Off-Broadway's Immersive SWEENEY TODD to Bake Pies Through Next Spring

Producers for the Tooting Arts Club production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street announced today that due to popular demand, the production will extend through May 27, 2018.

Sweeney Todd is now the longest-running musical ever to play New York's Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street).

As previously announced, special themed pies for holiday performances around Thanksgiving and the winter holidays are now available. The show's pie chef William "Bill" Yosses has created a special Thanksgiving pie for performances November 14-26 made of organic turkey, organic squab, cornbread stuffing and chanterelle mushrooms, served with a potato galette. And, for performances December 19-31, the holiday pie is a flaky crust chateaubriand en croute pot pie with filet of beef, sherry wild mushrooms, brussels sprouts, served with mashed potatoes, Aligot style. Both pies will be priced at $25 and are now available for purchase. The current meat pie and vegetarian pie will also be available during this time for $22.50. All pie purchases include one alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink.

Sweeney Todd currently stars Hugh Panaro (as Sweeney Todd) and Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello (as Mrs. Lovett), with Stacie Bono (as Pirelli & Beggar Woman), Jake Boyd (as Anthony), Eryn LeCroy (as Johanna), Michael James Leslie (as Judge Turpin) John-Michael Lyles (as Tobias) and John Rapson (as The Beadle).The cast also includes Colin Anderson, Matt Leisy, Liz Pearce, Danny Rothman, and Monet Sabel. Casting for performances beginning February 27 will be announced soon.

Sweeney Todd features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, and is directed by Bill Buckhurst. It features set and costume designs by Simon Kenny, music supervision and arrangements by Benjamin Cox, music direction by Matt Aument, choreography by Georgina Lamb, lighting design by Amy Mae, sound design by Matt Stine, casting by Telsey + Company / Cesar A. Rocha, CSA and production stage management by John Randolph Ferry.

Immersing audiences in a completely new theatrical experience, this production of the classic tale of blood thirsty barber Sweeney Todd and resourceful pie shop proprietress Mrs. Lovett comes to New York City following sold-out runs in London. Tooting Arts Club first mounted this Sweeney Todd in the winter of 2014 in Harrington's Pie and Mash Shop, one of the oldest continuously operating pie shops in London, seating only 35 people at each performance. In 2015, the production made the leap to the West End where Tooting Arts Club recreated Harrington's in a 69 seat Shaftesbury Avenue venue provided by producer Cameron Mackintosh. The Harrington's shop environment has once again been brought to life for its US debut in the 130 seat Barrow Street Theatre.

Sweeney Todd is produced by Rachel Edwards, Jenny Gersten, Seaview Productions, Fiona Rudin, Barrow Street Theatre, Jean Doumanian, Rebecca Gold andNate Koch (Executive Producer).

Based on a Victorian horror story, Sweeney Todd is often considered Sondheim's greatest masterpiece. It first premiered on Broadway in 1979 at the Uris Theatre (now the Gershwin) and went on to make its West End debut in 1980. The original Broadway production won 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. The 2007 Tim Burton film adaptation earned one Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.

Former White House Executive Pastry Chef William "Bill" Yosses (dubbed "the Crust Master" by President Barack Obama) serves as the production's official pie maker. In keeping with the original Tooting production and the West End transfer, "pie and mash" is available for purchase by audience members prior to every performance, served communally in the pie shop where the production is set. An authentic slice of Victorian London, the traditional "pie and mash" dish consists of a meat pie, a generous helping of mashed potato and hot parsley sauce - otherwise known as "liquor" - which is an optional extra. Both meat and veg pie options are available.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus