Sweeney Todd Leaves Good Taste

               This past Thursday, June 28, I had the pleasure of attending a concert reading of Sweeney Todd, presented by Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre at UConn. To say that this simple concert reading was well done is an understatement; I can confidently say it is one of the best productions I have seen in quite awhile.

               Sweeney Todd is the Dickens-era story of Benjamin Barker, a barber who was arrested fifteen years prior to the start of the musical and shipped to Australia. At curtain, he has returned under the pseudonym of Sweeney Todd in a desperate attempt to find his wife and daughter, only to learn from the pie maker – Mrs. Lovett – who has taken residence in his previous shop that his wife Lucy has succumbed to poison and his daughter has been adopted by Judge Turpin, the man who arrested him after Lucy rebuked his advances. Distraught, Sweeney seeks revenge by slaughtering his customers in his chair in hope that Judge Turpin will someday find his way there.

               Most productions of Sweeney Todd have elaborate sets; as this was a concert reading, this was made as minimal as possible. Signs to determine location were hung from the rafters and were rotated as the scenes changed. There was one staircase that was moved around to represent multiple houses in a way that was very reminiscent of the moving set pieces used in many professional productions of Newsies. Though simple, this was very effective.

               Terrence Mann, whose extensive Broadway credits include the original Broadway casts of Les Miserables (Javert) and Beauty and the Beast (Beast), brought the mania and passion that the role of Sweeney requires. He is a performer whose presence has strongly been felt in the theatre since the 80’s and his performance in Sweeney lived up to his stellar and well-earned reputation. Liz Larsen as the devious and oftentimes manipulative Mrs. Lovett brought the spunk the role requires and occasionally brought levity to Sweeney’s heartbreaking tale with her suspect pies. Andréa Burns as the Beggar Woman brought the perfect amount of sorrow and longing to the role that usually is either over or under performed. Ed Dixon as Turpin was slimy and creepy, just as the role dictates he should be. The rest of the cast was a diverse group of college students, all of whom have extremely bright futures ahead of them. They included Lu DeJesus as the Beadle, Hugh Entrekin as Anthony Hope, Kenneth Galm as Tobias, and Nicholas Gonzalez as Pirelli/O’Higgins. Ryan Albinus, Alex Campbell, Cydney Clark, Olivia Fenton, Lauryn Hobbs, Kelley McCarty, Charlie Patterson, Gregory Rodriguez, and Brandon Wolfe rounded out the ensemble.

               But the showstopper in this barebones production is Emilie Kouatchou as Johanna. Sporting a giant blonde wig that was bigger than she was, this tiny girl flitted onto the stage in such an unpresuming manner that at first she almost went unnoticed. However, when she opened her mouth to begin singing, the only way to describe her is that she is a miniature Audra McDonald, outshining everyone around her. Her vocal talent is undeniable and I am certain that as she continues to mature and grow, she will be a talent to be reckoned with. I look forward to seeing her professionally for many years in the future.

               Sweeney Todd runs through July 1st. Do yourself a favor and get yourself to this production – you will not regret it.

Performance and Ticket Information

June 29 at 8 p.m.

June 30 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

July 1 at 2 p.m.

The Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre is located on the campus of the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, CT.

Subscription package options range from $84 to $117. Single tickets prices start at $48. Discounts are available for seniors and students.

The performance on Saturday, June 30 at 2 p.m. will be ASL interpreted.

Children must be at least 4 years old to attend CRT productions. For additional ticket information or to purchase tickets by phone, call 860.486.2113. To purchase tickets online,visit www.crt.uconn.edu

 

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Submitted by New Fairfield, CT

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