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

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.”

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.

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 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

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

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.

soooooo excited for this!

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.

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.

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.

“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 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 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.