Groban & Ashford in SWEENEY TODD On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 52

[hollebolle]

Posted: 8/6/23 at 11:37am

Jacobonce said: "I'll be in NYC for the week of Nov 14, and it shows the Groban is out that week. Do you think there will be discounts available? I couldn't care less about Groban, I just want to see Ashford and the show. Thanks!"

I second waiting until the day of! I purchased at the box office once when Groban was out unexpectedly, and I got a great deal. I asked for a seat at the cheapest available price point ($99), and they gave me a seat in row K of the orchestra. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 8/13/23 at 2:40am

a near-perfect revival of my favorite show. 

i loved the ending, i loved the sets simplicity but creativity. i loved the music and the voices. 

i wish this wasnt in such a barn of a theater- intimacy would really elevate this. we were in super expensive mid-mezzanine seats that felt miles away (though i thought the sound tonight was totally fine). 

the only full live production of this i had ever seen was the 2005 revival, so to see this come to full life was a treat. and while Parade was the worthy champion this year, and while i had a blast at ITW, to see a revival fully staged with a full ensemble and orchestra... BRAH-VO. 

Groban and Ashford are Groban-ing and Ashford-ing for better or worse. What I mean by that is that Groban is horribly miscast, even though he sings so beautifully and gets the audience roaring, and Im not minimizing either of those feats. But he's ultimately so lovable and familiar to us, that the effort to seem maniacal does not seem effortless at all. And yet hes the reason for this revival's production, and sings like a dream, so its all well worth it. Ashford also sings beautifully--not enough appreciation for her crystal clear, beautiful vocals-- and is PERFECTLY cast in this role. But she leans so so hard into her shtick, and oversexualizes moments for laughs, that i found myself rolling my eyes. Still, a small price to pay, and again, she had a packed house roaring.

Gaten was out, his understudy sounded lovely in Act 2 but was hard to hear in Act 1. I assume Gaten enunciates and projects better. Daniel Yearwood and Maria Bilbao are lovely and do their best with the snoozier songs in the show. Ruthie Ann Miles is giving a truly award-worthy performance, committed and heartbreaking and authentic from the jump. Unreal. My first time seeing her live. Another standout: Nicholas Christopher's Pirelli. Do we have dates when Groban is on vacation? Because thats a reason to return.

Would be thrilled if post-Groban/Ashford they give others a chance to keep it going for a bit, though I know thats unlikely. 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/16/23 at 9:22pm

Paul-Jordan Jansen will be making his Sweeney debut September 13 at 8; he will also be on September 16th at 2.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/17/23 at 12:01pm

Nicholas Christopher is on for Sweeney tonight. 

[binau]

Posted: 8/17/23 at 12:08pm

"Ashford also sings beautifully--not enough appreciation for her crystal clear, beautiful vocals--"

I agree! This was an unexpected strength. The production in general has certainly put a lot of emphasis on the quality of the music output. I can't wait for the full cast recording! 

[Huss417]

Posted: 8/17/23 at 12:58pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Paul-Jordan Jansen will be making his Sweeney debut September 13 at 8; he will also be on September 16th at 2."

As Sweeney Todd? I just did the BOGO for the 13th to see Nicholas Christoper.

Updated On: 8/17/23 at 12:58 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/17/23 at 1:02pm

Huss417 said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "Paul-Jordan Jansen will be making his Sweeney debut September 13 at 8; he will also be on September 16th at 2."

As Sweeney Todd? I just did the BOGO for the 13th to see Nicholas Christoper."

Yes, as Sweeney Todd. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 8/17/23 at 1:21pm

Thanks for the info.

I think at the price I will try to see both of them during that week then.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/17/23 at 3:45pm

Josh Groban is out tonight. Nicholas Christopher will be on as Sweeney, and Raymond J. Lee will cover Pirelli.

Edit: Sorry, missed this above

Updated On: 8/17/23 at 03:45 PM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 12:28pm

Per Telecharge, Josh is out the rest of the weekend. 
 

If anyone is looking to get rid of some tickets…let a girl know. 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 5:02pm

He has covid.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 5:09pm

Nicholas' Sweeney f*cks. RUN BABES. 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 5:16pm

Sutton Ross said: "Nicholas' Sweeney f*cks. RUN BABES."

I'm not familiar with all modern lingo LOL. Is that a good thing?

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 5:18pm

Nicolas is amazing!

