While the first act ends with everyone achieving their fairy-tale desires, the second act explores the tragic aftermath of securing those goals.

Before becoming a legendary composer himself, a 27-year-old Sondheim made his major Broadway debut writing the words to accompany Leonard Bernstein's score.

Todd's accomplice, Mrs. Lovett, uses the victims' flesh as the secret ingredient to revive her failing pie shop, framing the murders as a twisted business venture.

The musical centers on artist Georges Seurat, whose pointillist technique of using tiny color dots was translated by Sondheim into short, staccato musical notes.