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Geoff Elliott as Sweeney Todd. | Photo by Daniel Reichert
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“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” the dark, brooding, yet sharply comic story of love, revenge and meat pies by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler, will open at A Noise Within on Feb. 17.
Savor the macabre madness as a murderous barber, hungry for revenge for his lost family, strikes a partnership with a beastly baker in this eight-time Tony Award-winning masterpiece that will leave audiences gasping with fear and delight. Sweeney’s thirst for blood soon causes the bodies to start piling up — and lucky Mrs. Lovett finds the perfect new ingredient for her meat pies.
“Sweeney Todd is Shakespearean in scope, and that’s what we do best at A Noise Within,” says co-artistic director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. “We tell epic stories in an intimate space, up close and personal, in a way that brings the humanity and the truth of the piece to the forefront. Our space presents a unique opportunity to access the play the way Sondheim originally envisioned it — as an intimate chamber musical.”
Co-artistic director Geoff Elliott stars in the bloodthirsty title role, with resident artists Cassandra Marie Murphy as Mrs. Lovett; Jeremy Rabb as lecherous Judge Turpin; and Kasey Mahaffy as con man Adolfo Pirelli. Also starring are Joanna A. Jones as Turpin’s ward Johanna; James Everts as Johanna’s idealistic suitor, Anthony Hope; Harrison White as the pompous Beadle Bamford; Amber Liekhus as a deranged beggar woman who harbors a dark, surprising secret; and Josey Montana McCoy as the young barber’s apprentice, Tobias.
Performances of “Sweeney Todd” take place Feb. 17 through March 17 on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Feb. 17; dark Thursday, Feb. 29). Four preview performances take place on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.; Wednesday, Feb. 14 and Thursday, Feb. 15 each at 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m.
The preview on Thursday, Feb. 15 will be sensory-friendly, with a handout providing advance warning and a discreetly-placed lantern offering visual indication of upcoming abrupt or intense moments of lighting, sound or on-stage action. Post-performance conversations will take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, Feb. 25.
In addition, nine student matinees will take place on weekday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Interested educators should email education@anoisewithin.org.
Tickets start at $29. Student tickets start at $18. Tickets to the previews on Wednesday, Feb. 14 and Thursday, Feb. 15 will be Pay What You Choose, with tickets starting at $10 (available online beginning at 12 p.m. the Monday prior to that performance). Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
A Noise Within is located at 3352 E Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107. Sweeney Todd is recommended for ages 14 and up. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (626) 356-3100 or go to www.anoisewithin.org.
