Stephen Sondheims Sweeney Todd: Behind the Bloody Musical Masterpiece

(Hardback)

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An award-winning Sondheim expert dives into all facets of this unique, murder-filled masterpieceits slimy roots, original production, characters from killers to lovers to bakers, soaring score, gripping storytelling, and lasting power.

This bloody tale is often considered one of the greatest musicals of all time. Rick Pender provides a kaleidoscopic view and interweaves a wealth of archival materials and insights, starting with the shows 19th-century gruesome literary origins and Christopher Bonds 1970 stage adaptation that inspired Sondheim to transform it into a Broadway musical. Pender extensively explores the shows development and its Tony Award-winning original 1979 production, focusing on Sondheims majestic score and the shows masterfully written and intricately plotted book by Hugh Wheeler. Also profiled are members of the all-star creative team led by producer/director Harold Prince as well as legendary orchestrator Jonathan Tunick, renowned musical director Paul Gemignani, and the original cast, including Len Cariou, Angela Lansbury, Victor Garber, Sarah Rice, Edmund Lyndeck, Ken Jennings, and Merle Louise.

The book surveys major, subsequent productions by theater and opera companies, as well as Tim Burtons dark cinematic adaptation featuring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter. Critical assessments of the original production and numerous adaptations are shared, including John Doyles 2005 Tony Award-winning actor/musician production and the 2023 revival starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford. The book ends with a look at the musicals cultural impacts and legacy. Rick Pender provides riveting exploration of Sweeney Todd will please fans of musical theatre, Sondheim enthusiasts, and those who gravitate to horror stories.

Reviews

Rick Pender takes us through every conceivable nook and cranny in the world of Sweeney Todd. There are tidbits to be cherished, and the revelations just keep coming with extraordinary detail. I doubt there is anything you ever wondered about Sweeney Todd that isn't addressed in this remarkable book. -- Ted Chapin * producer and performer; former president, Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization *
Rick Penders approach to Sweeney Todd is characteristically exhaustive. Those of us who have revered it for decades will encounter new facts, insights, and the creators passion on every page. But just as important, I am so pleased that the newbies who discover this classic musical, through Ricks mind and heart, will have him as their guide. -- Bill Rudman * Producer and Host, On the Aisle on SiriusXM on Broadway *

Author Bio

Rick Pender, author of The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia, is a respected authority on Stephen Sondheim and the composer/lyricists 18 Broadway musicals. Pender is past chair of the American Theatre Critics Association and was the executive editor and publisher of Everything Sondheim and managing editor of The Sondheim Review. He has written for CityBeat, Cincinnatis alternative newsweekly, since it was founded in 1994. In 2002 and again in 2017, the Society of Professional Journalists named him Ohios best critic.