I visited friends in New York in 1979 and saw Sweeney as well. No other production can top the original cast for me. Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury were heaven.
It was a different time because I went to the stage door and the very polite doorman just said to go on up and I met and chatted with both Cariou and Lansbury, getting both of their autographs. I told Cariou how much I enjoyed his work at the Guthrie and Miss Lansbury was very sweet to a star-struck 26 year old goofball from Coon Rapids, MN. We chatted about Sondheim and the show and I left on a cloud.