

This is my first time acting in anything and I’ve liked getting to know how that works and how to act and be in a production,” she said.įall production is without a doubt a significant commitment as rehearsals occur after school hours. “I think getting to know everyone in the cast is one of the best parts.

Chiara Whitehurst (‘20), who was double cast as the beggar woman, mentioned the skills that she practices everyday, learning from the class and her peers. Lovett.Īside from intense dramatic scenes that played out on stage, teamwork helped the cast and crew to present a quality performance. It brings up who has power, why they have power and who decides that they get that power,” said Renee Theodore (‘19), who played the role of Mrs. “It says a lot about natural human instinct and who gets to decide justice, which is relevant to right now. While the production initially came across as gruesome and cruel, many noticed that the themes that arose from the performance are similar to issues that impact the community today. I absolutely love it now, and I think I’ve found places to be comedic in where it totally is not supposed to be,” said Eleanor Sloan (‘18), who was double cast as the role of Johanna. I think I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for Sweeney Todd as time has gone on. “I’m not going to lie, at first I really wasn’t thrilled that we were doing Sweeney Todd. Over the years, the Urban theater program has produced a range of musical productions, from upbeat and lighthearted fairy tale stories to complex and realistic depictions of teenage life, but this musical brings a different level of drama, dark comedy, and horror.įor some members of the cast, Sweeney Todd was not a predictable choice for the fall production.

Ten weeks of rehearsal culminated in six performances, November 9th through 11th. This performance gave Urban students the opportunity to practice acting, singing, dancing, stage design, and instrumental accompaniment. The Urban School’s fall production class worked together to transform this story into a powerful production directed by the teacher of the fall production class, Wendy Parkman. The story follows the life of a Victorian-era barber who seeks revenge on the judge who punished and exiled him, leaving his family behind. This current musical is an adaptation of Christopher Bond’s book and comes to life on stage through the words of Hugh Wheeler and soundtrack by Stephen Sondheim. The character of Sweeney Todd made its first appearance in an 1840’s story titled “The String of Pearls” by James Malcolm Rymer.
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The 15 students in the this year’s fall production class tackled this musical thriller with great determination in order to produce six nights of a full length production. This horror musical both shocked and entertained the audience. Gory, creepy, and eerie are only a few of the words the audience might think of after watching The Urban School’s fall production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
