Bernadette Peters & Lea Salonga to Lead Sondheim’s OLD FRIENDS On Broadway in 2025- Page 9

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/22/25 at 5:35pm

Noticed curtain for Wed April 2 is at 6PM anyone know why earlier and or if it's a special performance for?

Updated On: 3/22/25 at 05:35 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/22/25 at 5:38pm

Was there any promo made today (Sondheim’s birthday)?

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/22/25 at 6:03pm

Wick3 said: "Was there any promo made today (Sondheim’s birthday)?"

Sondheim is the promo

[CityLights3]

Posted: 3/23/25 at 2:31am

Robbie2 said: "Noticed curtain for Wed April 2 is at 6PM anyone know why earlier and or if it's a special performance for?"

According to the MTC website, it is A SPECIAL BENEFIT PERFORMANCE with cocktails at 5pm and show at 6pm.  

https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/events/stephen-sondheims-old-friends-benefit-performance/

So very much looking forward to finally seeing this! 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/23/25 at 7:42pm

CityLights3 said: "Robbie2 said: "Noticed curtain for Wed April 2 is at 6PM anyone know why earlier and or if it's a special performance for?"

According to the MTC website, it isA SPECIAL BENEFIT PERFORMANCE with cocktails at 5pm and show at 6pm.

https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/events/stephen-sondheims-old-friends-benefit-performance/

So very much looking forward to finally seeing this!"

 

Thanks, same here.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 8:44am

Sorry if this has already been asked/answered, but is there any possibility of this extending? It's such a short run and seems to be selling incredibly well.

[binau]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 9:52am

I think it's very possible they might try to replace Lea (who needs to do Into the Woods in the Philippines) and extend in same theatre or different (not sure how long theatre is empty).
 

Would be good if they can get another Sondheim heavy-hitter such as Donna Murphy or Patti LuPone. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 4:04pm

Robbie2 said: "Noticed curtain for Wed April 2 is at 6PM anyone know why earlier and or if it's a special performance for?"

 

Would be cool if they were filming it.

[DAME]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 4:07pm

TotallyEffed said: "Robbie2 said: "Noticed curtain for Wed April 2 is at 6PM anyone know why earlier and or if it's a special performance for?"



Would be cool if they were filming it."

Wasn’t this already filmed in London?  Or an earlier version?

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 4/2/25 at 3:40pm

Any stage door reports on this show?  Thanks.

[meredithchandler73]

Posted: 4/3/25 at 10:31am

DAME said: "TotallyEffed said: "Robbie2 said: "Noticed curtain for Wed April 2 is at 6PM anyone know why earlier and or if it's a special performance for?"



Would be cool if they were filming it."

Wasn’t this already filmed in London? Or an earlier version?"

The original Gala concert of STEPHEN SONDHEIM'S OLD FRIENDS (I think it was May 2022) was a starry, one night only event and it was filmed. There is also an album.

[binau]

Posted: 4/3/25 at 10:44am

I hope they do at least a cast recording or something. I prefer what they are doing with this production than what the original concert was….

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/26/25 at 9:32pm

I had a great time at this.

Quibbles? Sure. Definitive performances of any songs? No. But it's a great evening for theatre fans despite a very long act one and some self-congratulatory Cameron behavior.

I'd give Bonnie Langford a nom for this, except that's with a big asterisk because I saw it when Lea was out, so Bonnie did the Sweeney sequence (brilliantly). She exudes joy as a performer.

I've never been a fan of Bernadette's interpretation of "Losing My Mind" but she's reached a new low in this production: I think it's the worst singing and acting I've ever seen from her. The night I saw it her voice sounded shot, she was off from the music, and she seemed twitchy...does she do that every night? The rest of her performance is wonderful and sounded good, though!

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 4/26/25 at 10:42pm

Ensemble1744810375 said: "OMG, what incredible news! I am absolutely thrilled that Old Friends, the revue celebrating Sondheim's genius, is coming to Broadway in 2025, with Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga directing."

Da fuq?

 

Is it safe to assume every poster with the username Ensemble + 10 random numbers is a spam/AI account?

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/27/25 at 12:56am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I had a great time at this.

Quibbles? Sure. Definitive performances of any songs? No. But it's a great evening for theatre fans despite a very long act one and some self-congratulatory Cameron behavior.

I'd give Bonnie Langford a nom for this, except that's with a big asterisk because I saw it when Lea was out, so Bonnie did the Sweeney sequence (brilliantly). She exudes joy as a performer.

I've never been a fan of Bernadette's interpretation of "Losing My Mind" but she's reached a new lowin this production: I think it's the worst singing and acting I've ever seen from her. The night I saw it her voice sounded shot, she was off from the music, and she seemed twitchy...does she do that every night? Therestof her performance is wonderful and sounded good, though!"

You missed Lea? She makes the evening extra special coupled with Bernadette who was sublime and sounding great when we saw it! 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/27/25 at 8:33am

Yes, Lea was out for 3 or 4 perfs last week and I didn’t feel like rebooking.

Her songs were split between different ladies which was interesting. Riding did Roses, Beth Leavel did the intro with Bernadette, two of the younger ladies did Loving You and Somewhere, Bonnie did the Sweeney sequence. Not remembering the others. 

Updated On: 4/27/25 at 08:33 AM

[binau]

Posted: 4/28/25 at 4:15pm

So both Lea and Bernadette featured. Any chance that they might both be nominated and Lea wins? 

[binau]

Posted: 4/28/25 at 4:37pm

Goldderby suggesting if Bernadette gets nominated she will make history "A nomination for Old Friends this year in Featured Actress would set the Tonys record for the longest time span between nominations in category history at 53 years"

"Peters currently ranks third in Gold Derby’s Tony odds for Featured Actress in a Musical. Seven of our nine editors and 10 of our 12 experts predict her for the nomination, too."

Loving this!!

Updated On: 4/28/25 at 04:37 PM

[MezzA101]

Posted: 4/28/25 at 5:58pm

Revue-ing Sondheim: 'Old Friends' on Broadway | The New York Public Library

(Some nice pictures)

 

https://www.nypl.org/blog/2025/04/24/revue-ing-sondheim-old-friends-broadway

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 4/28/25 at 7:01pm

binau said: "So both Lea and Bernadette featured. Any chance that they might both be nominated and Lea wins?"

Nom for both is possible...I would personally give it to Natalie Venita Belcon. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/28/25 at 8:25pm

binau said: "Goldderby suggesting if Bernadettegets nominated she will make history "A nomination forOld Friendsthis year in Featured Actress would set the Tonys record for the longest time span between nominations in category history at 53 years"

"Peters currently ranks third in Gold Derby’sTony oddsfor Featured Actress in a Musical. Seven of our nine editors and 10 of our 12 experts predict her for the nomination, too."

Loving this!!"

 

 

Bernadette Peters could break a Tonys record with a nomination for ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends’

https://www.goldderby.com/article/2025/bernadette-peters-tonys-record-old-friends/

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/28/25 at 10:50pm

binau said: "So both Lea and Bernadette featured. Any chance that they might both be nominated and Lea wins?"

 

‘It should be illegal how much fun I’m having’: Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends’

https://www.goldderby.com/feature/lea-salonga-stephen-sondheims-old-friends-interview-1206211643/

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 9:13am

Caught this last night. (7:05 start time, 9:35 end of exit music)

 It's pretty much wall-to-wall music without any context or commentary. It lionizes Steve just like PRINCE OF BROADWAY did for Hal. Doesn't go out to change the game or anything, but I had a nice enough time.

First things first, the orchestra sounds FANTASTIC. Stationed between Sondheim's insignia and a changing backdrop giving some semblance of a set, they are visible for most of the performance and I could tell Annbritt duChateau was having a blast leading this group.

In the acting department there are many highlights to be found, especially in the showstopper-after-showstopper second act. It was a pleasure finally getting to see Peters and Salonga in a show - the former's signature warble works best in her lower register at this point in her career (I quite liked her "Send in the Clowns"), while the latter brought the house down with a ferocious rendition of "Everything's Coming Up Roses."

Beth Leavel nailed a sarcastic, devastating "Ladies Who Lunch," Bonnie Langford made an impression with "I'm Still Here," and Jeremy Secomb's Sweeney Todd will haunt my dreams.

I did have some quibbles, most notably the show contains a bit too much FOLLIES and too little of some other shows. 

The decision to bookend SUNDAY in the first act was quite moving, especially getting to see Bernadette slip into Dot. So was "Not a Day Goes By," accompanied by a photo montage of Sondheim through the years. 

Go and enjoy - I could see either Bernadette or Lea pick up a featured actress nomination tomorrow morning. 

Stage door: I clocked everyone except for Leavel, Jasmine Forsberg, and Daniel Yearwood. (Joanna Riding came out but did not sign.) Most - including Salonga - were out by 9:50, and Bernadette was last to arrive at 10:12.