Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Trivia & History
Two performances were given of this fully staged concert, a public preview scheduled for 4 p.m. and a performance at 8 p.m. As it turned out, the 4 p.m. performance didn't start till 4:30 since the morning of the concert was the only chance for the company to rehearse on the complex set and for sound levels to be set. Therefore, a full-out run-through was scheduled for 11 a.m. It was necessary for the performers to give full vocal performances since sound levels needed to be set. The run-through went on so long that the first performance didn't start till 4:30. With a very full text used (including the organ prelude, the tooth-pulling, the Judge's "Johanna," and the full "Parlor Songs sequence) and no cuts to the book, it wasn't over till nearly 7:30. The evening performance started around 8:15.
The concert was very fully staged, with the performers on several levels. The orchestra was on stage, with the performers on a raised platform behind them, and there was another level, high up, behind that one for the barber shop.
The orchestra comprised 40 players, divided as follows: violins - 14; violas - 4; cellos - 4; double bass - 2; winds - 5; French horn -1; trumpet - 2; trombones - 2; bass trombone - 1; harp - 1; organ - 1; celeste/keyboard - 1; percussion - 2.
The playbill did not identify the actor who played Jonas Fogg.
