Groban & Ashford in SWEENEY TODD On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread — Page 56

Scott Stephen said: "Yes, Nicholas Christopher will perform all shows except for 9/13 evening and 9/16 matinee! If you don't mind seeing the show without Josh, they're offering 2 for 1 tickets for Broadway week on top of the new rush discount!"

Awesome. I'm gonna try and see it on Sunday.

Since that podcast, it's been pretty common knowledge on here that Josh's final performance is scheduled for January 14, which is when ticket sales currently end. No one knows whether they're planning on closing on that date, or if they're thinking of a replacement, though.

Updated On: 9/13/23 at 11:41 AM

Just before the Tonys, Groban was part of a roundtable discussion in the Hollywood Reporter.

Asked when their last performances were, Groban said: "Mid-January for me. I think it will go on, though, after that."

This would be consistent with a Jan. 14 closing date. He leaves things open about whether the revival would continue with replacements, but that decision obviously isn't up to him.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/tony-nominees-roundtable-sara-bareilles-jessica-chastain-josh-groban-1235503568/

Who's seeing Paul-Jordan Jansen's Sweeney debut tonight?

Went tonight to see Nicholas Christopher as Sweeney and was blown away. His Epiphany was one of the best I've ever seen. I still wish we had a Mrs. Lovett who wasn't Ashford (or maybe if she could just tone down the hamming to the audience and the shtick and play a character and the story) but Christopher was a major step up from Groban. TBH this whole production is a major disappointment in conception and especially casting of the two main leads. I would prefer to see a myriad of other duos perform this score (I understand the financial incentive to cast Groban but he was a major disappointment in Great Comet too, he really doesn't have the acting chops to be in a serious broadway musical). It was just such a breath of fresh air to see Christopher knock it out of the park.

I agree that the physical production is a bit 'meh' and that Nicolas Christopher is a better actor than Groban, but Groban's voice is the 27th piece of the orchestra in my opinion. Every note he sings feels nuanced and so special to me, and his Epiphany is menacing in a kind of musical way for me than an acting way, if that makes any sense. I couldn't believe what I was hearing come out of those chords. I really wish I could see Nicolas Christopher do the role in a different production - imagining him for example in the Barrow Street pie shop one. I think I would be shaking.

The set ran into technical difficulties today so they're doing it as a concert (show was supposed to start at 7, and they made that announcement around 7:35). I think they were also running into issues with the ticket scanner so the line wasn't moving until they announced the concert staging (marketed as a "once in a lifetime chance". There's an option for people to get refunds but I got a TDF ticket to see Nicholas Christopher so I'm interested to see how they're going to be doing it.

ANewBrainn said: "binau said: "I agree that the physical production is a bit 'meh' and that Nicolas Christopher is a better actor than Groban, but Groban's voice is the 27th piece of the orchestra in my opinion. Every note he sings feels nuanced and so special to me, and his Epiphany is menacing in a kind of musical way for me than an acting way, if that makes any sense. I couldn't believe what I was hearing come out of those chords. I really wish I could see Nicolas Christopher do the role in a different production - imagining him for example in the Barrow Street pie shop one. I think I would be shaking."

I really think that Groban's voice has more of an angelic quality to it than a menacing one and doesn't work with the character at all. His acting works better in light broad comedies than any serious drama, I thought he was awful and misscast in Comet too. I was distracted by his performance the entire time I was watching him. It was really poor casting from the start and strikes me as 100% financially motivated with very little consideration for his fit in the role."

As a person, I think Josh Groban seems like a great guy, and I usually love listening to his singing, but it didn't blow me away in this show. Technically, it's perfect, but it didn't make me feel much. The biggest problem for me, though, was the Jon Lovitz "Master Thespian" delivery of his dialogue. I've seen the show 3 times, and, at my most recent visit, I was thinking to myself, "This is just not good at all." It's just a really hammy "serious actor" voice, and, to me, it's like he's in a different show from everyone else.

