Bernadette Peters & Lea Salonga to Lead Sondheim’s OLD FRIENDS On Broadway in 2025- Page 3

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/9/24 at 2:18pm

Sally Durant Plummer said: "Jordan Catalano said:

"Where is Althea?"

How can you believe that which you disbelieve?"

“It is because I have found the truth in belief and that belief is the one true savior Jesus to whom I am forever indebted for my newfound mental freedom. Also, I am so old. So old.”

[Kad]

Posted: 4/9/24 at 3:07pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Kad said: "Although I'm thrilled to have Peters back on Broadway singing Sondheim, I can't say the set list in the UK incarnation particularly excites me- particularly since it leaned heavily into selections from Company, Sweeney, and Into the Woods, all of which we've had on Broadway in just the last two years. I would've liked to see a broader selection from Sondheim's body of work rather than something that just feels like a greatest hits, particularly coming after his death."

This is always my problem with Sondheim retrospectives. There's always one or two shows that seem to get overrepresented, and if a show is HONORING him then I'm sure he would prefer his lyrics-only work to be left out.

The 80th Bday Philharmonic concert was practically a FOLLIES concert.

It's always at the expense of Pacific Overtures, Passion, Bounce/Road Show, Forum, and Saturday Night. But people don't necessarily go to hear "Someone In A Tree"...

As for HERE WE ARE, it may be that the commercial rightsholders wouldn't allow selections to be included, as they plan for the future life of the show."

I thought Sondheim on Sondheim did a good job of including a diverse array of his work, particularly oddities and cut songs, even if the final product was sort of ho-hum. But I'm really not a big fan of revues generally, which always seem to me to have a tribute band feel to them.

For me, the gold standard is the 1993 Carnegie Hall celebration. I don't think any Sondheim concert or revue has rivaled that set list. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 11:07am

CurtainsUpat8 said: "Opera has a much smaller canon of shows that are produced in general.

Yes, I can not go. That is the easy, lazy answer to my sincere comment. Broadway has become a disaster. Ticket prices, audience behavior, merchandising, etc...... The thing some of you are missing here is any sense of history. If you had been going to Broadway since the 70's, you would have perspective. You are 25 years old and you think Wicked is the most amazing show to ever hit Broadway. 80 percent of Broadway is AWFUL. And yes, I do stay home... and I go to off Broadway where I actually see some quality theatre. I saw Len Cariou in Tuesday's with Morrie in a 75 seat space in a church and it was some of the most exciting theatre I have seen in a long time. Do you know who Len Cariou is? Because that theatre should be sold out and people should be fighting for tickets to it. Len Cariou is as big a legend as Patti LuPone.... I love Patti, but she can scratch her ass on stage and you all go insane. The $50 I spent to see Len Carious give a Masterclass was what theatre used to be like in nyc."

Do you understand that certain shows that you want to see will not be something others are interested in? That what you think to be a theatrical event may not appeal to others who are just getting into theater? Don't talk down to people. Let them enjoy what they want to see, without crapping all over it. 

[binau]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 11:38am

The reason why this didn’t feel like a tribute band in London is because of Bernadette, Lea and some of the other artists. Many of the performances were among the best I’d ever heard these songs before. It really felt like an event - yes a bit of greatest hit vibe - but an event. It’s much different in vibe than say Sondheim on Sondheim. If they can get the right cast, I honestly think there will be a lot of interest and positive word of mouth. It might feel like there is a lot of Sondheim right now but in my opinion we will be hungry for more next year. Anyone who would want to miss Bernadette’s Clowns or Lea’s Coming up Roses are making a mistake in my opinion. 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 2:06pm

I’m incredibly excited for this as well as the rumored Anyone Can Whistle.  I don’t get the “enough of Sondhiem” people.  Clearly, there are many of us who could never get enough of the man and his shows are finally making money.  Why wouldn’t producers keep that gravy train running as long as they can?
 

The simple solution for those who are exhausted by Sondheim: just don’t go, literally no one is forcing you.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 11:35pm

Play Esq. said: "the rumored Anyone Can Whistle."

...the rumored what now?

[Voter]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 11:50pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Play Esq. said: "the rumored Anyone Can Whistle."

...the rumored what now?"

There is a rumor about Anyone Can Whistle in the Fall off-broadway 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 7:29am

Allegedly at CSC. 

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 4/11/24 at 7:35am

I would love to see say Patti lupone,Raúl Esparza and Mandy Patinkin join the bill for this

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 4/18/24 at 3:47am

Cameron was interviewed on the radio this morning and said that several members of the London cast are moving to Broadway

[binau]

Posted: 4/18/24 at 4:35am

Look, some of them were great - but how large is Cameron’s ego if he thinks that they were SO GOOD that it requires an equity transfer and additional overheads. My honest opinion is that some of the cast will fall flat in NYC and the audience will be asking ‘why’. I think I have realised that Cameron’s ego is high though - I watched him watch the opening of Old Friends a couple times during the run and he literally stayed to laugh at his own joke in the pre-show announcement, watch Bernadette and Lea make their entrance and then dash. He even claims that he personally started - using Lea as a puppet to say - ‘the west end’s love affair with Sondheim’. Maybe he did, I don’t know. But the whole project does feel like an ego trip for him. Thankfully toned down from the original concert where he literally gave himself lines to read on stage too hehe. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/18/24 at 9:15am

BRADLEY JADEN, PLEASE!!!!!!

