Hugh Panaro to Succeed Norm Lewis in Sweeney Todd!

[Lot666]

Yes!

http://www.playbill.com/article/hugh-panaro-to-succeed-norm-lewis-in-off-broadways-sweeney-todd

[Anshel2]

Gonna need to go back and see this.

[MarkBearSF]

AND Carolee Carmello will stay on as Lovett!
Also, we saw David Michael Garry, who will be filling in between Norm Lewis and Hugh Panero. He was EXCELLENT.

[NOWaWarning]

Oh, that'll be interesting. I've only ever heard him sing tenor roles. It'll be cool to hear his lower range.

[LizzieCurry]

Oh wow. I haven't seen him since Lestat, so maybe I should go back...

[Wayman_Wong]

Small world, but Norm and Hugh co-starred in ''Side Show.''

Hugh does a lot of concert work with symphonies nowdays, but I'm thrilled he'll be back on a New York stage where he belongs. His last Broadway credit was ''Lestat'' (2006). For our ''Leading Men II'' concert for Broadway Cares, we asked Hugh to sing ''Right Before My Eyes'' from ''Lestat.'' And he sang it beautifully. In his intro, Hugh said he planned to tell some ''horrible Elton [John] stories,'' but instead he paid a touching tribute to a Broadway colleague, J.C. Sheets, who played Jean Valjean in ''Les Miserables.''

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLug4bw-MI

[Lot666]

Wayman_Wong said: "For our ''Leading Men II'' concert for Broadway Cares, we asked Hugh to sing ''Right Before My Eyes'' from ''Lestat.'' And he sang it beautifully. In his intro, Hugh said he planned to tell some ''horrible Elton [John] stories,'' but instead he paid a touching tribute to a Broadway colleague, J.C. Sheets, who played Jean Valjean in ''Les Miserables.''

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLug4bw-MI"

Very nice.

[KJisgroovy]

Wasn't Hugh in Phantom somewhat recently? Certainly after Lestat. 

[LizzieCurry]

KJisgroovy said: "Wasn't Hugh in Phantom somewhat recently? Certainly after Lestat. "

Yes.

http://www.playbill.com/person/hugh-panaro-vault-0000101035

[KJisgroovy]

Ah! Thanks. You're always so handy with a link. I appreciate it. 

I was confused by Wayman's comment

[Wayman_Wong]

My bad. I was going by IBDB, which listed ''Lestat'' as his last Broadway show. Because Hugh had done ''Phantom'' pre-''Lestat,'' you had to scroll further down to see the more recent dates as to when he returned to ''Phantom.'' Thus, my confusion.

http://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/hugh-panaro-55499

[ksilver117]

Wayman_Wong said: "Small world, but Norm and Hugh co-starred in ''Side Show.''

They also were Valjean & Javert (Panaro & Lewis respectively) in Les Miserables a few years back at the MUNY.

 

[LuminousBeing]

MarkBearSF said: "AND Carolee Carmello will stay on as Lovett!
Also, we saw David Michael Garry, who will be filling in between Norm Lewis and Hugh Panero. He was EXCELLENT.

 

I majorly splurged and bought tickets about a month ago in the front row right in front of the pie counter (when I thought I'd be seeing Norm). I'll be seeing Mr. Garry, and it's great to hear a positive review of his performance, since I was so looking forward to seeing Norm! Could you elaborate a bit on his performance/singing? What did you especially love? You can PM me if you'd like. Thanks!

 

[Scarywarhol]

Such exciting news! This might be the one way to get my mom to see a production of Sweeney Todd...

[newintown]

I would imagine they'll have to transpose much of the score; I don't think he has those low notes.

[Mr. Musical]

newintown said: "I would imagine they'll have to transpose much of the score; I don't think he has those low notes.

 

"

Sweeney isn't a role/show that people transpose - I have to assume he had the notes or wouldn't have been cast. Sure, there might be a few options to bring notes here or there higher but they won't transpose songs into fully new keys.

[newintown]

"Sweeney isn't a role/show that people transpose"

I don't think a musical theatre score exists that doesn't get transposed at some time or other. I have personally seen a Sweeney (regional) that took several songs up one step or two (including "Epiphany," "Pretty Women," and "My Friends".

[nmlhats]

THe more I think about this, the less I like the idea. Just not hearing that voice in this role.

[dianamorales]

I'm so insanely jealous of anyone that gets to see Jake Boyd, John Rapson, and Carolee Carmello in a show together.

[Elfuhbuh]

How funny that Hugh succeeds Norm as Sweeney a couple years after Norm succeeded Hugh as the Phantom! 

[newintown]

And they transposed the Phantom material down for Lewis.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

newintown said: "And they transposed the Phantom material down for Lewis."

They didn't, actually. It was definitely a stretch for him.

Likewise, Sweeney will be a huge stretch for Panaro. He's a honey-voiced tenor playing a bass-baritone role. It will be interesting.

 

[newintown]

Distinctive wrote "newintown said: "And they transposed the Phantom material down for Lewis."

They didn't, actually. It was definitely a stretch for him."

I can only go on what the MD at the time said, which was that transposing and re-orchestrating did happen. So... there you have it, for what it's worth.