[NEohioPAL] SWEENEY TODD AUDITIONS @PGT

[Breanna Antoniades]

SWEENEY TODD
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Based on an adaptation by Christopher Bond

Director: Tess Burgler
Music Director: Steve Parsons
Artistic Producing Director: Josh Erichsen
Production Stage Manager: Breanna Antoniades

Auditions: Thursday, January 11, 2024: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Friday, January 12, 2024: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Saturday, January 13, 2024: 11:30am - 1:30pm

Callbacks: TBD

Rehearsals begin Monday, January 22, 2024
Rehearsals will run Mondays - Fridays 6:30-10:00 PM
Performance dates are March 1 - 10, 2024
Fridays and Saturdays @ 7:30 PM, Sundays @ 2:00 PM.

NON-TRADITIONAL CASTING WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR ALL ROLES
Please prepare 32 bars of a number from SWEENEY TODD, which best showcases
vocal range and ability. An accompanist will be provided.

Those wishing to audition can make an appointment for an audition time by
signing up online HERE
<https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EABAB23A4FCC34-47008012-sweeney>.
Available roles listed below.

For parking, please park in the student lot 107 next to the Fine Arts
Building on Kent State University at Stark’s Campus.
If you have any questions, please contact: Breanna Antoniades, Production
Stage Manager, breannalmorton at gmail.com

The Players Guild Theatre is located at 6000 Frank Ave NW, North Canton, OH
44720 in the Kent State University at Stark Fine Arts Building on floor
one.

SWEENEY TODD - Character Descriptions/Requirements
Descriptions are of characters as written, not necessarily the actor
playing the character. Director is very open to considering all
genders/ages/races/ethnicities/physical abilities for all roles.
Requirements are out-of-the-ordinary actionable moments the actor playing
the role will need to perform to accurately tell this story. Requests are
actionable moments the director may include, but is more open to
discussion/interpretation and may be decided by the needs of the actor,
director, and show as a whole. All requests and requirements are subject to
change (with discussion and consent of all involved) as need arises during
rehearsals. This serves as a general idea of what is involved for each
character.

SWEENEY TODD: 50+, male, a skilled barber who was unjustly imprisoned and
exiled by Judge Turpin; he has returned to London after decades of exile,
and quickly decides to seek bloody revenge on all who destroyed his former
life. Calculating, broken, subtle.
Vocal range top: Gb4
Vocal range bottom: F2
Requirements: many moments of unarmed stage combat, choreographed stunts
including slitting throats/having throat slit, physical contact (no
kissing) with actor playing LOVETT (holding, hand holding, leaning against,
etc.)
Requests: brief moments of dance with actor playing LOVETT

MRS LOVETT: 50+. Female, runs the Pie Shop below Sweeney’s barber shop and
is struggling to make ends meet. Has always been sweet on Sweeney. Very
much out for herself. Lively, cunning, motherly (in a twisted sense).
Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: G3
Requirements: character is “thrown” into a burning oven in the end,
physical contact (no kissing) with actors playing SWEENEY and TOBY
(holding, hand holding, leaning
against, etc.)
Requests: brief moments of dance with actor playing SWEENEY, handling raw
dough or dough-like material

JOHANNA: 18-25, female, Sweeney’s daughter who was only 1-year-old when
Sweeney was exiled and her mother disappeared. Taken in by Judge Turpin as
his ward. Trapped, innocent, alive.
Vocal range top: A5
Vocal range bottom: Bb3
Requirements: moments of intimacy with actor playing ANTHONY (kisses,
caresses,
sitting in lap). These will be specifically choreographed and stay within
actors’ personal
boundaries. Brief moments of stage combat.
Requests: possibly climb up or down a ladder

ANTONY: 18-25, male, a sailor who aided Sweeney in returning to London,
falls in love with Johanna and works with Sweeney to free her from Turpin.
Idealistic, romantic, naive.
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: Bb2
Requirements: moments of intimacy with actor playing JOHANNA (kisses,
caresses,
holding her in lap). These will be specifically choreographed and stay
within actors’
personal boundaries. Brief moments of stage combat.
Requests: possibly climb up or down a ladder

TOBY: 10-16, male; young man who initially works for Perili, but is ill
treated and trauma-bonds with Mrs. Lovett, becoming her surrogate son. He
is pure, despite his understanding of the harshness of the world. Director
is also specifically open to an adult female playing this as a pants role.
Vocal range top: Ab4
Vocal range bottom: Bb2
Requirements: significant stage combat including slitting SWEENEY’s throat,
loving
contact (as with mother and child) with actor playing LOVETT
Requests: none outside the ordinary

JUDGE TURPIN: 50+, male. The undeniable villain of the story; he exiled
Sweeney so that he could steal his wife, but ends up assaulting her
violently which results in her apparent suicide. He takes in Johanna, at
first out of guilt but as Johanna matures, his lust evolves and motives
shift. Narcissistic, controlling, violent.
Vocal range top: Gb4
Vocal range bottom: E2
Requirements: having face and neck “shaved” on stage, stage combat in death
scene
(throat slit), a stunt “fall” down a slide; clearly implied moments of
sexual harassment
toward Johanna, themes of sexuality.
Requests: a theatrical reenactment (flash back scene) of sexual assault in
which
TURPIN is the primary perpetrator

BEADLE BAMFORD: 30+, male. Judge Turpin’s henchman. Greasy, literally and
figuratively. Subservient, creepy, self-centered
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: D3
Requirements: stage combat in death scene (throat slit), a stunt “fall”
down a slide;
moments of verbal sexual harassment toward other characters.
Requests: participating in a theatrical reenactment (flash back scene) of
sexual assault

BEGGAR WOMAN: 50+, female; seemingly a profoundly mentally ill homeless
woman on the streets of London who hovers around the Pie Shop. We later
learn she is Sweeney’s traumatized wife, who attempted suicide by poision
but did not die. She is a shell of her former self, unrecognizable by
Sweeney. Lost, desperate, hollow.
Vocal range top: F5
Vocal range bottom: Ab3
Requirements: many moments of stage combat, death scene (throat slit), a
stunt “fall”
down a slide; moments of madness that make her highly sexual
Requests: participating in a theatrical reenactment (flash back scene) of
sexual assault
wherein she is the victim against multiple assailants. This “flash back”
character may be played by a double from the ensemble instead, depending on
the needs of the
production and the actors cast.

ADOLPHO PERILLI: 30-50, male; a snake-oil traveling salesman/barber who
comes to town and happens to recognize to fugitive Sweeney. He tries to
extort money from Sweeney by threatening to report him to Turpin.
Theatrical, dishonest, self-serving. This actor will be part of the
ensemble after Perilli is killed.
Vocal range top: C5
Vocal range bottom: B2
Requirements: stage combat moments with actors playing TOBY and SWEENEY;
being “stuffed” in a large trunk.
Requests: none outside the ordinary

ENSEMBLE
This show requires a sizable ensemble of highly capable singers. Many leads
will also
participate in ensemble tracks, as needed. Most men cast in the show will
need to have their face “shaved” on stage and have their throat slit, then
do a stunt fall down a slide into a crash pad. These moments, and all
moments of violence, will be choreographed by a professional fight director.
There may be a need for two young girls (6-10 y/o) for one scene, depending
on availability
-- 
*Breanna Antoniades*
Production Manager

Players Guild Theatre
6000 Frank Ave NW
North Canton, OH 44720
www.playersguildtheatre.com
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