--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Back when I was in theater school, trying…" description: "\"Back when I was in theater school, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, 'Sweeney Todd' was a huge touchstone for me, my favorite m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying_2938685.jpg" --- # Back when I was in theater school, trying to figure out… ![“Back when I was in theater school, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, 'Sweeney Todd' was a huge touchstone for me, my favorite musical for sure.” quote by Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying_2938685.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying_2938685.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying_2938685.jpg) > “Back when I was in theater school, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, 'Sweeney Todd' was a huge touchstone for me, my favorite musical for sure.” [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. “Sweeney Todd” profoundly influenced his artistic direction during theater school. **In simple terms:** “Sweeney Todd” shaped his artistic path. Key Takeaway Identify works that inspire your career. Themes inspiration theatre career development Mood enthusiastic reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - artistic mentorship Key Concepts artistic influence musical theatre Questions to Reflect On - What other works broaden your artistic vision? - How to stay open to new inspirations? A Different Perspective Over‑identification can limit diverse influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweeney/) [Sweeney todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweeney-todd/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I don't stop. It's my nature. People have to tell me to slow down. I plan on playing every role on Broadway. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-michele/i-don-t-stop-it-s-my-nature-people-have-to-tell-me-to-slow-down-i/) [Lea Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-michele/) > [I saw Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, which I thought was a masterpiece. Not that long ago, I listened to Blackstar by David Bowie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/i-saw-stephen-sondheim-s-sweeney-todd-which-i-thought-was-a/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [I couldn't live without the genius of Stephen Sondheim, be it not just West Side Story,but Follies,Company,Sweeney Todd,Passion.You can go on and on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-couldn-t-live-without-the-genius-of-stephen-sondheim-be-it-not-just/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [My two favorite musicals growing up in were 'Annie' and 'Sweeney Todd,' and my best friend and I would sing all the songs when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-finneran/my-two-favorite-musicals-growing-up-in-were-annie-and-sweeney-todd/) [Katie Finneran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-finneran/) > [ I'm a big fan of revenge, I think \[Sweeney Todd\] it's a story of a man who clearly has obsessions to avenge the horror… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/i-m-a-big-fan-of-revenge-i-think-sweeney-todd-it-s-a-story-of-a-man/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [The big turning point came when I played in the pit orchestra for a production of SWEENEY TODD and I spent most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cariani/the-big-turning-point-came-when-i-played-in-the-pit-orchestra-for-a/) [John Cariani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cariani/) > [There's a hole in the world Like a great black pit And the vermin of the world Inhabit it ... And it goes by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/there-s-a-hole-in-the-world-like-a-great-black-pit-and-the-vermin-of/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I do believe that you have to bring some degree of truth from yourself to the role \[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/i-do-believe-that-you-have-to-bring-some-degree-of-truth-from/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [The killing of everyone was the easy part, the most difficult part was lathering them up and shaving them, that's the part that freaked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/the-killing-of-everyone-was-the-easy-part-the-most-difficult-part-was/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [Get involved in everything you've ever dreamed of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/get-involved-in-everything-you-ve-ever-dreamed-of-doing/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [I kind of did this thing in high school, a spoof of 'Sweeney Todd' called 'Shirley Todd,' and I had a great time doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/i-kind-of-did-this-thing-in-high-school-a-spoof-of-sweeney-todd/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [If we're karaoke-ing, I'm as likely to do Aerosmith as I am 'Sweeney Todd'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/if-we-re-karaoke-ing-i-m-as-likely-to-do-aerosmith-as-i-am-sweeney/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [I'm very eclectic in what I like and what I listen to. But my favorite musical ever is "The Sound of Music." That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/i-m-very-eclectic-in-what-i-like-and-what-i-listen-to-but-my-favorite/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) > [Lenny Kravitz is one of my favorite musical artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jackson/lenny-kravitz-is-one-of-my-favorite-musical-artists/) [Lawrence Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jackson/) > [My favorite musical...it used to be when I was growing up, Miss Saigon, but I dont know, I dont really like it anymore. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-morrison/my-favorite-musical-it-used-to-be-when-i-was-growing-up-miss-saigon/) [Matthew Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-morrison/) ## More by Eric McCormack > [I got Michael Caine's book, Acting In Film, and I read it on the plane, desperately trying to glean information from him about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-got-michael-caine-s-book-acting-in-film-and-i-read-it-on-the-plane/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ \[Townies\] was a great springboard, obviously, because Jenna \[Elfman\] went from that to Dharma & Greg, and a few years later, Lauren \[Graham\] went… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/townies-was-a-great-springboard-obviously-because-jenna-elfman-went/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [The Trevor Project provides crisis-intervention and suicide-prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens and young adults. It's truly a lifeline to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/the-trevor-project-provides-crisis-intervention-and-suicide/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [We didn't, with 'Will & Grace,' set out to change the gay world. We just set out to be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/we-didn-t-with-will-grace-set-out-to-change-the-gay-world-we-just-set/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ I think because the show \["Grant MacLaren"\] is essentially a hopeful show. The show says that as bleak as the future is, the one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-think-because-the-show-grant-maclaren-is-essentially-a-hopeful-show/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ \[Townies\] was a huge cast. It was a bit ungainly, I think with 12 regular characters they had to keep writing for. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/townies-was-a-huge-cast-it-was-a-bit-ungainly-i-think-with-12-regular/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [It's very strange - several years ago, I was in the running for the 'Young Frankenstein' musical. Kristin Chenoweth was going to do it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/it-s-very-strange-several-years-ago-i-was-in-the-running-for-the/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [But I was ready for it and I knew I could do it. I've just turned 40, I have a son and I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/but-i-was-ready-for-it-and-i-knew-i-could-do-it-i-ve-just-turned-40-i/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [As I got older, I realized that my life experience, what I really had, was always going to be more valuable than what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/as-i-got-older-i-realized-that-my-life-experience-what-i-really-had/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ It was a film \[The Lost World\], and it's a sequel at the same time. The first shot on the first day was from… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/it-was-a-film-the-lost-world-and-it-s-a-sequel-at-the-same-time-the/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [I started to realise that it wasn't for me. Perhaps I didn't have to give my Hamlet before I died, that the world might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-started-to-realise-that-it-wasn-t-for-me-perhaps-i-didn-t-have-to/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [ They \[the Travelers\] know everything about the year that they're coming into. But you can know everything and still be tripped up by the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/they-the-travelers-know-everything-about-the-year-that-they-re-coming/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [I've had to take roles that on purpose were not Will-like so that someone like 'The Hollywood Reporter' would write, 'McCormack shows great range;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-ve-had-to-take-roles-that-on-purpose-were-not-will-like-so-that/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [Certainly 'Lonesome Dove' would be way hard now, because, I mean, back then I wasn't married. I didn't have kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/certainly-lonesome-dove-would-be-way-hard-now-because-i-mean-back/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [My most romantic job: I was a manager at Baskin-Robbins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/my-most-romantic-job-i-was-a-manager-at-baskin-robbins/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) [Explore all 145 Eric McCormack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. 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I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Back when I was in theater school, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, 'Sweeney Todd' was a huge touchstone for me, my favorite musical for sure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric McCormack" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying-to-figure-out-what-i-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying-to-figure-out-what-i-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying_2938685.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying_2938685.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/eric-mccormack-2915_actor_back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying_2938685.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Back when I was in theater school, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, 'Sweeney Todd'…” — Eric McCormack", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eric McCormack", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Back when I was in theater...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying-to-figure-out-what-i-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/back-when-i-was-in-theater-school-trying-to-figure-out-what-i-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```