While the Stephen Sondheim scored Sweeney Todd celebrated its Broadway opening night 43 years ago last night, tonight downtown at Joe's Pub, actress/singer/songwriter Eleri Ward will be giving Sondheim's beloved, masterful tunes a fresh, new sound with gorgeous arrangements and a one-of-a-kind truly dreamy vocal.
Eleri is a Boston Conservatory Musical Theatre grad and played some fantastic characters during her time there including "Life Of The Party" Kate in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. After a few years of sharing musical theatre covers, original songs and interpretations of songs by the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Amy Winehouse and Vampire Weekend, the songwriter shared her own spin on Sweeney Todd's "Johanna (Reprise)" on her Instagram.
What followed from that small step was a 13 track album released on Ghostlight Records A Perfect Little Death, the extraordinary opportunity to open for Grammy Award nominated Josh Groban on his upcoming summer Harmony tour, and tonight (three years to the day!) have a sold out show at Joe's Pub of Acoustic Sondheim.
This March, Eleri has two sold-out Acoustic Sondheim shows at Joe's Pub and another show in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you were unable to snag a ticket for the shows, you must give her album a listen. Hearing iconic Stephen Sondheim songs via Eleri's truly ethereal styling is, yes, heaven for a musical theatre fan but truly any fan of indie-folk music. The way you lean in to her magnetic delivery of those legendary lyrics? Incredible.
We can't help but marvel at Eleri's orchestrations of these tunes. To celebrate Sweeney Todd's Broadway opening night anniversary and Eleri's album/sold-out shows - let's have a look at both versions!
"The Ballad of Sweeney Todd"
"Pretty Women"
"Johanna (Reprise)"
