Sweeney bow order

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:53pm

What is it? Usually?

Obviously Sweeney is last with Lovett, but is Anthony 3rd to last? What's the order?

[ShuQ]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:54pm

Well I guess it varies from production to production..but I would assume Anthony was third...or maybe Tobias. Possibly some get grouped together.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:36pm

Politics have a lot to do with it. In the original Broadway production, Johannah and Anthony were the last ones to bow before Lovett and Sweeney. However, in the National Tour, The Judge and Toby had those spots, because the two actors (Edmund Lyndeck and Ken Jennings)were from the original Broadway company, while Johannah and Anthony were replacements (Betsy Joslyn and Cris Groendaal).

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:41pm

I believe its....
Ensemble
Beadle/Pirelli
Judge Turpin
Johanna/Anthony
Tobias
Sweeny and Lovette interchangably

[mikem]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 5:58pm

I notice that the Beggar Woman is not mentioned in the bow order. Is the role considered a prominent part? The reason I'm asking is because Denise Whelan, who played the part of the Beggar Woman in the Arden Theatre production in Philadelphia, was nominated for a Barrymore award. I was really surprised by this, because I don't think of the role as being one for which you would win awards. (And Denise Whelan was certainly competent in the role, but not particularly distinctive or memorable -- she didn't do anything special in the role to deserve special attention.)

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 9:18pm

As the supporting roles are all roughly the same size, it's kind of a tough call. If I were directing it, I guess I would do it like this:

Ensemble
Beggar Woman
Beadle
Pirelli
Judge
Johanna
Tobias
Anthony
Mrs. Lovett
Sweeney

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 9:58pm

My prefered bowing order for revival:

Beadle
Pirelli
Beggar Woman
Judge
Johanna
Tobias
Anthony
Mrs. Lovett
Sweeney
Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney together
Cast bow

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:40pm

Oy, we're such dorks. I can't believe there's a place where we can throw together all of our goofy ideas about things that would seem meaningless in everyday life. BWW rocks! YAY Sweeney!

[bjivie2]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 3:52am

In all honesty, it SHOULD be Sweeney last, no matter what you say. To have Sweeney and Lovett bow together is a cop-out. It's like having Elphaba and Glinda bow together. It's Elphaba's story, she changes, give her the last bow. It's Sweeney's story, he changes, give him the last bow.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 5:16am

Yeah, I agree bjivie--even though Mrs. Lovett is actually a slightly larger part than Sweeney (they had to beef it up to get Angela Lansbury interested), he is the title role, and it's his story. (Same thing in Wicked--Glinda actually is a slightly larger role than Elphaba, but Elphaba is still "the lead").

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 5:28am

How is Mrs. Lovett a slightly bigger role than Sweeney?

Yes, people might be more interested in Mrs. Lovett, and she definetly steals the show, Sweeney hardly ever leaves the stage. Mrs. Lovett, while there alot of the time, is not onstage nearly as much.

AND about the Glinda/Elphaba role size...Elphaba is CLEARLY the larger role. Glinda, in many ways is very much a supporting role. (Im still surprised the producers didnt petition to put KC in the featured catagory at the Tonys)

that being said, I thinkt he bow order should go:

Pirelli
Beadle
Begger Women
Judge
Johanna/Anthony (together)
Tobias
Mrs. Lovett
Sweeney

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 9:22am

Does anyone here really think, if they do star bowing and not just one bizarre company bow, that LuPone would in any way not be last?

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 9:43am

Theatreguy2 is correct. Both times I have done this show, we have done those bows. Even when Lovett was a quasi-star, Sweeney was the last bow.

Toby is 99.9% of the time the one right before Sweeney and Lovett.

Perelli and Beadle get interchanged often, too.

And sometimes johanna and anthony have seperate bows (which helps the audience feel good when one of them sucked and one didn't).

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 10:44am

Yeah, I pretty much agreee with Theatreguy2's bowing order....sometimes, Fogg gets a bow....for what? I don't know. And yes, sometimes Pirelli and Beadle are interchanged, however, Beadle has a much larger part than Pirelli. I don't understand why sometimes Pirelli goes after Beadle, and Fogg gets a bow...I believe the bowing order should be this:

Ensemble
(Fogg)
Pirelli
Beadle
Beggar Woman
Anthony
Johanna
Judge
Tobias
Mrs. Lovett
Sweeney

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 10:56am

I'm honestly wondering if, because Patti Lupone is such a name/diva in this biz, if Lovett will be given the final bow in the upcoming production. I personally think Cerveris is all wrong for the role, but if it's played right, Sweeney should always have the final bow.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 12:44pm

In response to all this LuPone/Diva/final bow stuff, let me point out that while performing at the Ravinia festival, I believe Patti had the third to final bow - followed by Michael Cerveris and Audra McDonald. I have no doubt she's a diva, and can't really believe Im defending her, but I think she'd be willing to let Michael take the final bow.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 1:56pm

I'm pretty sure Lansbury got final bow, as did LuPone in the concert version.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 2:34pm

It's like Maureen McGovern getting the last bow in LW tour. It's absolute bull if you ask me. Who's on stage for 90% of the show? Who's the show about. Joooo.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 5:17pm

Interesting thread.

I was just thinking about the billing for Sweeney.

I recall that Lansbury's name was first (on the left) in the original. And I saw in a recent post about new artwork/promo photos etc, that LuPone's name is also listed first (on the left). Curious.

Why would that be the case if the show is called Sweeney Todd, and Todd is the central character undergoing change?

And does anyone know if Lansbury did indeed take the final bow in the original? How about the tour (avail. on video)?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 7:19pm

On both the tour and in the original Broadway production, Angela Lansbury took the final bow.

Although Sweeney is the "real" lead, in both the original production and in the upcoming revival, Mrs. Lovett has been cast with a star, while Sweeney (Len Cariou and now Michael Cerveris) was cast with only a well-respected actor not really known outside of the Broadway community. It is because of this that Lansbury got top billing and the final bow and LuPone has also received top billing and will likely get the final bow as well (as was the case with her "Sweeney" concerts with George Hearn). However, in the 1980s Broadway revival, neither Bob Gunton nor Beth Fowler were stars, and Gunton, appropriately, received first billing (and subsequently, I'm guessing, the final bow).

Why the f*ck do I know this stuff?

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 7:33pm

oh wow... I cant believe I forgot Lucy... She should be right before Judge Turpin. And I agree Sweeny should no doubt be the last bow.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 7:52pm

My bow order:
Beadle
Pirelli
Judge
Beggar Woman
Antony and Johanna (or Jo. first)
Tobias
Lovett
Sweeney

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 9/1/05 at 8:53pm

Lucy IS the Beggar Woman...

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 9/4/05 at 3:19am

Thanks for the info distinctive...

I guess both LuPone and Lansbury had great agents ...