In a note posted on her official website, the acclaimed actress writes, "I'm in rehearsal for Sweeney and I haven't been this creative since I started to learn how to act, or when I worked with Peter Sellers on 'The Count of Monte Cristo.' The director of Sweeney, John Doyle, just knows how to feed actors and what comes out of us, good, bad, right, wrong, doesn't matter. There's no fear or censure. He opens up the creative goo and all of the actor vessel stuff. He knows how to do it. It's just incredible.
"I am so lucky and I am not saying my performance is going to be something extraordinary. I'm just saying that I haven't felt this creative in a long time. The rehearsal process is exciting, enlightening, invigorating, and exhausting. The company of actor musicians is among the finest cast I have ever worked with. I hope it works out and Sweeney runs because I want to be on stage with these guys for a long time."
Sweeney Todd — with LuPone as Mrs. Lovett and Cerveris in the title role — is set to begin previews Oct. 3 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre with an official opening on Nov. 3.
The unique staging casts actor-musicians to retell the story of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street and company. A cast of ten (with no ensemble) perform on various instruments ranging from flute, trumpet and clarinet to cello, accordion and bass. LuPone will play the tuba.
A Tony Award winner for her work in Evita, Patti LuPone also earned an Olivier Award for her performances in the West End productions of Lés Misérables and The Cradle Will Rock. Her other theatrical credits include Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes, Oliver!, Working, The Old Neighborhood, Master Class and Pal Joey. LuPone also headlined two solo Broadway concerts, Patti LuPone On Broadway and Matters of the Heart, and received glowing notices for her performance as Mrs. Lovett in the Lincoln Center concert version of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. Tickets for the upcoming Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd are currently on sale by calling (212) 239-6200 or click below. For more information, visit www.sweeneytoddonbroadway.com.
