By Bella Whitmore | Intern
It’s officially fall, and Baylor Theatre has certainly gotten the memo as their upcoming production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” has no shortage of blood and chaos in a brooding, gloomy London setting.
The story follows Sweeney Todd — a man with a seriously unfortunate past who murders any-and-everyone by slitting their throats in his barbershop. Keller senior Logan Allen, who plays the titular role of Sweeney Todd, says that somehow, the plot only gets crazier from there.
There are plenty of special effects going on behind the scenes to make the show work. Allen commented on the dramatic and large-scale nature of the show.
“We have a huge set with beautiful lighting designs that make the entire stage pop with not only the rage of some of the characters but the beauty as well,” Allen said. “When creating a show of this size, I think it is important to start not only with the large items, but on the smaller things. The physicality of the characters, the core of them and their backgrounds and the way they view each other are quintessential to bring the entire show together.”
Bartonville sophomore and ensemble member Walker Debord talked about the show’s standout nature.
“This production is the only musical we are putting on this year, and a massive one at that,” Debord said. “This year’s season has a theme of some pretty dark content but what makes this show standout the most is the orchestrations.”
In order to make a show of this caliber work, it has to be all hands on deck, according to Allen. From lighting to sound to the acting, live theater is very much a team work based endeavor, and for him, that is what stood out about this production.
“Whether it’s the larger pieces such as scenic, lighting [and] costumes, or the behind-the-scenes crew such as our technical director, stage management team or sound crew, this show is being supported by people who truly care not only about the show but also us as people and actors,” Allen said. “This show is brutal in so many ways, and the team as well as our director have done nothing but support us and allowed us to make this show as special as it is.”
“Sweeney Todd” is a story that has been passed along, reworked, and adapted since it was first written by Stephen Sondheim in 1979. After Sondheim’s death in 2023, “Sweeney Todd” reopened as a revival on Broadway, which helped commemorate the Sondheim legacy while adding a fresh take on the beloved story. Baylor Theatre is doing their part in furthering that legacy and telling an important story, according to Debord.
“This is a story that still needs to be told today, because in the bare bones of it, the story is the telling of a misunderstood human whom a lot of horrible things have happened to,” Debord said. “It has felt so cool to be able to get to perform this classic material. It truly is every theater kid’s dream!”
Allen talked about finding humanity in all the violence and dark themes of the show.
“I have loved to find the way that Sweeney is as a person,” Allen said. “The audience is captivated by when he breaks and what he’ll do. To be able to play this role has been both an honor and a privilege and I can’t wait to have everyone see the beautiful show we’ve all put together.”
