Matt Shumaker was cast in
one of the darker roles in Monmouth College’s production
of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” He
plays Fogg, owner of an insane asylum.
“It’s a creepy part — Fogg thinks of his inmates as his
children,” the freshman theater major from Galesburg
said. “It’s a small supporting role but it’s important
role to set up the scene.”
Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” is arguably one of the
most macabre, complex and difficult musicals around but
MC’s theater department, under the direction of MC
assistant professor Janeve West, has decided to tackle
this challenging play head on.
“The biggest reason is that Monmouth’s theater has
evolved significantly over the last 20 years, but in the
last four years there’s been sweeping changes,” West
said, pointing to the recent development of the
college’s theater degree major and minor. “The momentum
came together,” she said.
“Sweeney Todd” will run April 15-18 in the college’s
Wells Theater, but the students will perform a concert
version of the show at the Orpheum Theatre on April 9
with all ticket proceeds benefiting the Orpheum’s
capital improvement efforts.
“It is a gem,” West said of the Orpheum Theatre, adding
that the theater department takes pride in having such a
historical landmark in their backyard. “With their
current financial strains, we are frightened of what
could possibly happen to it.”
The performance at the Orpheum will feature all the
actors in concert dress singing highlights from the show
with a few props and light staging. The orchestra also
will be on stage with the performers as well.
“I feel like we’re going to be able to let loose in that
big of a space,” said Dane Feenstra of Pittsfield, a
junior music performance major at Monmouth College.
As for the show itself, MC’s production of “Sweeney
Todd” will remain true to the musical’s time period
(mid-19th century London) and follow the traditional
story line: Benjamin Barker, who is falsely imprisoned
for life by a judge, escapes from jail only to return to
London disguised as barber Sweeney Todd to exact his
revenge. He does so by starting a killing spree, slicing
throats of men who take a seat for a shave in his barber
shop.
“Sweeney Todd” opened on Broadway in 1979 but was became
popular again with the movie version staring Johnny Depp
in the title role in 2007.
“This does not look like the Johnny Depp movie,” West
said of MC’s version of the show. Shumaker said this
production will feature more music and more of story
about Sweeney Todd’s daughter Johanna.
A biochemistry major sophomore, Danielle Kita, plays
Johanna in MC’s production of “Sweeney Todd.” While
there are several theater majors in the production,
there are also several students who are not theater
majors.
“I did theater all through high school,” Kita said.
“‘Sweeney’ is one of my favorite musicals.”
One thing all the students agreed on was that this show
is probably one of the most difficult ones they’ve ever
worked on.
“It’s a Sondheim musical, so the music is very
difficult,” Shumaker said.
But West knows her cast and crew can handle it.
“We are walking the line between ambitions and audacious
and I like being there,” West said.
If You Go...
WHAT: A concert version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney
Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. April 9
WHERE: Orpheum Theatre
INFO: Tickets start at $15 and students (college and
under) are $3.50. Purchase tickets at the Orpheum box
office, 250 E. Main St., at 342-2299 or at
www.theorpheum.org.
erusso@register-mail.com
GALESBURG —
