In 2014, English theater company Tooling Arts Club staged an immersive revival of Stephen Sondheim's Tony-winning "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" in Harrington's Pie and Mash Shop -- the oldest continuously operating pie show in Britain.
With just eight actors, three musicians and an audience of just 32, the intimate production received rave reviews, and was restaged the spring of the following year with the help of billionaire theater producer Cameron Mackintosh.
Now, off Broadway's Barrow Street Theatre is bringing the Tooling Arts Club vision to New York City -- transforming its theatre into a working pie-shop environment in the process.
Performances for the thriller begin Feb. 14 with an opening set for March 1.
Directed by Bill Buckhurst, it's unknown whether the revival of the 1979 tale will expand its cast, musicians and audience space. Traditional pie and mash will be served prior to the performance, though.
The musical -- which features a score by Sondheim with a book by Hugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond -- was last seen in the Big Apple on Broadway in 2005. That production featured a stripped down staging of the tale, by director John Doyle. Tony winners Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris starred.
"Sweeney Todd" was also adapted into a 2007 film starring Johnny Depp and directed by his frequent collaborator Tim Burton.
Broadway
For more information on the Barrow Street Theatre's upcoming revival, visit www.SweeneyToddNYC.com.
