April 12th -16th 2005

Esquimalt Musical Theater presents the Stephen Sondheim broadway hit "Sweeney Todd". This production will be directed by Barry Janzen, who comes to Esquimalt this year from Mt. Douglas Secondary. Mr. Janzen has been director and musical director for many musicals such as: "Little Shop Of Horrors", "Les Miserables", "Brigadoon", "Into The Woods", "City of Angels", "Bye, Bye Birdie", "Bring Back Birdie", "Grease", and "Sweeney Todd".

Mr. Janzen is looking for a dedicated, reliable student interested in being the Stage Manager for the production. If you are interested please see him ASAP.

"Sweeney Todd" is melodrama in its highest form. It contains all the stock characters and is exaggerated in emotion and plot, therefore it is not realistic. The subject matter of this show may be considered mature, however it is not meant to be taken seriously. It is a macabre tale with ironic comedy and Shakesperean tragedy. This show is a challenge for High School students in that the music is difficult and some will be forced to play adult characters, however in rising to a challenge comes success and personal satisfaction. Choosing a script can be the most important task a High School director will do in staging a production. When you start with a quality script with a range of interesting characters and an amazing musical score by broadway's top composer it is difficult to go wrong.

The rare instance of a musical thriller, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s chilling, suspenseful, heart-pounding masterpiece of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th century London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. His thirst for blood soon expands to include his unfortunate customers, and the resourceful proprietress of the pie shop downstairs soon has the people of London lining up in droves with her mysterious new meat pie recipe!
Sophisticated, macabre, visceral and uncompromising, “Sweeney Todd” nevertheless has a great sense of fun, mixing intense drama with howlingly funny moments of dark humor: audiences find themselves laughing hysterically one moment and gasping in surprise the next.
At the show’s core is a challenging score of epic proportion with two tasty tour de force roles in Sweeney and his comic female accomplice Mrs. Lovett. Although it has been extremely popular with opera companies and in concert presentation, “Sweeney Todd” is equally effective as an intimate chamber musical.

The original 1979 production of "Sweeney Todd" was immediately hailed as a masterpiece of the American musical stage. It starred Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Lovett), Len Cariou (Todd) and Victor Garber (Anthony). Other cast members included playwright Craig Lucas (Prelude to a Kiss), Betsy Joslyn (A Doll's Life, Into the Woods), Merle Louise (Company, La Cage Aux Folles, Into the Woods, Kiss of the Spider Woman) and Edmund Lyndeck (A Doll's Life, Into the Woods). It was directed by Harold Prince, who moved an entire Rhode Island iron foundry onto the stage of the Uris Theatre (now the Gershwin Theatre) and shaped the melodrama into an allegory on social structure and revenge. The national tour featured George Hearn and Angela Lansbury and was videotaped for television. A few years later, the show entered the repertory of the New York City Opera. In 1989, an off-off-Broadway revival transferred to Broadway and lasted 189 performances. A 1993-94 National Theatre revival in London, starring Julia McKenzie and Denis Quilley, won raves and packed houses.

A staggering theater spectacle and more fun than a graveyard on the night of the annual skeleton's ball... So joy to the world, dear children! Sweeney Todd is here to enrich your nightmares." - Daily News

"Must be seen by anyone who cares about the gifts and risks of Broadway at its best." - Newsweek

"There is more of artistic energy, creative personality and plain excitement than in a dozen average musicals." - New York Times"

 1979 NY Drama Critics Circle Award Winner
Best Musical -- Sweeney Todd