the touring production of the Sweeney Todd revival- Page 2

[keen on kean]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 10:53pm

Yes - Pirelli does drop the accent. No reason to keep up the pretense, and much more chilling as a result.

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 11:12pm

The lighter tone was fine with me, and it was very interesting to see different takes from the same actors, but I did miss the devestating heaviness of the broadway show. Don't get me wrong, the tour is still great and it's still a very enjoyable night at the theatre, but I was a little disappointed overall, and nothing I saw or heard left a really strong impression on me.

Anyway, in the broadway revival Donna Lynne Champlin would drop the Pirelli accent, but her lines after that would be in a weird pseudo british accent. Katrina dropped the Pirelli accent and then did her lines in her regular speaking voice. I thought it worked better. Katrina is the one person in the cast who I thought was better than her broadway counterpart.

I doubt that Ed Bagnell was having an off night during all those times I saw him in San Francisco. He is squeaky. I'm not a hater though, he's just a kid and he is awesome with his violin.

And to the person that saw Eddie Cahill as Anthony: how was he? I saw him one night as The Beadle when Ben Eakeley was out sick for the week, and Eddie was...not good. He just sat at the bench for the majority of the show and zoned out, it was kind of distracting. I was like, 'Is he...napping?'

[Dangerous Divine]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 11:41pm

I saw the tour twice, last Saturday matinee and today's matinee. Edwin Cahill was a terrific Antony. I found out after the performance that it was his first time on and I was shocked. He really appeared to have been playing the role for months. If he had played the cello, he would have easily been as perfect in the role as Benjamin Magnuson. Today, David Garry was on for Sweeney and I liked him much better than I liked David Hess. Vocally he was much richer and I felt that he understood the role embodied Sweeney far better than Hess did. Hess was just going through the motions at times while Garry really seemed to descend into madness. I actually was scared of him at times.

The rest of the cast was also flawless. Edmund Bagnell was so engaged and really made it clear to me that the story was being told through Toby's eyes. The standouts to me were David Garry (the second time around) and Katrina Yaukey, and, at least in terms of vocals, Keith Butterbaugh. Katrina Yaukey was much more enjoyable to watch and listen to than her Broadway counterpart. I also loved the way that you could feel her presence watching over the action and Toby. Keith Butterbaugh has an incredible voice, but I found him a little too kindly and likeable for the judge.

I found the change in the portrayal of the Beadle very interesting. Benjamin Eakley has a terrific voice and stage presence, but I was a little thrown by the sexyness that he brought to the character. I was also a little thrown by the costume change from (I think) a suit with a white shirt, black, vest, jacket, and bowtie to all black with a white tie. While, again, I found it quite sexy, it stood out like a sore thumb since all of the other men were wearing a white shirt, black tie, and a few different types of jacket.

Overall, I thought that the production was just as stunning as it was on Broadway, and I loved that nobody copied the performances from Broadway (even the people who performed in that production).

[renthead84]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 11:52pm

i very much enjoyed the tour in boston (ms kaye especially). however, i was fortunate enough to enjoy a short concert by lauren molina and her adorable friend nick at the encore lounge afterwards. was anyone else there or have they seen her do her thing elsewhere before? it was a surprise that she popped by i guess as the lounge's friday night hostess colleen seemed to be thrilled and a fan as well. they did some of her original tunes and covers that were absolutely delightful. i had such a great time seeing sweeney in boston!!

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 12:12am

Does Eddie Cahill play like, any instruments then? I thought at least he may have played the cello.

Oh, and Ben Eakeley's new shiny pretty clothes....ha.

He's a total pimp in that outfit. Of course they give the one pretty boy the one new costume in the whole production. Go figure, right?

[jochang621]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 12:19am

i absolutely loved the touring cast when I saw them in SF.

it's bugging the heck out of me though, during a q&a he had in SF, john doyle said he made "one big change" just that day during rehearsal, and since I hadn't seen the broadway show, I didn't know what he was talking about. any ideas, to the people who know both the touring and the broadway show well?

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 12:22am

He changed the orchestrations torwards the end of Anthony's 'Johanna' and gave it a much more abrupt end. Or at least it was that way while it was in SF, don't know if it's gone back to what it originally was (I hope it has).

I didn't know it was done on purpose, and I was like, 'WTF? How can they still be messing up this much into it?'. But I was told after the show that it had just been changed. I was like, 'Why is he changing stuff now?' The answer I got was: 'Good question.'

Updated On: 11/5/07 at 12:22 AM

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 9:10am

The blocking for the final ballad and the curtain call seemed different from the Broadway production.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 9:15am

I saw it twice this past weekend (student rush 3rd row orchestra each time!!), the Saturday and Sunday matinee and thoroughly enjoyed the production! I saw the understudy for David Hess both performances and he was okay but I would have preferred to see David. Everyone else in the cast was excellent minus Edmund Bagnell who I felt was a little too 'hyper' for the role. Either way, it was great to see the production agian!

[sabrelady]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 4:51pm

Hess has apparently blown his voice and has been put on vocal rest indefinately. Garry will be taking over for the forseeable future during the tour. ( Per the Globe and Mail)

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 5:03pm

oh my god. I posted my pics already on the other thread...

Well in case..for those who miss... J*



THE BOSTON RUN of SWEENEY TODD

Colonial Theater
October 23- Nov. 4.










The Sweeney Todd Touring Company









The Playbill





NYC's Playbill (from my Seafarer Playbill )
Special Feature on the Touring Company



Stage Door Photos

Boston Fans waiting for the Cast




Benjamin Magnuson (Broadway & Touring Company's Anthony)


Benjamin Eakely (The Beadle)


Lauren Molina (Broadway & Touring Company's Johanna)


Edmund Bagnell (Tobias)




(my favorite) Keith Buterbaugh (Judge Turpin) -also from last year's Company


Katrina Yaukey (Pirelli) from last year's Company


Dianna Dimarzio (Broadway & Touring Company's Beggar Woman)


David Garry (understudy for David Hess as Sweeney Todd)
who played 10/30 till 11/4



and the incomparable Ms. Judy Kaye as Ms. Lovett




My Autographed Playbill by the Entire Touring Cast (except David Hess)









Updated On: 11/7/07 at 05:03 PM

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 8:29pm

Not to quibble, but I don't see Diana DiMarzio's autograph on your playbill.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 8:30pm

Youre right .. I miss her .. I miss the beggar lady

J*