Tony winner and Broadway Sweeney Todd star Annaleigh Ashford stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon October 30, and she didn't come empty-handed. With Halloween upon us, Ashford brought some of the spookiest shots in her collection—headshots from her teenage years. See Ashford share the questionable shots, along with sharing which Broadway character her son is dressing as this Halloween (hint: it's not Sweeney Todd-related), above.
Both Ashford and her co-star Josh Groban are now in the final months of their run in the Sondheim revival at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with their last performance set for January 14, 2024. It was announced this morning that they'll be succeeded the following month by Tony winners Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster. Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, co-starring as pie shop employee Tobias Ragg, is leaving the company November 5, though his replacement has not yet been named.
READ: What Happens When Sweeney's Barber Chair Doesn't Work?
Regularly one of Broadway's top-grossing productions, the current revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd began performances at the Lunt-Fontanne last February. Directed by Thomas Kail, the revival was nominated for eight 2023 Tony Awards, and won Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Natasha Katz) and Best Sound Design of a Musical (Nevin Steinberg).
Along with Groban, Ashford, and Matarazzo, the production currently features Tony Award winner and Laurence Olivier Award nominee Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I) as Beggar Woman, Daniel Yearwood (Hamilton) as Anthony, Maria Bilbao (On Your Feet!) as Johanna, Jamie Jackson (The Last Ship) as Judge Turpin, John Rapson (Les Misérables) as Beadle Bamford, and Nicholas Christopher (Hamilton) as Pirelli.
READ: Gaten Matarazzo and Manoel Felciano Trade Notes on Playing Toby in Sweeney Todd
The production features Jonathan Tunick's full, 26-piece orchestration for the first time on Broadway since the 1979 original production, with music supervision by three-time Tony winner Alex Lacamoire. A cast album was released in September.
Based on the Christopher Bond play of the same name, Sweeney Todd centers on its titular barber who seeks revenge on a corrupt judge and turns to murder, with neighbor and accomplice Mrs. Lovett ultimately discovering they can dispose of the evidence by serving up the most unsettling meat pies to the people of London.
The production also has choreography by Steven Hoggett, scenic design by Mimi Lien, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, special effects design by Jeremy Chernick, and wig, hair, and make-up design by J. Jared Janas. Casting is by The Telsey Office, and Baseline Theatrical's Nick Lugo and James Hickey serve as general managers. Cody Renard Richard is production stage manager.
Annaleigh Ashford and Josh Groban in Sweeney Todd
Ruthie Ann Miles in Sweeney Todd
Jordan Fisher and Maria Bilbao in Sweeney Todd
Gaten Matarazzo, Annaleigh Ashford, Alicia Kaori, DeLaney Westfall, and Kristie Dale Sanders in Sweeney Todd
Nicholas Christopher and cast in Sweeney Todd
Jamie Jackson and John Rapson in Sweeney Todd
Annaleigh Ashford in Sweeney Todd
Josh Groban in Sweeney Todd
Gaten Matarazzo, Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Groban, Nathan Salstone, and cast of Sweeney Todd
Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford in Sweeney Todd
Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, and cast of Sweeney Todd
