Philip Quast News

Like the young Anthony Hope in Stephen Sondheim's scintillating SWEENEY TODD, “I've sailed the world, beheld its wonders…,” with SWEENEY TODDs ranging from the original cast in New York, to an all-Japanese version in Tokyo, and have never failed to be thrilled by it. But there was something about hearing it with the New York Philharmonic, led by its music director, Alan Gilbert, that showed it in all its greatness.

The New York Philharmonic's staged production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opened last night and will run through March 8, 2014, starring bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role and Academy Award-winning actress Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett in her Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. Let's see what the critics had to say...

The New York Philharmonic's staged production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will be telecast nationally on Live From Lincoln Center, hosted by Audra McDonald, on PBS stations. The air date will be announced at a later time. The production, which opened last night and will run through March 8, 2014, stars bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role and Academy Award-winning actress Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett in her Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. Jeff Blumenkrantz portrays The Beadle; Tony Award winner Christian Borle, Pirelli (marking his Philharmonic debut);Kyle Brenn, Tobias Ragg (debut); Jay Armstrong Johnson,Anthony Hope (debut); Erin Mackey, Johanna (debut); and Olivier Award winner Philip Quast, Judge Turpin (debut and New York stage debut). Music Director Alan Gilbert conducts; Grant Sturiale is the assistant conductor; Lonny Price directs; Lonny Price and Matt Cowart are the producers; and Josh Rhodes is the choreographer. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out highlights below!

The New York Philharmonic's staged production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will be telecast nationally on Live From Lincoln Center, hosted by Audra McDonald, on PBS stations. The air date will be announced at a later time. The production, which opened last night and will run through March 8, 2014, stars bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role and Academy Award-winning actressEmma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett in her Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. Jeff Blumenkrantz will portray The Beadle; Tony Award winnerChristian Borle, Pirelli (marking his Philharmonic debut);Kyle Brenn, Tobias Ragg (debut); Jay Armstrong Johnson,Anthony Hope (debut); Erin Mackey, Johanna (debut); and Olivier Award winner Philip Quast, Judge Turpin (debut and New York stage debut). Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct, Grant Sturiale is the assistant conductor, Lonny Price will direct, Lonny Price and Matt Cowart are the producers, and Josh Rhodes is the choreographer. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out photos of the cast in action below!

The New York Philharmonic's staged production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will be telecast nationally on Live From Lincoln Center, hosted by Audra McDonald, on PBS stations. The air date will be announced at a later time. The production, which opened last night and will run through March 8, 2014, stars bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role and Academy Award-winning actress Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett in her Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. Jeff Blumenkrantz portrays The Beadle; Tony Award winner Christian Borle, Pirelli (marking his Philharmonic debut);Kyle Brenn, Tobias Ragg (debut); Jay Armstrong Johnson,Anthony Hope (debut); Erin Mackey, Johanna (debut); and Olivier Award winner Philip Quast, Judge Turpin (debut and New York stage debut). Music Director Alan Gilbertconducts, Grant Sturiale is the assistant conductor, Lonny Price directs, Lonny Price and Matt Cowart are the producers, and Josh Rhodes is the choreographer. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out photos from the after party below!

The New York Philharmonic's staged production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will be telecast nationally on Live From Lincoln Center, hosted by Audra McDonald, on PBS stations. The air date will be announced at a later time. The production, which opened last night and will run through March 8, 2014, stars bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role and Academy Award-winning actressEmma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett in her Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. Jeff Blumenkrantz will portray The Beadle; Tony Award winnerChristian Borle, Pirelli (marking his Philharmonic debut); Kyle Brenn, Tobias Ragg (debut); Jay Armstrong Johnson,Anthony Hope (debut); Erin Mackey, Johanna (debut); and Olivier Award winner Philip Quast, Judge Turpin (debut and New York stage debut). Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct, Grant Sturiale is the assistant conductor, Lonny Price will direct, Lonny Price and Matt Cowart are the producers, and Josh Rhodes is the choreographer. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out photos of the stars on the red carpet below!

The New York Philharmonic's staged production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will be telecast nationally on Live From Lincoln Center, hosted by Audra McDonald, on PBS stations. The air date will be announced at a later time.

Already off to a brilliant start with the standing-room only Private Lives and the much-discussed Cock also attracting good houses, Melbourne Theatre Company's 2014 Season just got brighter with the announcement of more stars who will come out to play this year.

The New York Philharmonic will soon present a staged production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, March 5-8, 2014. As previously announced, Sweeney Todd will star bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role and Academy Award-winning actress Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett in her Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. Jeff Blumenkrantz will portray The Beadle; Tony Award winner Christian Borle, Pirelli (marking his Philharmonic debut); Kyle Brenn, Tobias Ragg (debut); Jay Armstrong Johnson, Anthony Hope (debut); Erin Mackey, Johanna (debut); and Olivier Award winner Philip Quast, Judge Turpin (debut and New York stage debut). Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct; Lonny Price will direct; and Lonny Price and Matt Cowart are the producers. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the cast in rehearsal below!

