Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

press release: Oregon Straw Hat Players (OSHP) is pleased to present Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street July 22-30, 2022 at the Oregon Performing Arts Center located at 456 N. Perry Parkway in Oregon. After the pandemic shut down rehearsals and performances in 2020, most of the original cast and crew have picked up where they left off, and they are ready to get back on the stage to deliver something very special.

Shows: 7:30 pm on 7/22-23 & 28-30 and 2 pm, 7/24.

Sweeney Todd has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, since its Broadway premier in 1979. Sweeney Todd delivers Stephen Sondheim’s (music and lyrics) and Hugh Wheeler’s (book) thrilling theatrical experience that has shocked, awed and delighted audiences for decades.

Set in 19^th-century London, this musical thriller tells the story of ousted barber Benjamin Barker, also known as Sweeney Todd, and his revenge on the scheming judge who exiled him for 15 years. When the bloodthirsty Sweeney joins forces with the failing pie shop proprietress Mrs. Lovett, the two introduce a new, carnal ingredient to Lovett’s meat pies that send the people of London straight to the shop – and new victims to Sweeney’s barber chair.

Director Jen Nichols has been a member of OSHP for more than 30 years. She made her directorial debut in 2018 with the ambitions production of Les Misérables School Edition. Nichols experience includes onstage roles, hair and makeup, producer and executive producer.

“It has been so exciting to work on this epic Sondheim musical,” said Nichols. “The themes in Sweeney Todd include the struggle for and abuse of power, revenge and responsibility resonate with 21^st century audiences. The work is so ‘meaty’ it gives our talented cast something to really sink their teeth into.”

The cast and crew are comprised of more than 30, with an on-stage company consisting entirely of students and young adults from Broadhead, Brooklyn, Fitchburg, Madison, McFarland, Middleton, Oregon and Stoughton. OSHP is a community theater group, so the talent net is cast further than a school production. Nearly one hundred area youth auditioned for the opportunity to be involved in this iconic production. OSHP was rehearsing in 2020 and getting close to curtain call of the School Edition version of Sweeney Todd, but the pandemic abruptly put an end to that and all theatre performances. It was important to Nichols to offer the original cast their roles back, but since two years had passed, many of the cast were too old to qualify for the School Edition. The decision was made to change the production to the original, full theatre production to honor the hard work the original cast had already applied to their roles in 2020.

“Nearly all of the cast and crew came back to breathe life back into the characters they had studied and were ready to perform two years ago,” added Nichols. “It was an obvious choice to welcome them back to their roles.”

OSHP welcomes both community and family involvement. Nichols’ husband, Joel Kapusta, serves as set designer, their oldest son Nick Kapusta is props designer, his wife Sami Elmer Kapusta is the music director, and the youngest Kapusta, Kyle, a junior BFA Musical Theatre major at Millikin University, will be on stage in the role of Sweeney Todd.

Sweeney Todd is produced by Mark Daspit, with stage management by Helena Pope, hair and makeup design by Evelyn Becker, sound design by Nate Mendl, lighting design by Devon Giesler and costume design by Querida Funck. The full cast, ensemble and staff can be seen at http://oshponline.org/sweeneytodd2022/main.html.

Tickets are available for all performances. Tickets are $20/adults; $15/seniors (65+) and $15/students (high school and under). Tickets can be purchased at http://www.oshponline.org.

Sweeney Todd Performances Dates:

Friday, July 22 at 7:30pm

Saturday July 23 at 7:30pm

Sunday, July 24 at 2:00pm

Thursday, July 28 at 7:30

Friday, July 29 at 7:30pm

Saturday, July 30 at 7:30pm

Oregon Performing Arts Center, 456 N. Perry Parkway, Oregon, WI

Sweeney Todd, is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com