#stephen sondheim sweeney todd

[sweeneyarts]

Here's some recent artwork I've done for the Sweeney Todd fanfiction I'm working on with my friend:

Featuring my original character, Rose, who is the main character alongside Sweeney. And also the rest of my original characters like the police chief, Hugh Janvier.

You can read their story now on Ao3 and Wattpad. Updated every Saturday morning at 12am.

[can-of-w0rmz]

I speak the truth.

[magefelixir]

only stephen sondheim could write a lyric like “smells like piss. looks like piss. this is piss. piss with ink” and “i don’t want no ink piss!!” and have me eat it up every time and praise him as a lyrical genius

[little-lovett]

there is SO much depth and beauty in the stories we hear in sweeney todd. a murderer who was once a doting father, so blind with hatred and anger towards the world that he couldn’t even see his own wife and daughter, staring him right in the face. a woman down on her luck and in love, trying so desperately to make a connection with a deeply broken and disturbed human. an unfortunately innocent and unknowing boy who ended up being the one who could sense the dark truth. a love at first sight that refused to die, even when torn apart by the disgusting perversion of a greedy abuser. sweeney todd is about all of these people, doing absolutely horrible things, all out of some form of love. that’s the beauty of sweeney todd. sweeney killed for a father and husband’s love. lovett baked real people with real lives into pies to maintain a shallow, lustful relationship she impossibly dreamed would bloom into true romance. turpin destroyed an innocent family because he could not contain his ‘love’ for a pretty woman and her daughter. toby slit a throat because his mother figure was all he had, and he loved her, simply and purely, as an innocent child loves a mother. their love is the purest of all in the story.

but my point is — yes, sweeney todd is about a murderer and his accomplice who cannibalizes and sells his victims. but it’s not. sweeney todd is about love. how love is even stronger and more dangerous than the deepest hate. it’s about how love can destroy people. this show is so beautifully, deeply, disgustingly human. and this dark, telling tale is somehow warped into some of the most gorgeous music to ever be written and made hilarious, lovable, and entertaining. musical theatre is truly magic. human nature is love and filth and greed. sweeney todd perfectly embodies both of these ideas.

[coldasyou]

music and lyrics by stephen sondheim

[lunarhobbits]

so i saw sweeney todd the other day and it's consuming my thoughts

+ bonus meta meme

[resident-dumb-fuck]

every stephen sondheim musical ranked by number of ao3 hits it has

[trashpidgeon48]

The feminine urge to inject Sondheim into my bloodstream.

[scarletcomet]

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2023 Broadway Revival)

[elliart7]

"..Are you screaming?"

✨ This is the companion piece to my new YT video that'll be coming out soon, concerning female representation in fictional media 👀. Be on the look out for that! Unfortunately there was a copyright issue but it should be up and running soon

[future-crab]

Still not over Sweeney Todd what do you meannnnn his wife was alive the whole time what do you meannn she was literally the first person he met when he returned to London but he couldn't recognize her because she didn't match the image of her in his head that he'd fixated on for the past 15 years, what do you meannnnnnn he killed his wife because he thought if he didn't he'd lose his chance to avenge his wife???

[iambecomeahamburger]

The moral of Sweeney Todd is to have fun and be yourself

-Sondheim, probably

[can-of-w0rmz]

Sweeney Todd shitpost in honour of me going to see a local production next week w/ friends‼️

[aaaaaa-musical-trash]

ok i’m super curious

i might make a part 2 for the others, idk

part 2 here! https://www.tumblr.com/aaaaaa-musical-trash/758413813576089600/part-2-sondheim-2-electric-boogaloo

[andicillustrates]

First post of 2025,

I’m back on the Sweeney Todd train. Feel like I’m a teenager again.

[andrewlloydwebber]

RIP to Broadway Legend Merle Louise

April 15, 1934 — January 11, 2025

Merle Louise Simon, 90, of New York, passed away on January 11, 2025. Born on April 15, 1934, in New York City, she was the beloved daughter of the late Alvin and Merle (Barnes) Letowt.

Merle will be lovingly remembered as a dynamic force of nature-energetic, funny, adventurous, and full of life. An avid traveler and scuba diver, she explored the world with curiosity and vigor, journeying to Africa, Nepal, and beyond. Among her greatest adventures was her climb to the base camp of Mount Everest. A gifted entertainer with a beautiful voice and an undeniable stage presence, Merle's life was a testament to her passion for the performing arts.

Merle was also deeply proud of her education, graduating from Marymount College later in life with a degree in Psychology. Her studies reflected her intellectual curiosity and her deep understanding of the human spirit, qualities that enriched her relationships.

She began her journey in theater at the Drawing Room Theater and Pennsylvania Playhouse, both in Bethlehem, PA and traveled to New York City for auditions. Merle, who performed under her birth name Merle Letowt early in her career, made an indelible mark on Broadway. She debuted as "Thelma" in the original cast of Gypsy (1959), later stepping into the lead role of "Dainty June" for much of the Broadway run and the first national tour. She went on to star in several Stephen Sondheim musicals, earning acclaim for her nuanced performances. Her portrayal of "The Beggar Woman" in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979) earned her the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. She was also celebrated for her roles in Company (1970) as "Susan" and Into the Woods (1987), where she memorably played "Cinderella's Mother," "Granny," and the "Giantess."

Merle also originated roles in La Cage aux Folles (1983) as "Mme. Dindon" and Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993) as "Molina's Mother," a role she performed in London's West End, Toronto, and on the national tour. Off-Broadway, she created the role of "Cecily MacIntosh" in Charlotte Sweet (1982) and was widely lauded for her performances in classics by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Molière, and Shaw.

Her theatrical legacy extended beyond the stage, inspiring the creation of the game Six Degrees of Merle Louise, a Broadway-themed twist on the popular Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Merle's on-camera appearances were equally memorable. She was featured in the televised production of Into the Woods and a documentary about the recording of the original cast album of Company. She made guest appearances on TV shows, including Law & Order, and continued performing into her later years. Highlights included roles in Cabaret, A Little Night Music, and The Full Monty. In 2007, she appeared in Luke Yankee's award-winning play The Jesus Hickey. She also appeared in Billy Elliot.

Merle will be dearly missed by her daughter, Laura Simon; daughter, Heather Simon; and son, Matt Simon. She is also survived by her sister, Jane Halteman, and her husband David Halteman; and a brother, Alvin "Butch" Letowt, Jr. She was preceded in death by her sister, Christine A. King' brother-in-law, Walter I. King and nephew Adam D. Halteman.

Merle's legacy extends beyond her illustrious career. She will be remembered for her warmth, humor, and zest for life. She enriched the lives of those that she encountered, leaving a profound impact on the theater community and all who knew her.