Who could replace Josh Groban?

Well Justin Timberlake certainly wouldn't be a good choice for many reasons...

I'm more interested in Lovett's replacement and would focus there and let Nicholas Christopher do the role full time. I'm desperate for a different take on Lovett than Annaleigh's hammed up portrayal which I feel is a clown. I'd LOVE a Patina Miller or Heather Headley turn. Sara Bareilles, SJB, Hannah Waddingham would all also be phenomenal Mrs. Lovetts.

Updated On: 9/18/23 at 05:58 PM

Many could replace him. Few would want to or sell tickets at the level that is needed to sustain the show. And most of those actors have no incentive to replace Groban or Ashford in a lauded performance.

Closing after the star leaves isn't exactly a new trend, same with the box office tanking after replacing a star with someone who does not mean more than them. Tommy Kail's production of SWEENEY is on Bway exclusively because Josh Groban wanted to do it.

"Without even trying" implies that you know something we don't –– Rudin reportedly engaged in conversations with many big-name ladies to replace in DOLLY; nobody wanted to do it. The same could be true of SWEENEY.

If it recoups this fall, as was indicated by Phil Boroff, that should be considered a good success for its producers and perhaps it will have a future life in London (with Groban?) and/or on the road.

Justin Timberlake would only be a good idea in terms of selling tickets.

A person absolutely right for the role would be Killian Donnelly, but he wouldn't be a draw.

I know she can't really sing, but hear me out... Whoopi Goldberg for Mrs. Lovett.

Jay Lerner-Z said: "I know she can't really sing, but hear me out... Whoopi Goldberg for Mrs. Lovett."


Love her, but she’d barely get past the gasp before, “A customer!”

In that case, I'll opt for Bernadette Peters. I still haven't given up hope of her playing Mrs. Lovett one day, and she's been a replacement before. Too bad she's busy in London. Mrs. Lovett is ageless, right, it even makes more sense for an older actor to play her.

Will and Audra.

Gerard Butler :P

It might not sound pretty, but the audience will hear everything he says.

I can't see Cyndi Lauper playing a Londoner convincingly. Maybe if they relocated the show to Ozone Park. Then again, maybe the accent is not that important. As Patti LuPone once proved. I do think the reason Sondheim loved the Imelda Staunton/Michael Ball production so much was because of the authentic "Britishness" of it.

Margot Robbie. Hm. It's hard to see Barbie as a convincing unmarried lonely heart of a certain age, but I guess that's what acting is all about.

Jay Lerner-Z said: "I can't see Cyndi Lauper playing a Londoner convincingly.”



and Annaleigh does? lol

I wouldn't have cast Annaleigh either.

How do we rate Bernadette's accent in Song and Dance?

Hannah Waddingham is an inspired idea, and arguably has as big a following, it not bigger, than Ashford does. Thats a realistic treat.

But i think its pretty clear that Groban is the draw, and the producers (understandably) do not want to plunk down cash to keep this going without a ticket-seller of that caliber. Timberlake is immensely talented but a preposterous choice, and is way too smart to beclown himself trying to pull this off.