Audition Information

Sweeney Todd  has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony’s, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere. Stephen Sondheim’s and Hugh Wheeler’s (A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures) tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world.

An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up… and the carnage has only just begun!

Featuring two unforgettable star turns and some of the most chilling music ever written for the stage, this masterpiece is sure both to thrill and delight audiences.

Content Advisory: Sweeney Todd contains adult language and violent themes. The show is recommended for ages 12 and up.

Sweeney Todd/Benjamin Barker – Sweeney escaped from prison after being wrongfully accused and jailed for fifteen years. Formerly a proud barber, a loving husband and a happy father, Sweeney is now consumed by loss and revenge. He has returned to London to right the wrongs committed against him, his wife, and his daughter. Sweeney is charming but hot-tempered, ferocious yet vulnerable. He is Johanna’s father, singularly focused on taking bloody revenge. Our story’s tormented protagonist. The role requires a large vocal range, with both high notes (up to Gb4) and deep low notes (down to F2)

Mrs. Lovett – An entrepreneurial and amoral meat pie shop owner who will do whatever it takes to survive. She falls in love with Todd and turns his desire for revenge into a profitable business venture. She is resourceful, ambitious, charismatic, and has great comedic timing. Alto or mezzo-sporano (E5 to G3)

Anthony Hope – A naive and youthful sailor returning to London. He helps Todd return to London and unexpectedly falls in love with Johanna. His passions sometimes get the better of his reason and his enthusiasm sometimes makes him unintentionally comedic. Over the course of the show he awakens to the horrors around him and becomes disillusioned with London. Tenor.

Johanna – Todd’s long-lost daughter and Judge Turpin’s young ward. Homeschooled and largely homebound. She has a rebellious, subversive and romantic streak and longs to escape her confinement. Johanna is aware that Judge Turpin isn’t her real father and suspects that he might be a predator. Like her father, she has experienced trauma and possesses a buried capacity for violence. Soprano.

Tobias Ragg – A poor lad apprenticed first to Pirelli and then to Mrs Lovett. He is industrious and eager to please, with a good sense of humor. Uneducated, but innately clever and observant, Tobias responds quickly to the kindness of Lovett but grows increasingly suspicious of Sweeney. After a betrayal, Toby experiences the violence and terror of this world and snaps. Or maybe he just becomes like everyone else. Tenor.

Judge Turpin – A lecherous public official who portrays himself as a sanctimonious authoritarian. He takes advantage of his position in the city and is responsible for imprisoning Todd, assaults Lucy, and takes Johanna in as his ward. He is aware that what he wants and what he’s done is wrong, yet chooses to ignore or push against his conscience. Embodies Puritanical hypocrisy: he lusts after Johanna, even as he professes to keep her innocent. Bass-Baritone (Gb4 to E2)

The Beadle – A pompous public official who is responsible for the health and safety of London. He possesses a dry, deadpan sense of humor and enjoys wielding his power. He is not a sniveling civil servant. He is deeply loyal to Turpin, though in his heart of hearts he believes he’s better than the judge. The Beadle loves singing children’s nursery rhymes, which remind him of his youth. Tenor with a strong falsetto.

Beggar Woman – A deranged and schizophrenic woman, an eerie, poor soul living on the streets of London. She supports herself by begging and prostituting herself to sailors. The Beggar Woman is Sweeney’s wife, Lucy, who lost her mind after being assaulted by Turpin and taking poison. She has occasional flashes of lucidity and distrusts Mrs. Lovett. Rich and dark mezzo-soprano or contralto, the performance relies heavily on acting to convey desperation, madness, and hardship, often involving vocal effects like a rasp or cackle.

Adolfo Pirelli – A former employee of Sweeney’s who has since developed a public persona as a flamboyant and flashy world-famous Italian barber. A charlatan who sells fake medicine and challenges other barbers to shaving contests. Pirelli is charming, calculating, and over-the-top comedic. Does not take lightly to being publicly embarrassed by Sweeney. High tenor. Speaks in both an Italian and Irish accent.

Jonas Fogg – The owner of Fogg’s Asylum. Fogg sells the hair of inmates to wigmakers. Considers the inmates “children” and takes pleasure in showing them off to visitors. Chooses to ignore the human rights of his patients in the name of scientific progress. An authoritarian who is really a coward at heart. Speaking role who sings with the ensemble.

Ensemble (Townspeople; Policemen; Lunatics) – The ensemble acts as a Greek Chorus, commenting on the action and participating in the tale. They are the show’s chief storytellers, taking on the roles of customers, townspeople, police, inmates at the insane asylum, Sweeney’s thoughts, and Sweeney’s victims. They stand in for us and there is a feeling of them always being nearby, watching. The ensemble gets ample opportunities for vocal challenges and is showcased with solos and harmonies throughout the show. Sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones, and basses.