Attend the Tale … Sweeney Todd at Village Playbox

by Sarah Dorsey

Well I surely attended the tale of Sweeney Todd this week (opening night no less)  at Village Playbox in Haddon Heights, NJ. The musical, book by Hugh Wheeler and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, takes place in 19th-century London on the dark and gothic Fleet Street. The musical tells the tale of Sweeney Todd, once Benjamin Barker, and his accomplice Mrs. Lovett. They work together– barber shop and pie shop– to get revenge on those that falsely accused him some years ago. What does he want? His wife, Lucy, and his daughter, Johanna, back in his loving arms. The musical originated in the 1970s thanks to the brilliant minds of Sondheim and Wheeler. I’m grateful that they’ve created a musical for audiences to enjoy for years to come– both in the community and professional setting.

Village Playbox is located on 7th Avenue at the Presbyterian Church in Haddon Heights. If you’ve arrived at the theatre early, take a walk downtown and enjoy some dinner or ice cream– we found that quite enjoyable before the show which ran for exactly 2 hours and 51 minutes (that’s with intermission included). The theatre, located in the lower level of the church, provides an intimate setting for your theatre experience. With plenty of comfortable seats to pick and concessions to enjoy, the newly renovated space is the perfect location for community theatre lovers.

The set, designed by Anita Rowland and Mike Tursi and constructed by Mike Tursi, Ken Van Dyk, and Bill Binder, gave the feel of a 19th century London street filled with dark and industrial motifs. Sweeney Todd’s barber shop strategically placed above Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop in a smaller intimate section of the stage. While every aspect of the stage seemed strategically planned, it was clear that at times the characters on stage had a difficult time maneuvering around some crowded areas of stage left. However, this did not take away from the seamless transitions from one scene to another. As a lifelong fan of the theatre, I truly enjoy shows where the cast and crew are able to work together to quickly and efficiently move from one scene to the next and the set allowed them to accomplish this. Lights and sound, by Gary Kochey, were eerie and moody. He started with a solo red spot on the barber shop and often referred back to this simple, yet on brand, spot. While he faced a few mishaps with sound and lighting during opening night (but who doesn’t?), Kochey created smooth transitions to demonstrate the change of time and location.

The costumes and properties, like the set, were nothing short of spectacular. Curated by Anita Rowland, Donna Allen, and the cast, the costumes and props embodied the dark and soot-stained atmosphere of life on Fleet Street. Keeping the whole production together, Piper Byrne (stage manager, choreographer, and cast member), kept the production running smoothly on opening night. Piper was quick and efficient with each transition and helped assist during small opening night errors.

Sweeney Todd would not have been possible without co-directors Anita Rowland and Steve Allen. Both worked together to create a production that tells “a story within a story.” They curated a cast and crew that worked together to tell this macabre tale. Working alongside Rowland and Allen, Piper Byrne with choreography and John Demchak and Alexis Romeo with music direction. Byrne used sharp and sinister movements for ensemble and leading roles to give the effect of the dark side of Sweeney Todd–the movements helped with the smaller space on various levels for all the cast members. Demchak and Romeo surely had an easy job working with such a talented cast. The music and lyrics were beautifully delivered on opening night.

The tale did not fall short with talent. Leading the cast, Timothy J. Koob as Sweeney Todd. Koob gave a stellar performance in this more sinister role. While he at times held back on his actions and reactions, he did an outstanding job bringing the demon barber to life in a more sophisticated and modern storytelling manner. Working alongside Koob, Melody Connell as Mrs. Lovett. Both actors played off of each other well on stage to build the darker storyline between Todd and Lovett. Connell portrayed the crazed pie shop owner with ease. She clearly had fun with this role, but often dropped the traditional Mrs. Lovett accent. Also working alongside each other, Rich Shockley and Dave Chorzelewski as Judge Turpin and Beadle Bamford respectively. Shockley respectfully took on this difficult role. Turpin is not a likeable character, and Shockley made sure the audience felt angry and disgusted with the Judge. Chorzelewski gave an absolutely outstanding performance. His movement and accent as Bamford were on par for the time period and his character. 

The cast continues with even more talent. Jojo Parks as the “beggar woman” portrayed this role with brilliance and grace. Her role, in my opinion, has one of the saddest plot twists in any horror genre; however, Parks played into this twist with exceptional simplicity. I was looking for the hints that she drops throughout the play, and Parks did not disappoint. In my notes, I wrote, “great climax of character.” Bravo! Who doesn’t love a father/daughter duo on stage? Millie Griffin, Tobias, and Matt Griffin, Pirelli, were both fun and comedic with their timing together. Matt Griffin’s quick accent change from Spanish to Irish will work as a fun party trick in the future I’m sure! Millie Griffin had fun with Tobias and played the young role well alongside her father, Koob, and Connell.

Tim Catrino, Anthony Hope, and Gabriella Wyers, Johanna, did a beautiful job playing side by side as the young love interests. Catrino was fun and lighthearted. He truly gave Anthony hope that he could be with Johanna. Wyers introduced Johanna with “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” atop her little tower, and the audience gave her an instant applause. Doug Cohen, Jonas Fogg and ensemble, is no stranger to the Village Playbox stage. As always, Cohen was a standout with his time as Fogg and his reactions as an ensemble member. The rest of the ensemble, comprised of Lauren Altmann, Marie Altmann, Cara Barse, Piper Byrne, JR Edel, Jacqueline Hogan, Ariel Johnson, Matt Maerten, Anna Park, Nicholas Pierron, Alexis Romeo, Stu Sklar, Erin Wilson and Margaret Wood, did an outstanding job singing, dancing, and telling the story. They were at times in your face, literally, and other times austere in their mannerisms and character development.

Don’t miss your opportunity to see Wheeler and Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Village Playbox. It runs from May 1-16 and you can find tickets online at http://www.villageplaybox.org/tix/checkoutmainstage.htm for $22 at the door or $20 online.