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 5:23pm

From his Pirelli, you can tell how elastic his voice is. I absolutely want to see this again with him (though I just saw it 5 days ago, so will have to wait for the next round of Groban absences).  But if tickets are easy to come by this weekend, yes grab some.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 6:00pm

COVID cases are rising, though nothing crazy like over the Winter in 2022. A bunch of shows are dealing with several COVID absences.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 8:24pm

I'm not familiar with all modern lingo LOL. Is that a good thing?"

Haha. Yes, it is a good thing and the expression comes from a review from the Oklahoma! revival from years ago and an episode of Silicon Valley, a very excellent tv show. 

Nicholas plays it dark, sexy, and very scary unlike Josh "Golden Retriever with the Angel Voice" Groban. 

 

 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 8:32pm

They should let second understudy Paul Jordan Jansen do a performance. He won a Jeff Award as Sweeney in a Chicago-area production.

[Bigserver1]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 11:45pm

I was there tonight. Christopher is unreal as Sweeney. I saw JG back in May and loved the show then, and his voice is so rich and smooth and gorgeous, but it’s a tame Sweeney. 
 

NCs was dark and brooding and his Epiphany will stick with me for a long time. An incredible performance and one that I prefer to Groban’s, having seen them both…

[poto19882023]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 5:45pm

Got a normally $300 orchestra seat for tonight’s performance for only $99. And won the lottery for tomorrow afternoon.

This will be my 13th & 14th time seeing the production and my first time getting to see Nicholas Christopher as Sweeney, something I’ve been hoping to catch for months now.

Nicholas as Pirelli steals the show every time and is consistently the best part of the show so to say I am excited for these performances is an understatement

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 5:49pm

Have the BEST time, he is SO GOOD as Sweeney!

 

[ardiem]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 8:17pm

poto19882023 said: "Got a normally $300 orchestra seat for tonight’s performance for only $99"

Can I ask how you did that? Was this through rush/the cancellation line?
 

 

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 9:43pm

Bigserver1 said: "I was there tonight. Christopher is unreal as Sweeney. I saw JG back in May and loved the show then, and his voice is so rich and smooth and gorgeous, but it’s a tame Sweeney.


NCs was dark and brooding and his Epiphany will stick with me for a long time. An incredible performance and one that I prefer to Groban’s, having seen them both…"

I saw Christopher back in previews and agree - his Epiphany was out of this world and I'm still thinking about it!

[hollebolle]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 10:51pm

ardiem said: "poto19882023 said: "Got a normally $300 orchestra seat for tonight’s performance for only $99"

Can I ask how you did that? Was this through rush/the cancellation line?
"

I did this back in March when Josh was out. I just waited in line at the box office and asked for a $99 seat. They said they were giving me a great seat, and I didn’t ask questions lol. 

As a nice bonus, I’m pretty sure I was sitting across the aisle from Nick’s family—it was one of his first performances as Sweeney. 

[poto19882023]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 8:56am

hollebolle said: "ardiem said: "poto19882023 said: "Got a normally $300 orchestra seat for tonight’s performance for only $99"

Can I ask how you did that? Was this through rush/the cancellation line?
"

I did this back in March when Josh was out. I just waited in line at the box office and asked for a $99 seat. They said they were giving me a great seat, and I didn’t ask questions lol.

As a nice bonus, I’m pretty sure I was sitting across the aisle from Nick’s family—it was one of his first performances as Sweeney."

Yep that’s all I did! Once Groban was announced as out if you went to the box office premium prices were slashed, though they wouldn’t go below $99 apparently.

We got Orchestra right, Row G, seats 6 & 8. Each for only $99 a piece. Phenomenal seats and a totally reasonable price. Though according to someone a friend overheard in the line, that price wasn’t reasonable “without Groban”. Jeez.

When speaking to one of the security folks in line at the box office one morning they said it’s currently unsure if the production is going to extend at all beyond January 14 or whenever Josh leaves. And the reason he said was that they tried to see how things would go when Groban was out but the situation with the cancellations and such when Nicholas was on was discouraging from extending without him.

Which sucks because I’d think Sweeney could easily run on its own name without needing stunt casting? Especially since I’d imagine the tickets would be able to become reasonable were they to bring in a non-stunt cast replacement, or at least maybe someone whose a big name in the theater world but not in a worldwide scale.

I’d still expect them to try at least one round of replacement lead casting though. But perhaps I should grab a ticket for January 14 just in case it ends up not extending.