Shave or Slay? Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

By Berto Fernandez

There are a few untouchables when it comes to American Theatre. The late great composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim is undoubtedly on that list. His innate gift to give a dramatic soundtrack to emotions secured him a spot in Musical Theatre royalty. Local Theatre company, San Diego Musical Theatre (SDMT), is bringing Sodheim’s biggest hit, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, to their intimate space.

The WORD chatted with the show’s director Jason Blitman, as well as Meghan O’Brien Lowery and DeAndre Simmons, playing Mrs. Lovett and the title role of Sweeney Todd, respectively.

“The show is tremendously intimate and immersive, filled with some of the most talented performers in San Diego.”, mentions Blitman, who directed camp classic Xanadu for SDMT last season, and was also involved with The Public Theater, TheaterWorksUSA, and even a production of Sweeney at the New York Philharmonic.

“Sweeney Todd tells the story of someone who is misunderstood, which is certainly relatable to the Queer community. But also, the horror genre is inherently campy, which the LGBTQIA+ community is often drawn to. And as a gay director, everything I do is through an LGBTQIA+ lens.”, adds Blitman. He also mentions that this production isn’t set in the Victorian Era of England. There isn’t a historical timeframe for the events either, and that is what he believes makes this version so relevant to current time, evoking familiarity and freshness.

“You might think you’ve seen Sweeney Todd enough, but I know you’ve never seen it like this.”, exclaimed the director, who describes this show as immersive, impactful, classic.

Another one of the greats in Entertainment, Angela Lansburry, originated the role of Sweeney’s macabre co-star, pie shop owner Mrs. Lovett in the original 1979 Broadway version. Virginia native and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music graduate, Meghan O’Brien Lowery, takes on the tough task of bringing this iconic character to life. “This show takes a full day to prepare myself with vocal warmups, warm tea, constant adherence to line running, and a yoga routine to loosen up my entire frame for getting through an almost three hour marathon. This show is not for the weak of heart, it takes continued dedication and deep concentration.”, she mentions.

Visceral, mesmerizing, and genius are the three words O’Brien Lowery used to describe the Sondheim hit show that had a recent third Broadway revival starring Classical Pop star Josh Groban, and Broadway favorite Annaleigh Ashford. When asked about her first time experiencing Sondheim, she recalls “In college I was ASM (Assistant Stage Manager) for a production of Little Night Music, and I remember being transfixed. The rhyme, the tempo, the sweeping melodies engulfed me in fascination. I had heard Sondheim songs out of context, one offs here and there for auditions but had never experienced a full show. It was a pivotal moment understanding how a master creates true art.” Meghan credits her Music loving Grandmother for getting her interested in Musical Theatre. She grew up listening to  Streisand playing on the record player and watching old movie musicals like White Christmas by her side, which all inspired her decision to get into Theatre.

“The world is dark, and we are experiencing some of humanity’s greatest failings. This is true for each generation and yet each feels the burden and despair. Just as Todd, men are still wrongly convicted and sent to jail, poverty is constant and power imbalances are eerily present. May we all find our pie shop or our musical to escape into as we look for life’s smallest beauties.”, expressed O’Brien Lowery about the relevance of the piece.

Playing the title role of Sweeney Todd, is San Diego native Opera singer DeAndre Simmons, who is also a graduate of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. 

“It’s a complete show with a very real plot and character line. Everyone has a well delineated path. It’s brilliantly laid out lyrically, textually and musically. It’s unlike any other musical. It’s a horror musical!”, said Simmons about the show, calling it dark, real, and innovative. He also mentions that this version returns to the intimate setting that Sondheim originally intended before Hal Prince gave it the larger spin. “That intimacy allows for us to really focus on telling the story and less about props and antics – being so over the top for the person in the balcony to see us. It’s a throwback to the production by John Doyle. You get the full gamut!”, he added.

Simmon’s recalls a few of his favorite moments in the musical as “My friends” where you see something new, reborn, passionate in Sweeney as he takes out his razors. “The other is “Epiphany”, I mean, as an artist, you don’t get better than a mad scene or death scene!”, he expressed. DeAndre, has had the opportunity to coach some of Sondheim’s material with the composer himself prior to his passing in 2021. To prepare for this challenging role, he read the libretto repeatedly, and thoroughly reviewed his coaching recordings with Maestro Sondheim.

“This is a different telling of this remarkable take. It’s more intimate. Fewer people. Smaller house. But the story is presented in a real and strong way that will captivate you! Once you’re there, we are in for the ride…the story together! So I hope you come see it!”, said Simmons, in hopes that you attend the tale of this peculiar and complex character in Sondheim’s magical world.