Anything new on the rumored Groban-lead Sweeney? — Page 5

I would assume they intend to begin performances around Halloween / spooky season.

I am not a big Groban fan as far as his music. I do like him as a person though. However, I think he would be perfect as Sweeney and would buy a ticket as soon as they went on sale.

I would also love to see a production with the original staging. I saw the original production on Broadway and it blew me away.

EDSOSLO858 said: "I would assume they intend to begin performances around Halloween / spooky season."

I agree. Have a big premiere right around Halloween and have the ideally positive press roll them through the holidays and winter months. It's an expensive show so premiering going into the winter when ticket sales are always expected to be higher would be a smart move.

Also, Patrick Page as Judge Turpin is another rumor out there.

TaffyDavenport said: "Also, Patrick Page as Judge Turpin is another rumor out there."

PERFECTION!!!!!

I believe Renee Rapp was part of the reading, but I doubt she’ll do the Broadway production with her tv/music career where it is at the moment.

TaffyDavenport said: "Also, Patrick Page as Judge Turpin is another rumor out there."

I am here for this but also just fascinated at how playing Hades seems to have completely changed Patrick Page's typecast. Hope he likes the dark dramas vs the grinch/spider man villains!

The concern voiced that Groban might not be up to the acting chores may be attributed to his persona. But anyone who saw him disappear into the morose and pudgy Pierre knows he is a sensitive and skilled artist who resists the easy fit (he turned down countless offers until Comet came along). Also, Sweeney’s poignancy is layered into his backstory: a kind man has been stripped of his family and dignity. Groban may well show us the tortured “before Sweeney” peeking through. Arguably, a trap in the role is its headlong march into revenge. Watching a decent man contemplate and then execute a monstrous plan is more compelling than witnessing the full resolution. Also, the power is in the vocals, the score doing the heavy lifting. Who doubts that Groban will sing it passionately? Not those of us who saw him in Comet.

Updated On: 8/15/22 at 06:38 PM

Page would be amazing

Take this with the grainiest of salts, but I heard Groban has been pushing for Eleri Ward as Johanna after just recently touring with her. Could be interesting if true!

GreasedLightning said: "PipingHotPiccolo said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "Groban was utterly fantastic inGreat Cometand I can’t possibly imagine the show without him. With his Pierre Bezukhov, I heard so much character through his singing (instead of just singing beautifully).


He’ll be an exceptional Sweeney."

I thought he was great in Comet, but he was repressed, forlorn, not sinister/homicidal. But hey, cant wait to see"

Yes - it’s called acting.

Why would his character choices as Pierre in Great Comet disqualify him from being sinister as Sweeney?"

By this logic James Corden would be a great Sweeney BECAUSE IT'S CALLED ACTING.

Ever heard of range? Nothing Groban has done would lead anyone to think he'd be a good Sweeney. Doesn't mean he won't be, but that's why some are questioning this casting.

MysteriousLady said: "GreasedLightning said: "PipingHotPiccolo said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "Groban was utterly fantastic inGreat Cometand I can’t possibly imagine the show without him. With his Pierre Bezukhov, I heard so much character through his singing (instead of just singing beautifully).


He’ll be an exceptional Sweeney."

I thought he was great in Comet, but he was repressed, forlorn, not sinister/homicidal. But hey, cant wait to see"

Yes - it’s called acting.

Why would his character choices as Pierre in Great Comet disqualify him from being sinister as Sweeney?"

By this logic James Corden would be a great Sweeney BECAUSE IT'S CALLED ACTING.

Ever heard of range? Nothing Groban has done would lead anyone to think he'd be a good Sweeney. Doesn't mean he won't be, but that's why some are questioning this casting."

You’re clearly not an actor or Anyone who understands or respects the art form.

I agree that “it’s called acting” is an oversimplification, but I also think that the Groban-to-Sweeney leap is not nearly as large as people are making it out to be. His temperament isn’t so extreme in any one direction that he wouldn’t be able to pull off that sort of switch. By contrast, for someone like James Corden, who has carved out an persona of extreme silliness, it would be very difficult to go to the other extreme. Groban may lean toward the “warm” side, but he’s not exactly Mr. Rodgers. Going from “kind but tortured and depressed” to “unkind, tortured and vengeful” isn’t THAT big of a leap for an actor.

And as I said in another thread, I also think everyone is too attached to this single-minded idea of who Sweeney is. @Augie27 echoes what I’ve said before, which is that Groban has the potential to present a different kind of Sweeney that ALSO makes sense with the text. And Kail is a director whose productions tend to be pretty deeply felt, so he might help Groban lean into that more tender, broken version of the character, whose trauma leads him to sinister acts.

To put it another way: Groban fits the role of Benjamin Barker perfectly. From there, all it takes is some character work, and yes, some ACTING to bring him to Sweeney.

“It’s called acting” can’t explain away every piece of miscasting; but it’s an apt response if you’re splitting hairs, and creating chasms out of cracks.

Updated On: 8/16/22 at 08:52 AM