[always bway]

Posted: 4/18/24 at 11:02am

soooooo excited for this! 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/18/24 at 11:11am

Jordan Catalano said: "BRADLEY JADEN, PLEASE!!!!!!"

 

Yea, he's great but probably will cast Andy Karl or Cheyenne Jackson!

 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/18/24 at 8:00pm

Who’ll get to do I’m Still Here?

Bonnie Langford in London, I believe... how was she?

What does the title "Old Friends” refer to? The song obviously, but I guess there is double/triple meaning... the shows and performers too? Do the performers, at least the main ones, need to have previous Sondheim experience?

To Kad’s point about an overly familiar set list... at least there is “The Boy From..." as performed by Janie Dee. That one had completely passed me by until I saw the televised concert, and now I don’t know how I lived without it.

I’d love to see some Assassins, though. They should draft in Michael Cerveris if nothing else.

 

[binau]

Posted: 4/19/24 at 2:22am

Bonnie Langford was excellent and there was an old Sondheim connection as I believe she was baby June in the Lansbury Gypsy! But I think New York audiences would prefer someone like Patti or Donna Murphy to sing the song. 

Yes the implication of the ‘old friends’ title is that there is some kind of historical connection to his work - Bernadette opens the show to welcome us to join ‘many of Stephen sondheim’s old friends to celebrate his incredible life and work’.

That was true of many of the cast, some more tenuously than others. For example - going by connection not name we had the Lansbury baby June, the 2018 national theatre follies Phyllis and sally replacement, the off Broadway 2017 Sweeney Todd etc. but it felt like many were also there due to talent not historical connection (not saying that’s a bad thing). 
 

I do think the standard for what might constitute an ‘old friend’ would be higher in NYC than London. That’s why I’m hoping they can bring back some of the more historic old friends.  

[JasonC3]

Posted: 4/19/24 at 4:01am

I doubt many audience members will care whether or not cast members' relationship with Sondheim and his work justify their presence in a show with Old Friends as part of its title.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/19/24 at 6:22am

That’s fine, Jason. I’m not a producer. I don’t let what they care about determine what I care about.

I think that Bernadette holding her umbrella aloft, Patti breaking out the tuba etc. would have power. Warm nostalgia is an important part of the show.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/19/24 at 6:33am

binau... Donna Murphy would be SO well suited to this show on every front. I’d LOVE her I’m Still Here. 

I just wonder if a Cameron Mackintosh connection is more important than a Sondheim connection.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 4/19/24 at 8:25am

Jay Lerner-Z said: "I just wonder if a Cameron Mackintosh connection is more important than a Sondheim connection."

 
Bingo!

 

Updated On: 4/19/24 at 08:25 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 12:36pm

“Joining Broadway Legends Peters and Salonga will be Jasmine Forsberg, Kate Jennings Grant, David Harris, Bonnie Langford, Tony Award winner Beth Leavel, two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Lee, Ryan McCartan, multiple Olivier Award nominee Jason Pennycooke, two-time Olivier Award winner Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Maria Wirries, and Daniel Yearwood. The company will also include Kevin Earley, Paige Faure, Alexa Lopez, and Peter Neureuther. The final co-star will be announced soon.”

Opening night is April 8. 

[binau]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 12:52pm

I was hoping for more serious Sondheim alumni and I’m surprised at some of those west end transfers but I’m sure they’ll put on a great show. Without Bernadette this production would lack credibility especially in New York City. 

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 12:57pm

binau said: "I was hoping for more serious Sondheim alumni and I’m surprised at some of those west end transfers but I’m sure they’ll put on a great show. Without Bernadette this production would lack credibility especially in New York City."

I agree with you. But at the same time, Bernadette was the weakest performer in this production. Vocally she’s just not there.

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 1:01pm

Bette's Turban said: "binau said: "I was hoping for more serious Sondheim alumni and I’m surprised at some of those west end transfers but I’m sure they’ll put on a great show. Without Bernadette this production would lack credibility especially in New York City."

I agree with you. But at the same time, Bernadette was the weakest performer in this production. Vocally she’s just not there."

She may have been in poor voice when you saw her but I heard her sing a dozen Sondheim songs in concert a few weeks ago. She was in glorious voice for someone who has had a sixty year career. 

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 1:11pm

She had vocal issues throughout the entire London run.  I think she is forgiven alot in her concert turns.  It’s still fun to see her.