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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert with the New York PhilharmonicOpening Date: March 5, 2014
Closing Date: March 8, 2014 Air date: September 26, 2014 Medium: television Where to watch: not officially available |
Show History
With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Hugh Wheeler, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a “dark operetta” that tells the story of a London barber who seeks revenge on the judge. With the help of Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney slaughters his customers and cooks them into pies.
Unlike other shows of the period, Sweeney Todd did not have an out-of-town try-out before its Broadway opening. Following 19 previews, the show opened at the Uris Theatre on March 1, 1979. The production was directed by Harold Prince, and starred Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury.
Sweeney Todd received mixed reviews. Writing for the New York Times, Walter Kerr stated that the “performances can scarcely be faulted” though claimed the music got in the way of the story. While lamenting there was “no serious social message” in the show, critic Richard Eder described the score as “fascinating… wicked, witty, [and] muscular” and claimed that Sweeney “is the kind of work… that makes second‐thinking obligatory.”
Despite the critics, Sweeney Todd was nominated for multiple awards. Amongst its many accolades, the production won 8 Tony Awards, including the awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor in a Musical (Len Cariou), Best Actress in a Musical (Angela Lansbury), Best Scenic Design (Eugene Lee), Best Costume Design (Franne Lee), and Best Director (Harold Prince).
After 557 regular performances, the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd closed on June 29, 1980.
Although deemed a commercial flop, Sweeney Todd has become a staple in the musical theatre canon, widely performed at professional and amateur levels. The show has been twice revived on Broadway, received five productions on the West End, and played in countless full-scale and concert versions around the world.
A movie version directed by Tim Burton, and starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter was released 2007 and is available on Amazon Prime (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from this link).
Seven productions of Sweeney Todd have been filmed live for distribution.
Filmed Production Notes
The 2014 production was a limited three night only engagement held in Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center. The production was sold out, and received rave reviews. Critics praised Lonny Price’s clever and artful direction, Alan Gilbert’s musical direction, Bryn Terfel’s incredible baritone, and Emma Thompson’s charming performance as Mrs. Lovett.
The PBS telecast marked the beginning of Live from Lincoln Center’s 40th anniversary season.
Like the production itself, the capture received high praise. Writing for Berkshire on Stage and Screen, Larry Murray stated “Seeing Sweeney Todd with its many close-ups on a large HD screen and hearing it at my own preferred volume makes this filmed version an absolute must-see.” BroadwayWorld described it as a "stunning and wonderfully captured concert."
The telecast won the 2015 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program. Music director Alan Gilbert was nominated for Outstanding Music Direction, and Emma Thompson was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie.
A year after playing at the Lincoln Center, the production transferred to London for a limited run, playing at the London Coliseum with the English National Opera orchestra. Bryn Terfel, Emma Thompson, and Philip Quast all reprised their roles.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – In Concert with the New York Philharmonic is not currently available to view.
With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Hugh Wheeler, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a “dark operetta” that tells the story of a London barber who seeks revenge on the judge. With the help of Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney slaughters his customers and cooks them into pies.
Unlike other shows of the period, Sweeney Todd did not have an out-of-town try-out before its Broadway opening. Following 19 previews, the show opened at the Uris Theatre on March 1, 1979. The production was directed by Harold Prince, and starred Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury.
Sweeney Todd received mixed reviews. Writing for the New York Times, Walter Kerr stated that the “performances can scarcely be faulted” though claimed the music got in the way of the story. While lamenting there was “no serious social message” in the show, critic Richard Eder described the score as “fascinating… wicked, witty, [and] muscular” and claimed that Sweeney “is the kind of work… that makes second‐thinking obligatory.”
Despite the critics, Sweeney Todd was nominated for multiple awards. Amongst its many accolades, the production won 8 Tony Awards, including the awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor in a Musical (Len Cariou), Best Actress in a Musical (Angela Lansbury), Best Scenic Design (Eugene Lee), Best Costume Design (Franne Lee), and Best Director (Harold Prince).
After 557 regular performances, the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd closed on June 29, 1980.
Although deemed a commercial flop, Sweeney Todd has become a staple in the musical theatre canon, widely performed at professional and amateur levels. The show has been twice revived on Broadway, received five productions on the West End, and played in countless full-scale and concert versions around the world.
A movie version directed by Tim Burton, and starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter was released 2007 and is available on Amazon Prime (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from this link).
Seven productions of Sweeney Todd have been filmed live for distribution.
- North American National Tour (1982)
- Royal National Theatre, BBC (1994)
- Barcelona Cast, Spanish television (1995)
- Opera North, BBC (1998)
- In Concert with San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, PBS (2001)
- Royal Opera House, BBC (2003)
- New York Philharmonic Concert version, PBS (2014) (see below for more info.)
Filmed Production Notes
The 2014 production was a limited three night only engagement held in Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center. The production was sold out, and received rave reviews. Critics praised Lonny Price’s clever and artful direction, Alan Gilbert’s musical direction, Bryn Terfel’s incredible baritone, and Emma Thompson’s charming performance as Mrs. Lovett.
The PBS telecast marked the beginning of Live from Lincoln Center’s 40th anniversary season.
Like the production itself, the capture received high praise. Writing for Berkshire on Stage and Screen, Larry Murray stated “Seeing Sweeney Todd with its many close-ups on a large HD screen and hearing it at my own preferred volume makes this filmed version an absolute must-see.” BroadwayWorld described it as a "stunning and wonderfully captured concert."
The telecast won the 2015 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program. Music director Alan Gilbert was nominated for Outstanding Music Direction, and Emma Thompson was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie.
