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Kaye and Hess' Sweeney Todd SF Stint Extends to Oct. 14
By Ernio Hernandez
12 Sep 2007
The current San Francisco run of the John Doyle staging of Sweeney Todd, starring Judy Kaye and David Hess, has extended its run at the American Conservatory Theater through Oct. 14.
The limited engagement began Aug. 30 at the California company's Geary Theatre and opened Sept. 4. The run, originally slated through Sept. 30, now adds two more weeks of performances "in response to extraordinary critical acclaim and strong audience word-of-mouth," according to the company.
The cast must exit after Oct. 14 to head off on a national tour launching from Boston's Colonial Theatre (Oct. 23-Nov. 4).
Fleet Street residents of Broadway's recent Sweeney revival, including Lauren Molina, Benjamin Magnuson, Diana DiMarzio and John Arbo, reprise their roles for this run as Johanna, Anthony, Beggar Woman and Jonas Fogg, respectively.
New to the cast are Keith Buterbaugh (as Judge Turpin), Benjamin Eakeley (The Beadle), Edmund Bagnell (Tobias) and Katrina Yaukey (Pirelli).
Kaye — who earned a Tony Award nomination for her recent turn in Souvenir — won a Tony for her work in The Phantom of the Opera. Other credits include Mamma Mia!, Ragtime and On The Twentieth Century. The actress filled in one week on Broadway in the Doyle staging while original star Patti LuPone was on vacation.
Hess — who served as standby on Broadway — assumes the lead role of Sweeney. Other credits include Annie Get Your Gun, Dessa Rose, Prodigal and Love in a Thirsty Land as well as the first national tour of Ragtime.
* The tour stops announced thus far follow:
Boston, MA: Colonial Theatre (Oct. 23-Nov. 4)
Toronto, ON: Princess of Wales Theatre (Nov. 6-Dec. 9)
Columbus, OH: Palace Theatre (Dec. 11-16)
Miami, FL: Carnival Center (Jan. 1-6, 2008)
Kansas City, MO: Music Hall (Jan. 8-13, 2008)
Greenville, SC: The Peace Center (Jan. 22-27, 2008)
Pittsburgh, PA: Heinz Hall (Jan. 29-Feb. 3, 2008)
Minneapolis, MN: State Theatre (Feb. 5-10, 2008)
Louisville, KY: Kentucky Center (Feb. 12-17, 2008)
Cincinnati, OH: Aronoff Center (Feb. 19-March 2, 2008)
Los Angeles, CA: Ahmanson Theatre (March 11-April 6, 2008)
Portland, OR: Keller Auditorium (April 8-13, 2008)
Tempe, AZ: ASU Gammage Auditorium (April 15-20, 2008)
St. Petersburg, FL: Mahaffey Theater (May 6-11, 2008)
West Palm Beach, FL: Kravis Center (May 13-18, 2008)
Atlanta, GA: Fox Theater (May 27-June 1, 2008)
Houston, TX: Hobby Center (June 3-15, 2008)
For more information visit the official website at sweeneytoddtour.com.
The national tour is produced by Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Ambassador Theatre Group, Adam Kenwright, Tulchin/Barnter/Bagert and Live Nation.
The recent Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd starred Tony Award winners Michael Cerveris (as Sweeney Todd) and Patti LuPone (as Mrs. Lovett). Director Doyle as well as orchestrator Sarah Travis took home 2006 Tony Awards for their work.
This new conceptual take on the tale of the vengeful barber is placed in the confines of an asylum where a distraught Tobias Ragg is imprisoned. Using only nine chairs, a ladder and a coffin on two wooden horses, on a stage assembled of wooden planks, ten actor-musicians re-create the characters and events of Victorian-era Fleet Street.
The Sondheim score (with the book by Hugh Wheeler from a Christopher Bond adaptation) is performed (in full view of the audience) by the acting company, who play instruments ranging from tuba, trumpet and clarinet to cello, accordion and bass.
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