While it seems like a unique night at the theatre, and I’m glad refunds were offered - I wonder how many people really paid upwards of $150 for only a 40 minute concert version rather than a 3 hour production? Oooof.

No one. Everyone was automatically refunded whether or not they stayed.

"

I hope the above is not the case. I had tickets for tonight, as well, and we were told we could either stay, get a refund, or get post-dated tickets for another day. We opted to get our tickets switched to another day and were given a card with the customer service number to call (which was closed tonight, so I will call tomorrow). I had gotten my tickets today at a cheaper price (the only price that was finally in my price range, since Josh was out and we had a discount), so if they just automatically refunded everyone, I’ll definitely be upset, as I don’t know if I’ll be able to find tickets as cheap again.

Also, while I certainly hope those who stayed and ended up only getting 40 minutes get a refund or can switch their tickets for another date, the option to see the “concert” version and still get a refund was definitely not originally given to us.

Anyone know why it ended up only being 40 minutes? They had made it sound like it was going to be the full show in concert.

I was there and it was, in a word, a nightmare. LOL. God bless the Lunt-Fontanne staff for all they had to deal with. They clearly didn't have any answers to give people.

I had my tickets to see Nicholas Christopher for a few months after the incredible word of mouth that started during previews in March. Sadly, I won't be able to make it for any of the performances for the rest of this weekend. Maybe I'll be able to swing it for one of his November dates, or if he has any random ones pop up in the meantime.

Anyway, on with the mess. As others have said, we were on 46th street for over an hour. I got into the line around 6:15 and was close to the front. I was able to see through the doors of the theatre and saw the commotion of the front of house staff, etc. We were told it was technical difficulties and that they'd try to get us in as soon as possible.

For some reason, they were allowing people into the mezzanine if they wanted to wait inside. We had no idea what that meant or why some people were allowed to go upstairs, buy merchandise, cocktails, etc. I, and others, were talking about how odd it was that if there were technical difficulties people could go to the mezzanine and potentially see what was happening. Still unclear what happened during that time.

Around 7:30, the front of house manager came out and announced that the automation was shut down and that they'd be offering refunds or we could stay for the. "once in a lifetime opportunity" that was a concert production. I chose to get my refund. Not many stayed for the concert. I feel bad for those who did because we were led to believe it would be the whole score. It was only the first 40 minutes. How terrible. The audience had waited so patiently all night for that.

People were yelling and fighting. The box office staff were trying their best to accommodate everyone, but it was hopeless at a certain point. So many people bought tickets through TDF or the Lottery because Groban was out. Refunds were much more complicated for them. They were not helpful with exchanges. It was all just messy. Ah well.

I felt terrible for the people who traveled into New York to see this show, had hotel rooms, arranged their schedules, etc. It's just a crappy thing to happen. Many people said that they could only afford to see the show with Groban out and if they do get an exchange, they will have a hefty difference to pay. I'm lucky to live in NYC and be able to see it whenever I choose to. I don't take that for granted.

Ultimately, just a really difficult night for everyone at the theatre. I'd say the company of the show were troopers, but the 40 minute concert puts a bad taste in my mouth.

I digress. Oy.

What was most annoying to me was that the refunds took so long that I wasn't out of the lobby until well after 8:30. I wish I could've gone to another theatre nearby and tried to get a last minute ticket to something else. Not meant to be tonight I suppose!

Definitely a night to remember.

I picked up my ticket after 6:30, and by that point, the back of the line was halfway up to 47th on 8th Ave. It started to get dicey towards the end because Six had an 8:00 curtain and the back of the line at the Lena Horne started to overlap on 8th.

The performance really should have just been canceled and much sooner. At least the producers didn’t have to pay the company overtime. But also, maybe that’s why they couldn’t perform the entire show in concert.

The entire performance was refunded. Cast was in full costume already so they agreed to perform the 40 minutes of Act 1. A friend was there and stayed and was informed he would be given a full refund.