Sweeney Todd
by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
Empress Theatre, 2023
Director - Andrew Jefferies
Music Director - Travis Clark
Choreographer - Heather McDonald
Stage Manager - Kayla Rydalch
Scenic Design - Melissa Holm
Props Design - Justina Spencer
Costume Design - Rebecca Fenton
Hair & Wig Design - Cheryl Cripps
Lighting Design - Sylas Fordham
Sound Design - Aaron Eatchel
Sweeney Todd is often produced in Utah, but rarely do productions explore the emotional depths of these characters and make Todd's descent into madness and revenge a sympathetic one.
This production utilized the symbolism of cages, the constant presence of the rich and destitute sides of London, and a Todd defined most by his grief to help the audience see that Sweeney Todd is more than a character. He's an entity. He's a representation of what can become of people who are targeted by the legal system, rejected by society, and left alone in their suffering. And the musical as a whole is a warning that we all have the capacity to become or create him.