This week my son Frankie treated me to a special mother-son day in New York. We went to see Sweeney Todd on Broadway. I am a fan of this musical in all its incarnations from the 1982 version featuring Angela Lansbury to the 2005 revival with Patty Lapune, and who can forget the movie adaption with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Sondheim’s score is the perfect blend of humor and bone-chilling horror. This newest revival stars Josh Groban and his soulful baritone adds to the despair of a classic anti-hero. When he croons his heartbreak, you can't help but root for him even though he's slitting the throats of innocent men and baking them into meat pies. Annaleigh Ashford also deserves accolades in the roll of Mrs. Lovett. Her hilarious flirting provided plenty of humor, but also lets you see the vulnerability of a woman desperate for affection.
Going to see Sweeney Todd with my son Frankie was a special experience for me and not only because its rare for a 21 year-old to give his mom an entire day out of his busy life. When I was writing Demon, Book 2 is my Dark Musicals series, Frankie was only 11 years old and he requested that I name one of the characters after him. Even though I had to age him to fit him in with the college-age cast of Demon, I was able to create a character loosely based on him. He became Frankie Wade, a young man whose baby face and short stature made him perfect for the role of Tobias in Sweeney Todd. Although he is a suspect in the mystery, he quickly befriends Justyn and Becca and goes on to make appearances in several other Dark Musical novels.
Although today my Frankie stands at just over 6 foot and is studying to become an airline pilot instead of an actor, Sweeney Todd has always been special to us. In fact, when Demon was first released in 2013, he made me a Mother's Day gift in school that was meant to mimic the cover. His art teacher must've raised an eyebrow when he painted "demon" on a hand-made vase for his mom, but its a gift I have treasured for ten years. Now, I have a new memory to treasure -- getting to see Sweeney Todd live for the very first time with my son!
In honor of my visit to Broadway, Demon will be free on Amazon for the next five days! After that, it will be $0.99 cents for a limited time. Grab a copy today and meet Frankie and the rest of the cast of Demon Barber in the Dak Musicals.
Available exclusively on Amazon.
When Justyn and Rebecca set off for the New York School of Performing Arts, they think their dreams are about to come true. To their dismay, they aren't in high school anymore, and the competition is steep. Rebecca must compete against accomplished singers for a role in the production of Demon Barber, including a stunning Gothic diva with her sights set on Justyn. It doesn't help that things keep disappearing from their apartment or that Rebecca's father refuses to accept that Justyn is an essential part of her life. Yet, all this seems minimal in comparison to the serial rapist terrorizing the campus. Consumed by fear and obsessed with revenge, Rebecca and Justyn start living the story of Sweeney Todd-both on and off the stage.
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