Anything new on the rumored Groban-lead Sweeney?- Page 8

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 5:37pm

Ke3 said: "singer234 said: "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."

Assuming this reading happened within the last six-ish months I can't imagine what would stop her from doing this. Her only current filming obligation is SLOCG. They've already filmed S2. With the changes over at HBO Max a third season seems iffy. As for her music, she's an independent artist. It's not like she has a label breathing down her neck about the time doing a Broadway run would take."

 

Maybe she feels as though a role like Johanna is a bit of a step backward, career-wise? Johanna has some beautiful music in the show, but acting/story wise, it's a fairly thankless role.

Granted, I'm notoriously terrible at assessing the "fame level" of people on TV; how popular is Sex Lives of College Girls? I actually don't know. But if she has become sufficiently well-known, she might feel like Johanna is below her pay grade.

Then again, if the reading really was that recent, then maybe you're right. Still, it's a lot easier to commit to a reading.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 5:47pm

RippedMan said: "What's his twitter? I need to read this. How can you be outraged by something that hasn't been announced? Wild."

https://twitter.com/OnstageBlog/status/1562392502761668608

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 6:02pm

I don't necessarily want to weigh in on Peterson's tweets, because I think it's complicated, and I can see arguments on both sides.

But this whole logic of "he's angry about something that hasn't even been announced" doesn't really make sense. Even without Boroff's piece, it had been widely rumored, somewhat credibly, for months now. And I think Boroff's piece pretty much solidifies that the rumors are true, even if the show ultimately fails to capitalize, and move forward as planned.

At this point, I think it's fairly safe to assume that Groban and Ashford have been cast. So you can either be angry about the casting, or not be angry about the casting; you can either see merit of Peterson's takes, or not see merit in his takes (or have mixed feelings, like me, of course). But this whole business of mocking his outrage simply because it's "not even official yet" strikes me as a misassessment of the actual situation as it stands.

 

Updated On: 8/25/22 at 06:02 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 7:39pm

JBroadway said: "I don't necessarily want to weigh in on Peterson's tweets, because I think it's complicated, and I can see arguments on both sides.

But this whole logic of "he's angry about something that hasn't even been announced" doesn't really make sense. Even without Boroff's piece, it had been widely rumored, somewhat credibly, for months now. And I think Boroff's piece pretty much solidifies that the rumors are true, even if the show ultimately fails to capitalize, and move forward as planned.

At this point, I think it's fairly safe to assume that Groban and Ashford have been cast. So you can either be angry about the casting, or not be angry about the casting; you can either see merit of Peterson's takes, or not see merit in his takes (or have mixed feelings, like me, of course). But this whole business of mocking his outrage simply because it's "not even official yet" strikes me as a misassessment of the actual situation as it stands.

"

But it isn't official. He's still raising capital. Is it pretty damn close to official? Hell yeah. Is it official? No. 

Also...

Unless this was being billed as a "historically all-POC production of SWEENEY TODD", I don't see how you can be outraged that two people are possibly going to star in a revival if they raise the money. There's a lot of other incredible roles in the show to be cast. Must we start saying "every lead in a classic musical now needs to be played by a POC or we'll be outraged"? I absolutely want to see more diversity on our stages - and believe we are starting to - but when 2 roles of an ensemble musical are announced (still unofficially, I might add), I'm not sure how one can start accusing the production of not being diverse enough. I can think of quite a few POC performers I'd like to see: Phillip Boykin is at the top of that list. Thom Sesma was thrilling at Barrow Street, and I'd love to see him do it again. While she may be a bit young, I think Danielle Brooks would make a marvelous Mrs. Lovett and Ruthie Ann Miles a devastating Beggar Woman. I I just don't see the point in outrage at this stage. I know we don't always see eye to eye, JBroadway, but I don't think my saying that makes me the tone deaf, privileged clown he's tried to portray me as. 

And to back up Distinctive Baritone, I think we can expect Kail to helm a diverse production. 

I guess I also feel that Peterson simply wants to be outraged because it makes his blog more dynamic to read. For a guy who claims to love the theatre, his blog often seems very devoted to tearing it down. 

*shrug* 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 8:07pm

But it is official, because they’ve been cast. Even if it doesn’t get capitalized, those actors have been cast. And he’s complaining about it. He’s not complaining about the show getting capitalized (something that hasn’t yet happened), he’s complaining about choices that have already been made. 

Even if you disagree with that logic, let’s be real here: it will probably get capitalized. Expressing an opinion about a very real, imminent, and even LIKELY outcome, is a perfectly valid thing to do, even when it’s not 100% set in stone. I’m sure we all do that in various areas of our lives. 

Again, your other arguments are your arguments, and I don’t feel like getting it into it, personally. I also said literally nothing about your character, or what he said about you. I’m just speaking to this one aspect of it. 

Updated On: 8/25/22 at 08:07 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 8:23pm

JBroadway said: "But it is official, because they’ve been cast."

I thought I posted something earlier but maybe I did not. Or maybe it was taken down for some unimaginable reason. In any case, as to this, no, it is not official and no it has not been cast. You cannot contract with the unborn. And what I thought I had posted before was that a show is not cast when two people are associated with it. 

Nothing I have said has anything to do with some tweets that I have not read. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 8:24pm

Just seems odd he's so angry about this and not like... Sara B and BDJ leading Into The Woods or all the other white shows. Like, we know 2% of the cast. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 8:42pm

RippedMan said: "Just seems odd he's so angry about this."

