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@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