Shows 2012
4 - 15 January - AUDITIONS
18 - January - RECALLS
11 - 14 April - SWEENEY TODD Norwich Playhouse

Music & lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Book by HUGH WHEELER
From an adaptation by CHRISTOPHER BOND

The Story of Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a musical thriller about a 19th century London barber who goes on a murderous rampage. In the past, Judge Turpin framed Todd (known then as Benjamin Barker) and raped his young wife. Todd was unjustly incarcerated in a penal colony for 15 years. However, when the show begins, Todd has managed to return to London and has come seeking revenge. He rents a room over the shop of Mrs Lovett, the proprietor of a struggling pie shop. Todd’s thirst for blood soon expands to include not only the judge but also his unfortunate customers. Meanwhile, Mrs Lovett happily puts the bodies in the meat grinder and uses the human meat in her meat pies – which become extremely popular with the citizens of London. What happens next? Well - "that's the play and he wouldn't want us to give it away, not Sweeney, not Sweeney Todd. The Demon Barber of Fleet Street". After all it is a musical thriller!

Parts to Audition for
Sweeney Todd/Benjamin Barker: male bass-baritone -
Sweeney is the protagonist of the musical. He is a man tortured by lost love, (his wife Lucy and daughter Johanna). He was unjustly imprisoned so that Judge Turpin could take advantage of his wife. He is driven to madness by his desire for revenge. The person for this role must be able to sustain prolonged singing for most of the show and needs a mature well trained voice. He should also be a fine actor and be able to portray Sweeney's brooding menace and decent into madness.

Mrs Nellie Lovett: female mezzo -
Mrs Lovett is a woman consumed by the need to be needed. She makes herself available to Sweeney for whatever he desires even though he only uses her. She takes Toby under her wing; shelters, feeds and cares for him like a mother. Although it may seem Mrs Lovett constantly gives of herself, in the end she was really taking all along. A really good actress is needed for this role and she need not have a fine voice but a voice with character and able to sustain the many scenes she appears in. A real sense of comic timing is needed.

Johanna Barker/Lucy Barker: female soprano -
Johanna is the daughter of Benjamin and Lucy Barker. At a young age she became the ward of Judge Turpin and has most likely felt abandoned for her entire life. She falls in love with Anthony but it is more likely that she falls in love with the idea of Anthony (someone who can rescue her from her current conditions). This role is particularly demanding. She has to play Lucy in a rape scene at the Judge's house and then the daughter Johanna. She sings particularly well, up to top G and should be able to trill a mid C. She also needs to be able to patter a long difficult song whilst cavorting on a couch with Anthony.

Anthony Hope: male tenor -
Anthony is an extremely naive character. He trusts Sweeney without ever questioning his motives. He falls in love with Johanna and believes he can save her. He is a romantic tenor lead and very energetic and can sing a mid E comfortably.

Beggar Woman: female soprano - This is a very demanding acting role with some difficult vocal interjections but no big solos. She is elderly and bent double with ill-health. She sings with a voice that portrays her insanity and throughout the play her madness grows and becomes more frantic. She has some explicit lines and suggestive moves.

Judge Turpin: male bass-baritone -
Judge Turpin is selfish and corrupt. He condemns Benjamin Barker to deportation so that he may take advantage of Benjamin's wife, Lucy. After Lucy poisons herself, the Judge in a moment of remorse adopts Lucy's daughter Johanna - and finally attempts to marry her when she comes of age. The whipping song has been cut from this show but he still has many difficult songs to get through and some great duets with Sweeney.

Beadle Bamford: male tenor -
The Beadle is heavily influenced by the judge. He desires to please him in all things, and always has the judge's best interest in mind. Even when it becomes necessary to obstruct justice, he does so to please the Judge. He recommends the Judge gets a shave in order to win over Johanna. Beadle also puts Johanna in an asylum even though he knows she is as sane as himself, in order to please the judge. He ideally should be quite large and able to sing a high B but songs can be adjusted. This is a central part with many solos and a lot of acting.
Adolfo Pirelli/Daniel O'Higgins: male tenor - Pirelli is a traveling showman who makes a living shaving hair and selling medicine. Toby is his assistant. He must be able to sing in operatic 'can belto' style up to top C (pinch), and speak pigeon Italian. Later his accent is Irish.

Tobias: boy -
Toby is a tragic character who turns to people to better himself. He is very loyal to the people he joins. For instance, Toby animatedly defends Pirelli when Sweeney is accusing him of selling "piss and ink". Then later, he waits and calls for Pirelli over and over again while Pirelli is up in Sweeney's barber shop. However, Toby is lured into submission by the opportunity for a better life. Mrs Lovett keeps Toby downstairs and away from Pirelli by offering him meat pies, beer, and a comforting motherliness which Toby has been without for too long. Toby sells out, and begins working for Mrs Lovett instead of Pirelli. From that point on Toby is wholly dedicated to Mrs Lovett who he is attached to like a son to his mother. Therefore, Toby suffers an ultimate breakdown at her horrific death. He must be an excellent singer.

Large mixed chorus of SATB with 6 young children
Cameo roles are: Bird seller, policemen, Mr Fogg (the asylum keeper), and many solos, duets, quartets and quintets for the ensemble's best singers.

By arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. on behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of NEW YORK.