Behind the Scenes of Sweeney Todd

Broadway World's online TV show Broadway Beat is making a three-part series of interviews and historical retrospectives, counting down to the opening of Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on Dec. 21. If you can get past BWW.com's Richard Ridge performing a nerdy introduction (and dressed so appropriately in fake-blood-red and black!), the first episode is almost entertaining.

It includes an interview with Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music and lyrics, recalling the original production in 1971 starring Angela Lansbury as the demented. meat-pie making Mrs. Lovett and Len Cariou as revenge-seeking Sweeney.

Original musical director Paul Gemignani ruminates about the opening night blood splatters, Jonathan Tunick's marathon orchestration, and the installation of bike brakes to hold up the set.

After a segment on the 2005 Broadway revival, check out a preview of the "A Little Priest" scene from Mr. Burton's new movie and an interview with the man himself later.