Watch Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford in Sweeney Todd Tiny Desk Concert
Christmas has come early with the stars of Sweeney Todd on Broadway performing a Tiny Desk Concert!
Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford lead the cast and musicians in a 25-minute show for NPR’s hit online music series.
“We’re so grateful to sing Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece every single day,” Josh Groban said. “He was so brilliant at juxtaposing the beautiful with the horrific.”
The performance offers a roller-coaster of emotions, showcasing empathy, desire, and humour through various songs from Sondheim’s iconic musical.
Remarkably, this Tiny Desk adaptation of the musical lost none of its impact despite the scaled-down arrangement. The original 26-piece orchestra at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was brilliantly adapted into a nine-piece orchestration by Jonathan Tunick, Sondheim’s longtime collaborator. The group was led by conductor Alex Lacamoire.
Set List:
- My Friends
- By the Sea
- Johanna (Act 2 Sequence)
- A Little Priest
Composer: Stephen Sondheim
Orchestrations: Jonathan Tunick
Cast:
- Josh Groban as Sweeney Todd
- Annaleigh Ashford as Mrs. Lovett
- Daniel Yearwood as Anthony Hope
- Maria Bilbao as Johanna
- Joanna Carpenter as Beggar Woman
Featured Musicians:
- Todd Palmer: clarinet
- Damian Primis: bassoon
- Sarah Boxmeyer: French horn
- John Chudoba: trumpet
- Kory Grossman: percussion
- Adam Rothenberg: piano, keyboard
- Anna Parks: violin
- Wayne Smith: cello
- Chiho Saegusa: bass
- Alex Lacamoire: conductor
- Randy Cohen: keyboard programmer
- David Lai: music supervisor
