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Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute will thrill and chill audiences with the suspenseful, heart-pounding musical theatre masterpiece Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street from July 5–13 at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
The winner of nine Tony awards including Best Musical,Sweeney Todd is based on the infamous 19th century legend of an unjustly exiled barber who returns to London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him and tore his family apart. His thirst for blood soon expands to include his unfortunate customers, and the resourceful proprietress of the pie shop downstairs soon has the people of London lining up in droves with her mysterious new meat pie recipe.
Performances for Sweeney Todd will be Saturday July 5, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday July 10-12 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays July 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. at Hathaway Brown School, 19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122. Tickets are $11-15 and may be purchased online at www.hb.edu/tickets, by calling 216.320.8796 ext. 7270, or at the door (if available) the day of the performance.
The production features a cast of 24 students, including Jerry Shepherd as Sweeney, Klara Hricik as Mrs. Lovett, Sarah Pribulsky as Johanna, Adam Gurary as Anthony, Mark Oet as Judge Turpin, Charles Miller as Tobias and Leah Saltzer as the Beggar Woman. All are students of HBTI who hail from cities throughout Northeast Ohio.
Directed by Bob Russell, Sweeney Todd features the music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond. The creative team also includes Joanna Li as music director, Inda Blatch-Geib as costume designer, Richard Morris, Jr. as set designer, David Krupla as light designer, and Carlton Guc as sound designer.
"The process for creating this show has truly been amazing,” Russell says. “We are approaching Sweeney Todd in a new, exciting, and thought-provoking way that audiences have never seen before. The production designs are terrific and the cast is unbelievable. I can honestly say this is an experience you will not want to miss."
Now in its second year, the Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute was created by the Performing Arts Department of Hathaway Brown School. It is a co-ed program open to students across the region in first grade through college. HBTI offers three sessions (June 16-July 3, July 7-25, and July 28-August 8) with coursework in drama, dance, and music. The program provides high-level training from working artists for young people interested in the performing arts, as well as professional-level production experiences. Executive Artistic Director Fred Sternfeld says, “At HBTI, our focus is on the performers’ process. Our goal is to give them the tools they need to succeed in any audition or performance situation.” Last year, HBTI taught more than 170 students, and many more will be attending this year. Students of HBTI's staff of professional artists have gone on to perform on Broadway, in regional theatre, and in film and television.
In addition to Sweeney Todd, HBTI will present the musicals You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown directed by Michael Dempsey from July 18-27, and A Chorus Line directed by Fred Sternfeld and Beatrice Katz from August 1-10. Visit www.hb.edu/summer for complete description of dates, courses and registration as well as a listing of HB's many other summer offerings.
About Bob Russell, Director of HBTI’s Production of Sweeney Todd
Director Bob Russell has a long and impressive background as a professional actor, director, and educator. An adjunct faculty member with Kent State University, Mr. Russell is the previous Director of the Acting Program at the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory and has taught at Ashland University, Allegheny College and within the Akron Public School System. Previous directing credits include: Jekyll & Hyde (HBTI), The Sound of Music(TrueNorth), Urinetown, the musical (FPAC), the revivals of No Mother to Guide and Bunco in Arizona (turn of the century melodramas), as well as productions of Comfort Me with Peaches, My Fair Lady, Dead Man's Cell Phone and Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe. He has performed regionally at such venues as Porthouse Theatre, the Akron Symphony, the Beck Center for the Arts, the Factory Theatre, Cedar Point and Cain Park.
For more information about HBTI or Sweeney Todd, please contact Kathleen Osborne, HB’s Director of Communication & Outreach, at kosborne@hb.edu or 216.320.8785.