Hugh Wheeler News

Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara announces its 2013-14 Season in its new home, the New Vic, beginning with the hit Broadway musical A Little Night Music, inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film 'Smiles of a Summer Night. Directed by Ensemble Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Fox, A Little Night Music features one of Stephen Sondheim's best-known songs, "Send in the Clowns." A star-studded cast featuring Piper Laurie, Stephanie Zimbalist and Patrick Cassidy will christen the stage at the New Vic.

Following on from Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music, Sweet Charity, Pippinand Merrily We Roll Along, the Menier Chocolate Factory is delighted to announce that its Christmas musical will be Candide with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur and additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Park and Leonard Bernstein.

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) has announced that this December, before every evening performance for Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play (December 4th -December 29th), the Playhouse will light its permanently planted holiday tree in the Playhouse's courtyard.

After enormous success during their 46th Season, the Gallery Players has renewed their GalleryTalks. GalleryTalks is a series of post-show conversations that offer an enlightening and entertaining look into aspects of each production in The Gallery Players season lineup. The series is moderated by GalleryTalks Producer Barrie Gelles—scholar, theatre director, and alumnus of the Gallery Players., having produced the Black Box New Play Festival for three consecutive years.

Theatrica Ltd and the Landor Theatre are delighted to announce the UK Premiere of Broadway musical Meet Me In St. Louise which will play at the Landor Theatre from Wednesday 11 December (press night Monday 16 December at 7.30pm). Casting to be announced. On sale now.

Crown Center has announced its calendar of events, November 2013 - December 2014. Details below!

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) has announced members of the cast and creative team for the 2013 holiday show Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play, set in a similar fashion as last year's Bucks County holiday show It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, both adapted by Joe Landry.

Williams Street Repertory's first full-stage production of the 2013/2014 season opens tonight, October 25, 2013 at 8:00pm.

Classic musical comedy GUYS & DOLLS, international hit WAR HORSE, Tom Stoppard's ARCADIA and a legendary Judi Dench-led production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC top a poll of the finest productions presented in the last half-century by the vaunted National Theatre in London's West End.

October is the perfect time for a production of the classic Steven Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler musical Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It's wonderfully creepy, chilling, and unsettling... just the thing to get you in the mood for Halloween. Directed by Karen Braun - who also does the choreography, costumes, and sets- SoLuna Studio's production, running through October 27th, shows you can do a lot with a little - more about that in a bit.

Williams Street Repertory's first full-stage production of the 2013/2014 season opens October 25, 2013 at 8:00pm. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will run select dates and times through November 2. Performances take place at Raue Center For The Arts located at 26 N. Williams Street in Historic Downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Academy Award-winning actress Emma Thompson will portray Mrs. Lovett in the New York Philharmonic's staged production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, March 5-8, 2014. The production will mark Ms. Thompson's New York Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. As previously announced, bass-baritone Bryn Terfel will star as the title character, Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct, Lonny Price will direct, and Lonny Price and Matt Cowart are the producers. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Jackie Clune is to play the Old Lady and James Dreyfus is to play Dr Pangloss in the Menier Chocolate Factory's upcoming production of Candide.

Great Lakes Theater (GLT) will commence its 2013-14 season at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, with a Fall Repertory that features William Shakespeare's royal epic, Richard III and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical thriller, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The productions will be performed in rotating repertory September 27 - November 3, 2013.

Crown Center has announced its events calendar, now through December 2014.

A fascinating peek behind the scenes of the original Broadway cast recording sessions for Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's legendary gothic horror musical SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET in 1979 is now available to view in an extensive series of photos just released by noted label Masterworks Broadway.

Great Lakes Theater (GLT) will commence its 2013-14 season at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, with a Fall Repertory that features William Shakespeare's royal epic, Richard III and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical thriller, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The productions will be performed in rotating repertory tonight, September 27 - November 3, 2013.

Sweeney Todd/book by Hugh Wheeler/music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim/directed by Chuck Ketter/Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, Claremont/through October 13

Today in 1989, the first Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd opened at the Circle inthe Square Theatre, where it ran for 188 performances. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 1979 musical thriller with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and libretto by Hugh Wheeler. Set in 19th century England, the musical tells the story of Benjamin Barker, alias Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after 15 years' transportation on trumped-up charges. When he finds out that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by the judge who transported him, he vows revenge on the judge and, later, the whole world. He teams up with a piemaker, Mrs. Lovett, and opens a barbershop in which he slits the throats of customers and has them baked into pies.

Fra Fee, Cassidy Janson, Ben Lewis, Scarlett Strallen and David Thaxton have been cast in the Menier Chocolate Factory's Christmas musical Candide with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur and additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein.