Christine Ebersole's assistant informed me that this March's Orlando Phil production of Sweeny Todd "...was never an event on her calendar." So the talks between Mad Cow and Ebersole might not have gotten any further than "You wanna be in our show?" And, she'll be on Broadway in Blithe Spirit then, so schedule-wise, she couldn't have done it anyway.I just fired our research staff.
Regardless, I urge you to get a ticket to this March's Sweeny Todd. It's got an amazing book and score, a live orchestra, one lead who can sing (Davis Gaines*) and one who can sing and be funny (Faith Prince). Not to be missed. It's going to be one of, if not THE, theatre event of 2009.
*Try to get a close seat. Gaines appears to have had as much work done as Clay Aiken.