Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Box 1897 83 Waterman Street Providence, RI 02912 401 -863-3283 Fax 401-863-7529
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies, Brown University 83 Waterman Street, Providence, RI 02906
Contact: Paul Margrave, Marketing Coordinator (401) 863-2730 / [email protected] / brown.edu/tickets
Friday, August 22, 2014
Curt Columbus directs a daring production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Brown University
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 re-invent this story of revenge and gruesome murder as a tale of morality and the folly of the 1%. 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."
Director, Curt 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 re-creating 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.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street runs September 25th until October 5th, performances at 8pm, Thursday to Saturday. Sunday matinees at 3pm. Tickets: $15 ($12 seniors, $7 students). For ticket sales and more information: call (401) 863- 2838, or visit the Box Office in the Leeds Theatre Lobby (83 Waterman St, Providence), Tuesday - Friday from 12pm - 4pm, or email [email protected]. To book online, visit: brown.edu/tickets.
###