A year after playing at the Lincoln Center, the production transferred to London for a limited run, playing at the London Coliseum with the English National Opera orchestra. Bryn Terfel, Emma Thompson, and Philip Quast all reprised their roles.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – In Concert with the New York Philharmonic is not currently available to view.
Sweeney Todd Production Credits
Theatre: Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center), New York
Producer: Lonny Price, Matt Cowart
Executive Producer: Andrew Carl Wilk
Book: Hugh Wheeler
Music: Stephen Sondheim
Director: Lonny Price
Musical Director and Conductor: Alan Gilbert
Orchestrations: Jonathan Tunick
Choreography: Josh Rhodes
Scenic Design: James Noone
Costume Design: Tracy Christensen
Lighting Design: Alan Adelman
Sound Design: Peter Fitzgerald
Hair and Wig Design: Paul Huntley
Make-Up Design: Angelina Avallone
Fight Choreography: Rich Sordelet
Stage Manager: Timothy R. Semon
Cast: Bryn Terfel (Sweeney Todd), Emma Thompson (Nellie Lovett), Christian Borle (Pirelli), Philip Quast (Judge Turpin), Jeff Blumenkrantz (The Beadle), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Anthony Hope), Erin Mackey (Johanna), Kyle Brenn (Tobias Ragg), Ensemble: Jill Abramovitz, Colin Anderson, Ryan Andes, George Lee Andrews, Allison Blackwell, Bradley Dean, Gina Ferrall, Jason Lee Garrett, Molly Gordon, Joy Hermalyn, Siri Howard, Jamie Jackson, Zachary James, Isaac James, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Eddie Korbicj, Megan Louhram, Tiffany Mann, Michael McCoy, Justin Lee Miller, JC Montgomery, Karen Murphy, Jacqueline Petroccia, Patricia Phillips, Ashley Robinson, Amy Rogers, Jaime Rosenstein, Michael Seelbach, Ron Sharpe, Sam Tedaldi
Theatre: Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center), New York
Producer: Lonny Price, Matt Cowart
Executive Producer: Andrew Carl Wilk
Book: Hugh Wheeler
Music: Stephen Sondheim
Director: Lonny Price
Musical Director and Conductor: Alan Gilbert
Orchestrations: Jonathan Tunick
Choreography: Josh Rhodes
Scenic Design: James Noone
Costume Design: Tracy Christensen
Lighting Design: Alan Adelman
Sound Design: Peter Fitzgerald
Hair and Wig Design: Paul Huntley
Make-Up Design: Angelina Avallone
Fight Choreography: Rich Sordelet
Stage Manager: Timothy R. Semon
Cast: Bryn Terfel (Sweeney Todd), Emma Thompson (Nellie Lovett), Christian Borle (Pirelli), Philip Quast (Judge Turpin), Jeff Blumenkrantz (The Beadle), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Anthony Hope), Erin Mackey (Johanna), Kyle Brenn (Tobias Ragg), Ensemble: Jill Abramovitz, Colin Anderson, Ryan Andes, George Lee Andrews, Allison Blackwell, Bradley Dean, Gina Ferrall, Jason Lee Garrett, Molly Gordon, Joy Hermalyn, Siri Howard, Jamie Jackson, Zachary James, Isaac James, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Eddie Korbicj, Megan Louhram, Tiffany Mann, Michael McCoy, Justin Lee Miller, JC Montgomery, Karen Murphy, Jacqueline Petroccia, Patricia Phillips, Ashley Robinson, Amy Rogers, Jaime Rosenstein, Michael Seelbach, Ron Sharpe, Sam Tedaldi
Sources
- BWW News Desk, “Miss Last Night's Broadcast of SWEENEY TODD on PBS? Watch it Online!” BroadwayWorld.com (Sept 27, 2014)
- Richard Eder, “Introducing 'Sweeney Todd’,” New York Times (March 2, 1979)
- Richard Eder, “Critic’s Notebook: ‘Sweeney’s’ Dark Side,” New York Times (March 29, 1979)
- Mel Gussow, “‘Sweeney Todd’: A Little Nightmare Music,” New York Times (Feb 1, 1979)
- Adam Hetrick, “NY Philharmonic Sweeney Todd, With Emma Thompson and Bryn Terfel, Will Be Filmed for “Live from Lincoln Center”,” Playbill (March 5, 2014)
- Katherine E. Johnson, “New York Philharmonic’s Staged Production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller” Press Release, New York Philharmonic (March 5, 2016)
- Charles Isherwood, “First to Die in ‘Sweeney Todd’: Decorum at the Philharmonic,” New York Times (March 6, 2014)
- Walter Kerr, “Is ‘Sweeney’ On Target?” New York Times (March 11, 1979)
- Larry Murray, “A bloody powerful “Sweeney Todd” Live from Lincoln Center – watch it via streaming” Berkshire on Stage and Screen (Sept 16, 2014)
- Andrew Gans, Adam Hetrick, “Emma Thompson Makes "The Worst Pies in London" in Sweeney Todd, Airing Tonight on PBS,” Playbill (Sept 26, 2014)
- Frank Rich, “The Sondheim Puzzle,” New York Magazine (Dec 1, 2013)
- Georgia Snow, “Full casting announced for ENO’s Sweeney Todd,” The Stage (March 3, 2015)
- Mark Shenton, “Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson Begin Performances in Sweeney Todd at London Coliseum Tonight,” Playbill, (Mar 30, 2015)
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: A Musical Thriller, New York Philharmonic program (March 2014)
- “God That’s Good! Sweeney Wins the Emmy”, New York Philharmonic, (Sept 14, 2015)
Written by Luisa Lyons (December, 2016)