Based on a version of Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond
Stephen Sondheim’s haunting musical thriller has been hailed "the greatest musical of the past half-century” by the Wall Street Journal. Sophisticated and uncompromising, “Sweeney Todd” has a great sense of fun, mixing intense drama with howlingly funny moments of dark humor. You will find yourself laughing hysterically one moment and gasping in surprise the next.
The legendary bass-baritone returns to Chicago for his first performance at Lyric in nearly 15 years. Previously acclaimed here for his portrayals of Sweeney Todd, Don Giovanni, Leporello, and Falstaff, among others, the Welsh singer is also a successful recitalist of international renown. His russety and resonant voice, piercing interpretive insight, and demonstrative personality will make for an unforgettable experience.
As BroadwayWorld sadly reported yesterday, stage star Phyllis Newman passed away yesterday, September 15, at the age of 86.
Newman got her start in show business at 4 years old imitating Carmen Miranda in theatres and clubs. Her portrayal of Martha Vail in the Jule Styne/Comden and Green musical Subways Are For Sleeping - costumed only in a bath towel - earned her a Tony Award. Her other Broadway credits include Bells Are Ringing, The Apple Tree, On the Town, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Awake and Sing, Wish You Were Here, First Impressions, and her one-woman musical The Madwoman of Central Park West, which she co-authored with Arthur Laurents. She garnered a Tony Award nomination for her highly-acclaimed performance in Neil Simon's Broadway Bound.
The renaming of the theatre was dedicated to Stephen Sondheim, the greatest and best known artist in American musical theatre on his 80th birthday.
The 1996 Film The Spitfire Grill was a big winner at Sundance and other festivals. It is a drama about a small New England town called Gillead where one restaurant The Spitfire Grill has been up and running for 40 years. Since then a musical was created by Fred Alley and James Valq and little is changed. Characters and most of the plotline are the same as in the movie, with the addition of music, of course. The Spitfire Grill is a small restaurant business for a small community. Its owner Hannah Ferguson (Sarah Saviano) cooks three meals a day and runs the place by herself. Bold and stubborn as a mule, Hannah keeps a dark secret about a close relation. It takes a stranger to Gillead to uncover the secret, to cause further complication and ... to gradually set things right. Now onstage at the Garry Marshall Theatre through August 11, The Spitfire Grill is a winning production that will entertain you and simultaneously tug at your heart strings.
With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history.
The 72nd Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday June 10th at 8/9c hosted by Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles. It's the biggest award show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long awards season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. We can't help but wonder what chances this year's Best Musical and Best Play nominees have of taking home the ultimate prize...
Multi-awarded recording artist and musical theater performer Ima Castro and internationally-renowned baritone Andrew Fernando will join the cast of Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group's SWEENEY TODD, starring Lea Salonga and Jett Pangan.
The musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 1979 thriller featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. The musical is based on a 1973 play of the same name by Christopher Bond. Sweeney Todd opened on Broadway in 1979 and won the Tony Award for Best MusicalThe Broadway production starred Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury, both of whom won Tony Awards for originating the roles of Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett.
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Happy Friday! Finish off your week by catching up on the latest Broadway news!
San Francisco Playhouse celebrates the magic of the holiday season with the hit Broadway musical Mary Poppins. Susi Damilano will direct the Playhouse production, with music direction by Katie Coleman and choreography by Kimberly Richards.
The play will be shown from March 21, 2019 until March 24, 2019.
Angela Lansbury has enjoyed a career without precedent. Her professional career spans more than half-a-century, during which she has flourished, first as a star of motion pictures, then as a four-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical star, and most recently as the star of 'Murder, She Wrote,' the longest running detective drama series in the history of television.
This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.
San Francisco Playhouse celebrates the magic of the holiday season with the hit Broadway musical Mary Poppins. Susi Damilano will direct the Playhouse production, with music direction by Katie Coleman and choreography by Kimberly Richards.
Celebrating the centennial of Alan Jay Lerner, The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, is proud to announce that its acclaimed Musicals in Mufti series will celebrate the work of the legendary librettist and lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, whose hundredth birthday was August 31, 2018. The series honors one of the creators behind such classics as Brigadoon, Camelot, Love Life, and My Fair Lady.
Yeston & Kopit's 'PHANTOM' made its New York Premiere here at WBT in 1992. During our record breaking nine- month run, over 120,000 people attended. Night after night, audiences rose to their feet for the stunning musical thriller. The original production was directed by William Pullinsi and starred Robert Cuccioli as the Phantom and Glory Crampton as Christine Daee. 'PHANTOM' returned to our stage in 1996 and 2007 directed and choreographed by Tom Polum, who had been in the original production. This extraordinary piece will grace our stage once again with Tom Polum at the helm.
Arthur Kopit/ Maury Yeston's 'PHANTOM' made its New York Premiere here at WBT in 1992. During our record breaking nine- month run, over 120,000 people attended. Night after night, audiences rose to their feet for the stunning musical thriller. The original production was directed by William Pullinsi and starred Robert Cuccioli as the Phantom and Glory Crampton as Christine Daee. 'PHANTOM' returned to our stage in 1996 and 2007 directed and choreographed by Tom Polum, who had been in the original production. William Stutler, Robert Funking, and the entire staff of WBT are very excited that this extraordinary piece, once again directed and choreographed by Tom Polum, will grace our stage.
Arthur Kopit/ Maury Yeston's 'PHANTOM' made its New York Premiere here at WBT in 1992. During our record breaking nine- month run, over 120,000 people attended. Night after night, audiences rose to their feet for the stunning musical thriller. The original production was directed by William Pullinsi and starred Robert Cuccioli as the Phantom and Glory Crampton as Christine Daee. 'PHANTOM' returned to our stage in 1996 and 2007 directed and choreographed by Tom Polum, who had been in the original production. William Stutler, Robert Funking, and the entire staff of WBT are very excited that this extraordinary piece, once again directed and choreographed by Tom Polum, will grace our stage.
This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.
Casting is now complete for the Hollywood Bowl's upcoming production of Annie. The new cast members are Roger Bart as Daniel 'Rooster' Hannigan, Kaylin Hedges as Annie, Ali Stroker as 'Star-to-Be,' Amir Talai as Bert Healy, Marlow Barkley as Kate, Amadi Chapata as Pepper, Noe Lynds as July, Rae Martinez as Tessie, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja as Molly, and Olivia Zenetzis as Duffy.
REPRISE 2.0 (led by Producing Artistic Director Marcia Seligson), in association with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's Department of Theater (UCLA TFT) chaired by Brian Kite, presents its inaugural production of Sweet Charity. Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall with musical direction by Gerald Sternbach, the classic Broadway hit plays through July 1 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Take a look at photos from the show's opening night below!
Take a fun-packed trip back in time to the electric 80's with the world premiere of Club Tropicana The Musical, a summer adventure of love in the sun, with a soundtrack of smash-hit pop classics - it really is the feel-good musical of the year!
The 72nd Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday June 10th at 8/9c hosted by Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles. It's the biggest award show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long awards season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. We can't help but wonder what chances this year's Best Musical and Best Play nominees have of taking home the ultimate prize...
Hulu releases June Highlights: The Bold Type: Season 2 Pre-Premiere (Freeform) (6/5) (Watch The Bold Type season 2 premiere episode early exclusively on Hulu!):
Hal Prince really loves Brecht. This is my first initial reaction after seeing EVITA, the revival of Mr Prince's original West End and Broadway production of the musical by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, now running in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Acamedy of Performing Arts for its international tour with a brand new cast
Videos