Sweeney Todd will be making his way to Athens to deliver three nights of the “worst pies in London” during Lost Flamingo Company’s rendition of the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Sweeney Todd is darker and more horror-filled than most musicals people think of, said Nathan Parsons, the show’s director and president of LFC.
“Some people think shows and musicals are all happy-go-lucky,” Parsons, a senior studying political science and French, said. “Sweeney is like a horror film on stage.”
Set in 19th century England, the musical tells the story of Benjamin Barker, a barber falsely charged and banished by a corrupt judge. Barker returns to London under the alias Sweeney Todd, and when he hears that his wife poisoned herself after the judge raped her, he vows to take revenge against the judge.
Although vengeance is important to the story, the musical is about love, said Jason Shaffer, who plays Sweeney Todd and is a senior studying accounting.
“Everything the characters do is love-based,” Shaffer said. “The musical shows what love can drive people to do to an extreme.”
The musical appeals to a variety of people because of its diversity, Shaffer added.
“The show is special because it’s weird,” Shaffer said. “There’s the creepy subtext, but the music is beautiful. And as creepy as it may sound, you can see a little bit of yourself in the different characters.”
LFC’s script-reading committee chooses a musical to perform every year based on funds and what attracts student audiences, said Callie Sour, a member of the script-reading committee, Mrs. Lovett in the musical, and a junior studying theater and psychology.
“Everything from picking the musical to production is student-run,” Sour said. “We want musicals that are well-known, have a good plot and technical side, and are simple enough for us to put together.”
Sweeney cost the group around $6,000, and a majority of the cost is covered by ticket sales, with some funding by the Senate Appropriations Commission.
“People should come see the show because you’ll have a chance to see a cast of 30 plus amazing singers, actors and musicians in a great show,” Shaffer said. “And it’s going to be a real treat for those that have only ever seen the movie, too.”
If You Go Box:
What: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
When: Monday June 1- Sunday June 3, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Athens Middle School, 51-55 W. State St.
Admission: $5
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