The New York Philharmonic has announced several additions to the cast of its staged production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, March 5-8, 2014: Jeff Blumenkrantz will portray The Beadle; Tony Award winner Christian Borle, Pirelli (marking his Philharmonic debut); Kyle Brenn, Tobias Ragg (debut); Jay Armstrong Johnson, Anthony Hope (debut); Erin Mackey, Johanna (debut); and Olivier Award winner Philip Quast, Judge Turpin (debut and New York stage debut). As previously announced, Sweeney Todd will star bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role and Academy Award-winning actress Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett in her Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct, Lonny Price will direct, and Lonny Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.

Nominations were announced today for the Sydney Theatre Awards for 2013, which will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday January 20, 2014 at 6pm at the Paddington RSL.

Signature Theatre is excited to announce that the 25th anniversary 2014/15 season will culminate in an all-new production of The Fix, the inside-Washington musical satire. Featuring a book by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe (the creators of Brother Russia and The Witches of Eastwick), the show quickly became a favorite among Signature's artistic team during its U.S. premiere at the Theatre in 1998, cementing a longstanding relationship with Dempsey and Rowe.

EVITA has returned to L.A. by way of Hollywood Pantages for a limited three week engagement, now through November 10, 2013. Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, this national touring production comes directly from the first new Broadway revival of the seven-time Tony Award-winning musical, since it debuted on Broadway over 30 years ago. Below, BroadwayWorld has photos from the the opening night red carpet!

EVITA will return to L.A. by way of Hollywood Pantages for a limited three week engagement, now through November 10, 2013. Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, this national touring production comes directly from the first new Broadway revival of the seven-time Tony Award-winning musical, since it debuted on Broadway over 30 years ago. BroadwayWorld has photos of the starry opening night arrivals below!

Producers Hal Luftig, Scott Sanders, Troika Entertainment & The Nederlander Organization have announced that EVITA will return to L.A. by way of Hollywood Pantages for a limited three week engagement; October 23 - November 10, 2013.

The Harvard Department of Music and the Office for the Arts at Harvard have announced the appointment of Jason Robert Brown as Blodgett Artist-in-Residence during the spring of 2014. A celebrated American composer, Brown has been hailed as 'one of Broadway's smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim' (Philadelphia Inquirer). He is known best as the award-winning composer and lyricist of the musical The Last 5 Years, and the Tony-award winning composer of Parade.

Versatile Academy Award- and Tony Award-winning director Sam Mendes compares film to theatre and discusses many aspects of both mediums in a wide-ranging new interview in promotion of the upcoming West End bow of the highly anticipated adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's classic CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.

Tickets go on sale today for the world premiere of new stage musical From Here to Eternity. The show will preview at the Shaftesbury Theatre from 30th September with Press Night on 23rd October 2013. Tickets can be bought from FromHereToEternityTheMusical.com or by calling box office on 020 7379 5399.

Today we are talking to the king of the modern musical and the most successful theatrical producer in history - the man behind the original productions of countless iconic musicals, among them: LES MISERABLES, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, CATS, MISS SAIGON, STARLIGHT EXPRESS and MARY POPPINS - the one and only Cameron Mackintosh. Looking back at many of his most remarkable musicals to date and also some of his lesser-known success d'estime projects - such as THE FIX - Mackintosh reveals his dedication and passion for the performing arts and discusses many aspects of his legendary shows and displays the characteristic charm and insight that has gotten him to his enviable position over his forty years producing for Broadway, the West End and around the world. Most importantly, Mackintosh and I analyze the mega-successful feature film adaptation of LES MISERABLES, directed by Tom Hooper, and Mackintosh relates many fascinating insights as to the musical's original genesis and the journey of the film from page to stage to screen - such as working with original composer/lyricist team Claude-Michel Schoenberg, Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer on creating new musical material explicitly for the movie, as well as the audition and casting process for the central characters. Looking ahead, Mackintosh shares thoughts on potential MISS SAIGON and OLIVER feature film adaptations in the future and gamely speculates on casting for each, while also giving us the scoop on a new stage production of BARNUM he is producing, set to star Christopher Fitzgerald, and the exciting enhancements being made to the well-regarded musical for this new revised and reconceived production. All of that, Mackintosh's thoughts on the enduring legacy of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and the recent Royal Albert Hall 25th Anniversary Celebration and Broadway anniversary, as well as comments on the new touring productions of LES MISERABLES and PHANTOM coming later this year and next year, as well as the major 2014 LES MISERABLES and MISS SAIGON revivals set for the main-stage of the West End and Broadway - and much, much more!

Emma Rucastle gives her verdict on the most high-profile Les Mis casts...