The cast of the critically-acclaimed revival of Sweeney Todd, starring Michael Cerveris and Patti LuPone, will head into recording studios on November 14th to put together a cast recording.
Released by Nonesuch Records, it will be produced by Tommy Krasker. With Nonesuch and his own record label PS Classics, Krasker has captained six Sondheim recordings, including those of the revivals of Assassins, Pacific Overtures and a previous Sweeney Todd album featuring the New York Phiharmonic. A release date for the new cast recording will be announced soon.
With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
and book by Hugh Wheeler, the razor-wielding show centers on a barber
who seeks revenge upon the man who defiled his wife and stole his
daughter. Sweeney hides his crimes with the help of the crafty Mrs. Lovett, who bakes "the worst pies in London" . The production features Tony Award-winner Cerveris (Assassins, Titanic) in the title role, Tony Award-winner LuPone as Mrs. Lovett, Ben Magnuson as Anthony, Donna Lynne Champlin as Pirelli, Mark Jacoby (Show Boat)
as Judge Turpin, John Arbo as Jonas Fogg, Diana DiMarzio as the Beggar Woman, Manoel Felciano as Tobias Ragg, Alexander Gemignani as The Beadle, and Lauren Molina as Johanna. As it was at its smash run at London's
Watermill Theatre (and later at the West End's New Ambassador Theatre),
the high-concept, minimalist production is helmed and designed by John Doyle, who staged the show with the performers playing instruments, as well as with such accoutrements as nine chairs, a ladder and a white coffin.
Sweeney Todd features music supervision and orchestrations by Sarah Travis, music direction by David Loud, lighting by Richard G. Jones, and sound by Dan Moses Schreier. To generally rave reviews, Sweeney Todd opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 W. 48th St.) on Thursday, November 3 following
preview performances from Monday, October 3. Fidelity Investments, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, The Ambassador Theatre Group and Maidstone Productions are the show's producers.
The original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd opened at the Uris Theatre on March 1, 1979 with Angela Lansbury, Len Cariou and Victor Garber as stars. The ingeniously-staged production, which was the last of director Hal Prince's five great 70's collaborations with Stephen Sondheim, received 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical. A simplified production starring Bob Gunton and Beth Fowler ran at the Circle in the Square Theatre in 1989, and was dubbed Teeny Todd. A film version, directed by Sam Mendes, is currently in the works.
Tickets for Sweeney Todd can be ordered by calling (212) 239-6200 or at the show's website, www.sweeneytoddonbroadway.com. For more information on the cast recording, visit www.nonesuch.com.