no insight into her choices, but she reminded me of a wounded pigeon with fleas and her costume/shawl seemed to mimic the colors and feathers of a pigeon. 
 

Many people refer to pigeons as “rats with wings” and the birds are often seen as beggars and poor creatures. Ruthie has this “waddle walk” as the beggar woman that shattered me. Like a pigeon. If you’ve ever seen a pigeon with fleas they jerk as Ruthie did. She was invisible to the townspeople unless they were accosting her. Most of us know who she is from the beginning of the show so knowing that trauma informs the heartbreak I felt for her. She humanizes the “crazy people” we see on the street and ignore everyday. Each one of them has a story. Each one of them was perfect at birth but something happened. 
 

I thought Ruthie was tremendous and I was so happy I got to see her. I hope she wins a second Tony. 

[bear88]

Posted: 6/8/23 at 10:40pm

jimmycurry01 said: "The show has been stopped. We didn't even make it through the prologue. The cast was cleared, house lights are up."

What ended up happening?

[PabloJuan]

Posted: 6/8/23 at 11:13pm

There was a mechanical failure with the set. They fixed it and restarted the show. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 3:46pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Jordan Fisher will play his final performance as Anthony on June 18:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtJ_tmYgsyU/?igshid=ZWQyN2ExYTkwZQ=="

No loss to the production. We thought he was terrible as Anthony!  Could not sing it or act it. Give the role to Nathan Salstone!

[poto19882023]

Posted: 6/10/23 at 10:44am

With the Tonys tomorrow and Groban assumedly performing for them, is there any chance Nicholas Christopher would possibly be on for Sweeney for tomorrow's performance? 

To clarify, I've seen Groban twice and really enjoyed him so this is not 'anti-Groban' sentiment, I've just heard absolute raves about Nicholas Christopher's Sweeney and would very much like to see him in the role and am too impatient to wait for the September dates haha.

If you all think there's a good chance I'll definitely get to the box office for the SRO line, they've been pretty liberal selling SRO as soon as the box office opens so chances should be good for that. Thanks!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/10/23 at 10:50am

Answered you on reddit 

[poto19882023]

Posted: 6/10/23 at 10:53am

dramamama611 said: "Answered you on reddit"

Many thanks! :)

[yyys]

Posted: 6/10/23 at 11:33am

Probably highly unlikely....but easier to get tix after they announce he won't go on (appears to be almost sold out now for tomorrow's performance.

Updated On: 6/10/23 at 11:33 AM

[DrewJoseph]

Posted: 6/10/23 at 12:15pm

Does anyone know if they’re selling a souvenir brochure?

[poto19882023]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 12:06am

So…Jordan Fisher’s final performance is in 4 days and we are still lacking any announcement about his replacement.

Anyone heard anything about whom is taking over?

I wonder if there’s a chance that one of the understudies will be bumped up for a temporary fill-in while they secure an official full-time replacement, it seems like usually productions would have announced the replacement by now if they had someone ready to go. Maybe someone is available a little later down the line so they’ll announce an understudy filling in for the period until whomever the next Anthony is will be ready to begin.

Speaking of, does anybody have any idea or insight into why Stephen Tewksbury exited so quickly? According to Playbill he left at the beginning of May. I was intrigued by the idea of seeing him play Turpin and would have hoped to have caught him in the role. Was sad to see he had already departed by the time I got to finally see the show. 
 

EDIT: As will become clear by the posts below this one, my original post included an incredibly ignorant conclusion I came to about the nature of Jordan Fisher’s departure based off of some internet comments I’d read. I don’t follow Jordan on any social media so didn’t know he had always only had a 4 month contract and embarrassingly spoke as if what I said was some obvious fact, which I’ve been corrected on. It was a mistake and I apologize. 

Updated On: 6/14/23 at 12:06 AM

[Peppa222]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 12:18am

To be fair, Jordan stated in his Instagram post about leaving the show that his exit date has been planned since the very beginning. I imagine there would be a lot more gossip and hubub from other sources if that weren't the case. 

[KODALY]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 1:05am

No need for a rumor. 

  Per the June 1 entry on Mr. Tewksbury's Facebook page:

"Just wanted to share that I will be out of Sweeney Todd until sometime this summer. I have been dealing with osteoarthritis in my right knee and will be getting gel injections in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, I will not be performing on the Tony’s, however I will be cheering very loudly for my amazing cast mates, crew, orchestra, management, producers and pulling for Anneleigh Ashford, Ruthie Ann Miles, Josh Groban, Steven Hoggett, Mimi Lien, Natasha Katz, and Nevin Steinberg. Looking forward to getting back to Fleet Street soon!"

[poto19882023]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 1:28am

KODALY said: "No need for a rumor.

Per the June 1 entry on Mr. Tewksbury's Facebook page:

"Just wanted to share that I will be out of Sweeney Todd until sometime this summer. I have been dealing with osteoarthritis in my right knee and will be getting gel injections in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, I will not be performing on the Tony’s, however I will be cheering very loudly for my amazing cast mates, crew, orchestra, management, producers and pulling for Anneleigh Ashford, Ruthie Ann Miles, Josh Groban, Steven Hoggett, Mimi Lien, Natasha Katz, and Nevin Steinberg. Looking forward to getting back to Fleet Street soon!""

Oh wow! I don’t follow his Facebook so I didn’t see this, thank you so much for forwarding to me. Hoping he is well enough to return soon!