Ironically, it sounds like he is taking a page out of the Tucker Carlson playbook. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 9:48pm

These are some interesting points everyone is making. I guess for me, although I think that having diverse casts is extremely important, to have some sort of unofficial rule that if a play or musical has a leading man and a leading woman that at least one of them needs to be POC, well…that is a slippery slope. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 9:54pm

Very slippery. Great point. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 10:40pm

OK, in light of Hogan‘s post above, let me rephrase this point one more time to in a way that will meet those technical criteria. Then I’ll stop harping on this, for everyone’s sake:

The intent of the producers has been made known. They’ve made decisions, they’re apparently taking steps to act on those decisions, and they’re likely to pan out. It’s perfectly valid to express an opinion about an action someone is currently in the process of taking, based on decisions they have already made. Especially if they appear likely to come to fruition. 

And using the marginal uncertainty as a tool to undercut someone’s point is a deflection from the actual content of the complaint. 

That said, I realize that many people in this thread have also contributed actual arguments - as I said, I was just speaking to that one line of logic. 

Updated On: 8/25/22 at 10:40 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 8/26/22 at 9:58am

We also know that nothing is a done deal until they’re taking the bows, no matter how much planning or work has happened. 

As of now, there has been absolutely no public statement regarding a planned revival of Sweeney from anybody involved with it. Not even a hint. It’s all been leak and rumor, which indicates that there is not yet certainty. 

[singer234]

Posted: 8/26/22 at 11:28am

Ke3 said: "singer234 said: "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."

Assuming this reading happened within the last six-ish months I can't imagine what would stop her from doing this. Her only current filming obligation is SLOCG. They've already filmed S2. With the changes over at HBO Max a third season seems iffy. As for her music, she's an independent artist. It's not like she has a label breathing down her neck about the time doing a Broadway run would take."

Definitely true. I was thinking more along the lines of “does Renee Rapp want Johanna in Sweeney on Bway to be her next career step”. I’m just guessing not, but could be totally wrong.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/26/22 at 11:54am

Kad said: "We also know that nothing is a done deal until they’re taking the bows, no matter how much planning or work has happened.

As of now, there has been absolutely no public statement regarding a planned revival of Sweeney from anybody involved with it. Not even a hint. It’s all been leak and rumor, which indicates that there is not yet certainty."

The first part is at least partly true, of course, but it's not true that there has been no public statement nor that there has been a "leak." The offering papers have been filed and it was not leaked. It is publicly accessible information. I think it is all fair game to discuss (although all of this back and forth seems to me to be a function of the fact that it is late August and there is not much else to discuss). My issue is that it seems premature at best to be reaching any conclusion about diversity when only two names have been announced out of even a principal cast many times that large.

"People who jump to conclusions often crash land." - Me. 

 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 8/26/22 at 1:34pm

SouthernCakes said: "I just want to know dates."

I asked my agent friend, he said Lunt-Fontanne - rehearses late winter, Previews March, Opens April - dates tbd.

Interest and availability calls from Kail & Friedman's team etc. are going out to agents for the roles of: Anthony, Johanna, Pirelli, Judge Turpin, Tobias. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/26/22 at 1:42pm

Oh so more of a spring vibe. Thought maybe they’d want to get the Halloween vibe but guess not.

Trying to do a Kimberly Akimbo / Strange Loop / Into the woods trip. 
 

RE: Casting: I think forcing a narrative of every lead has to check a certain box to make it inclusive is not… great. Again, the sentiment is in the right place but not sure that should be the standard moving forward.

how interesting too that the Brandy Cinderella - which was so insanely inclusive and I grew up watching it and didn’t bat an eye at it - I guess it was so far ahead of its time. 

[BJR]

Posted: 9/1/22 at 8:03am

I heard it begins rehearsal in Dec

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 9/2/22 at 10:28pm

The obnoxious tik tocker says Gaten and Micaela Diamond have been casted so take that with what you will

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/2/22 at 10:37pm

nativenewyorker2 said: "The obnoxious tik tocker says Gaten and Micaela Diamond have been casted so take that with what you will"

So much for inclusive / diverse casting. 

[multimattvids]

Posted: 9/2/22 at 10:48pm

nativenewyorker2 said: "The obnoxious tik tocker says Gaten and Micaela Diamond have been casted so take that with what you will"

How would Gaten even be available for this with Stranger Things Season 5 most likely beginning filming in early 2023?

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 9/3/22 at 12:09am

nativenewyorker2 said: "The obnoxious tik tocker says Gaten and Micaela Diamond have been casted so take that with what you will"

He also said Patrick Page was the judge but Patrick is doing King Lear in DC in the Spring, so I don't think that will be happening. 

https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/king-lear-22-23/ 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/3/22 at 1:23am

nativenewyorker2 said: "The obnoxious tik tocker says Gaten and Micaela Diamond have been casted so take that with what you will"

Also "casted" isn't a word. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 9/3/22 at 11:09am

Actually, "casted" is a word, but its use in this context betrays a lack of enlightenment reinforced by the use of the malaprop expression "take that with what you will."

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/3/22 at 11:28am

Touche

If these rumors are true, I'm surprise they didn't go with a more Broadway royalty type cast a la Into the Woods.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 9/3/22 at 2:50pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "nativenewyorker2 said: "The obnoxious tik tocker says Gaten and Micaela Diamond have been casted so take that with what you will"

So much for inclusive / diverse casting."

 

LOL - Well that casting is not happening so chill. Anyway, the roles of Tobias, Beadle, Beggar woman-Lucy or even Judge Turpin could end up being black but the show has not been cast yet! 

Updated On: 9/3/22 at 02:50 PM