Nathan Lobel
Max Shaw-Jones
Max Shaw-Jones
November 17, 2010
Advanced Drama C Block
Cast List
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
The part of Sweeney Todd was played by George Hearn. Hearn kicked off his dramatic career in the 1963 production of Anthony and Cleopatra, where he played Searus. His first Broadway show was A Time For Singing in 1966. Hearn acted almost exclusively in New York, but he did participate in performances in Boston, Princeton and Chicago. In the beginning of his career, Hearn was a fixture at the New York Shakespeare Festival, acting in eight plays between 1963 and 1974. Hearn is also fairly experienced on the Big Screen, having acted in sixteen films and movies. His only movie musical was Annie, in which he played “Daddy” Warbucks. Hearn played Sweeney Todd in a touring production of the show in 1980, but was also in a revival in 2000. Hearn is an incredibly accomplished actor and singer, and was magnificent in his televised showing of his 1980 touring company. (“George Hearn Biography, 1934-”)
Mrs. Lovett
The part of Mrs. Lovett was originally played by Angela Lansbury. Though her performance as Mrs. Lovett was very impressive, it was only one role out of a lifetime of acting. Her first movie was Gaslight, filmed in 1944, and she was nominated for best supporting actress. Though she was a talented and successfully film actor she was also a prominent theater actor. Her career in the theater consisted of plays such as Hotel Paradiso, Anyone can Whistle, Dear World, Gypsy, Hamlet, and many more. The last play she preformed in was Deuce in 2007, at the age of 82 years old. Angela Lansbury is one of the most prominent and continues actors of our time, with a career spanning 63 years long. Her performance in the 1979 production of Sweeny Todd set the bar impresivly high for future performances to come.
Anthony
The part of Antony was played by Cris Groenendaal. Before Groenendaal began his acting career, he spent two years in the Peace Corps (from 1971-1972). Cris Groenendaal’s debut show in New York was this show, Sweeney Todd, on July 31, 1979. Since then, he has been in Eileen, A Stephen Sondheim Evening, The Merry Widow, and Candide. Sweeney Todd is Groenendaal’s only major touring show. On television, he has been featured as Dr. Harrow from The Doctors and on the Merv Griffin Show. (“Cris Groenendaal Biography 1948-”)
Johanna
The part of Johanna was played by Betsy Joslyn. Betsy got her start off as Kitty in Where's Charley? in 1975. From that first role, she spring-boarded into the New York drama scene, having roles in The Fantastics, Sunday in the park with George, and Les Mis. Though this was not her first Broadway play it was what started off her career. Her big break came from Sarah Rices retirement from the role. The last role she played was Patsy in High Society in 1998. (Unofficial Broadway Production site)
Judge Turpin
The part of Judge Turpin was played by Edmund Lyndeck. Unlike many of his castmates in Sweeney, Lyndeck did not set out to be an actor from the get-go. Originally, Lyndeck was a college professor. During and after this time, he spent over a decade in regional theatres, before debuting on Broadway in 1776. Other major productions includeMerlin and Into the Woods. Since Sweeney Todd, Lyndeck has acted almost entirely in “Pittsburgh Civil Light Opera”, playing Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carolannually for the past eighteen years (“Edmund Lyndeck Biography”)
Works cited
Sea, By The. "Sondheim.com - Putting It Together since 1994." Sondheim.com - The Web's Resource for All Things Sondheim Since 1994. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. <http://www.sondheim.com/shows/sweeney_todd/>.
"George Hearn Biography (1934-)." Film Reference. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.filmreference.com/film/27/George-Hearn.html>.
"Cris Groenendaal Biography (1948-)." Film Reference. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.filmreference.com/film/85/Cris-Groenendaal.html>.
"Perfect People » Edmund Lyndeck Biography." Perfect People - Celebrity Pictures, Videos, Photos, Pics, Vids, Movies, Posters and Wallpapers. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. <http://www.perfectpeople.net/biography/14045/edmund-lyndeck.htm>.
L., Andy. "Home Page." AngelaLansbury.net. AngelaLansbury.net, 1999. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. <http://www.angelalansbury.net/home.html>.
"Les Misérables Broadway: Betsy Joslyn." Les Misérables- the Unofficial Broadway Production Website. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.broadwaylesmis.com/actors.asp?id=316>.
