Groban & Ashford in SWEENEY TODD On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread — Page 28

Sorry if I missed this earlier in the thread, but can someone please let me know what the current run time is?

Sneezy0984 said: "bear88 said: "I'm curious about the process here, having seen a Broadway show in previews only once before, and that was the famousShuffle Along, which seems to have changed on a regular basis right up until opening. That;s probably not the best example.

In this instance, you've got a major revival of a very familiar musical, where they need to adjust to the theater and then a theater full of people. And there isn't a lot of time. There are 27 previews, and the show presumably will be "locked" before then because critics will be becoming shortly before Opening Night. (I'm not sure exactly when.) It's not like the show had out-of-town tryouts to work out other kinks.

This seems to be a very experienced group.Hamiltonhad one of the best sound designs I recall hearing, given the need for the audience to grasp the rapid-fire lyrics. That show even had great sound when I saw it on tour.

But every situation is different. New theater, new variables, a million things to worry about. When does everyone have the time to fix whatever they think needs fixing? They're doing a show each evening, except for Mondays. On those Mondays? On various random afternoons because they don't have a two-show day until Saturday, March 11 and then a week later? On every afternoon?

I'm just curious how this usually works."



Most days they rehearse during the day before the show. I know they've been in the theater before every single preview making fixes. The opening number was VASTLY different at the Friday evening performance. They've also made changes to several other scenes. Particularly in regard to the movement.

As far as the sound is concerned, they are purposely trying not to use too much amplification. They are going for a more acoustic sound. The first three previews did have some errors both with lighting cues and set pieces that didn't operate as they were intended to.

They are still tweaking and fixing things and I expect things to change even further in the next week. Press does not start coming until the week after next so they have plenty of time before the show is frozen."

Could you explain how the movement has changed in the opening number? Do you think there’s any plans to bring the whistle back?

Jimmyb1969 said: "The producers are very aware of the sound issues. And are worried…it’s not the slam dunk they though in the rehearsal hall.Everyone is talking about Annaleigh…definitely a combo of mic and accent and strength. And Jordan is a disaster, there’s problems with the blood effects - sometimes they work sometimes they don’t. And the whistle. People aren’t leaving as happy as they had hoped. There’s real issues."

This oddly reads like someone who wants to sway public opinion about this show being worthy of the attention it's getting.

Unless you are one of the producers of the show, how could you possibly know any of this?

ImAProphet said: "Looks like Josh Groban will be at a charity gala in LA on 3/18:https://e.givesmart.com/events/v7U/

Could he be appearing virtually? Ticketmaster doesn't list any absences for him. Otherwise it may be a good opportunity to get a cheap refunded ticket/see Nicholas Christopher."

I'd like to know we the answer to this too! I love going to see the understudy when I'm not a huge fan of the original cast. Not to say Josh Groban isn't lovely, he just isn't someone who has me clamoring to see a show.

Also, it's nice going to shows and not have a strong idea of the performer as a person or celebrity. I don't wanna be thinking it's "Josh Groban as Sweeny Todd" the entire time. I'd still be more than happy to see him perform though.

ljay889 said: "Do you think there’s any plans to bring the whistle back?"

The story I hear, and you can trust it at the level you trust any anonymous source, is that there were never plans to leave the whistle out and that they're going to add it during previews. The hold-up is that they're waiting for something, possibly the whistle itself (I don't know if it's gotten harder or easier to find one since 1979), to arrive.

A whistle does not a Broadway show make. Or help with sound.

I’m going to paraphrase, but here’s some more whistle insight.

Hal Prince mentions in the documentary about the London production rehearsals (on YT and easily findable, and showing plenty of fully staged moments) that while a tense moment in a movie or stage thriller would have underscoring to accompany it, he asked for a factory whistle for those tense moments instead.

This differs from the Gemignani account of the whistle being his suggestion, but it does show that the whistle was inserted in places where there would have been “another” kind of sound/underscoring anyway. To have it totally missing and have those moments empty probably doesn’t feel right at all.


Not that I don’t believe the post above, but don’t buy the production’s insistence that “we always planned to have it but haven’t added it yet.” Really sounds like they’re trying to explain away their oversight. How hard is it to throw a stock sound into QLab?

Updated On: 3/5/23 at 11:08 AM

Last night was the first time a performance of this musical masterpiece has not given me a single chill or brought me to tears. Groban’s is undoubtedly the most beautifully sung Todd I’ve heard, but he’s way too tame and unthreatening. Also, with all the struggles others are having with their accents, Groban doesn’t even attempt one, which frankly is a blessing compared to the unintelligible mess others are making. Also, yes various design and movement elements (none of which bothered me) can be improved during previews, but how about a number of totally miscast roles, from leads to supporting?


that said, the audience responded to the house lights going down, to every actors’ entrance, and to every single musical number as if they were witnessing the most extraordinary events ever.

OTOH, in the afternoon I finally saw &Juliet which I’d been resisting and then dreading since it opened, and LOVED it! What a smart and joyous treat! Not at all the way I expected my musical double feature day to go down.

Where’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson to do a dramatic reading of some of these posts?

Some folks of this board were very concerned about the presence/absence of a whistle in 2005 as well, which I found amusing as it's the first response on google for "sweeney todd factory whistle":

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=872379

Updated On: 3/5/23 at 12:41 PM

I also noticed that this production does not bill itself as "A Musical Thriller". Unless I just missed it. Looking back, it is on the posters for the original and the 2005 revival.

veronicamae said: "uncageg said: "I also noticed that this production does not bill itself as "A Musical Thriller". Unless I just missed it. Looking back, it is on the posters for the original and the 2005 revival."

It does; just checked the title page of my Playbill."



Sure does. Just looked at mine. But interesting it is not on the marquee or window card. I did a search and it appears it does on the the two productions I mentioned.