Curt Columbus directs 'Sweeney Todd' at Brown

Posted 8/27/14

Curt Columbus, artistic director of Trinity Rep, directs Sondheim's classic musical, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” in the Leeds Theatre at Brown University this …

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Curt Columbus directs 'Sweeney Todd' at Brown

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Curt Columbus, artistic director of Trinity Rep, directs Sondheim's classic musical, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” in the Leeds Theatre at Brown University this fall.

Columbus will reinvent this story of revenge and gruesome murder as a tale of morality and the folly of the one percent. Moving away from the campy melodrama of traditional productions, this show will feature a company of political agitators using street performance to tell their tale of Sweeney Todd’s bloody-minded greed and the horror that follows.

Set in the grimy underbelly of London at the height of the industrial age, the show tells the story of Benjamin Barker (aka Sweeney Todd). After returning from a 15-year penal sentence for a crime he did not commit, Sweeny Todd takes his revenge by murdering victims in his barber's chair before sending their bodies to his partner-in-crime, Mrs. Nellie Lovett, to be turned into "the best pies in London."

Columbus said, "I'm very excited to have the opportunity to direct one of Sondheim's most popular and lasting musicals. Sweeney Todd is a brilliant story, full of suspense and drama. In the wake of the Occupy movement and the recent economic troubles, the tale of Sweeney Todd’s unashamed greed takes on a new significance. Many of the students at Brown are deeply invested in finding new ways to economic prosperity that avoid recreating cycles of poverty and oppression. ‘Sweeney Todd’ is the perfect vehicle for exploring those issues. I'm sure this performance will sell out, so buy your tickets now. Join us as we occupy the Leeds Theatre. It’s going to be riot.”

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” is a musical show with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (book by Hugh Wheeler), based on the 1973 play of the same name. The musical was first produced in 1979 on Broadway, where it won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical.

The show runs Sept. 25 until Oct. 5, performances at 8 p.m., Thursday to Saturday. Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($12 seniors, $7 students). For ticket sales and more information call 863-2838, or visit the Box Office in the Leeds Theatre Lobby (83 Waterman St., Providence), Tuesday through Friday from 12 noon-4 p.m. or email boxoffice@brown.ed. To book online visit www.brown.edu/tickets.

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