Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

Last Thursday, the Berry College Opera performed “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” The show began at 7 p.m. in the Bell Recital Hall and ran through Saturday night.  The plot follows a barber, Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after years of exile. While Sweeney plans his vengeance against his enemies, his barber chair becomes an essential tool in his quest for retribution. The sinister tale is told through a series of emotionally charged ballads and ensemble numbers.  

Artist Affiliate Scott Willis directed the show and played the role of Sweeney Todd. Berry students and faculty played live music conducted by Associate Professor of Music Paul Neal throughout the performance.  Visiting Assistant Professor and Director Sara Pecina choreographed the dance numbers for the show. The show’s cast took a class called Musical Theatre/ Opera Workshop, taught by Neal. Throughout last semester, the class would meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30 until 4:45. During that time, the cast rehearsed their music, reviewed the blocking and performed a couple of run-throughs of the show.  

Before Christmas break, the cast was instructed to have their lines and blocking memorized by the time they returned to Berry. Sophomore Ella Rambin shared her thoughts on taking a month-long break before returning to rehearsals.  

“Coming back from that month off, I’d say that was challenging, just because we kind of weren’t all sure what to expect,” Rambin said.  “But I think that kind of uncertainty made us all work harder over the break to come back and be prepared to put it on its feet. So, in the same way, I feel like that was both the most challenging and the best part.”  

It takes a lot to plan and execute any theatrical performance because they have many moving parts. Set directors work to make sure the set looks its best. Music directors ensure that the music coordinates with the action taking place on stage. Dance instructors make sure that all of the dancing on stage looks clean and in sync with the music. A lot of work has to be done behind the scenes for everything to run smoothly. It’s the stage manager’s job to coordinate the different aspects of production, which means communicating with the set director, the music director and the dance instructor to ensure that everyone is on the same page.  

Sophomore music performance major Jackson Pruett worked alongside Sophomore Anna Leigh Aultman as stage managers for the production. According to Pruett, an unexpected challenge arose during the construction of the set.  

“We were supposed to have three major scaffolds, two on the sides and one in the center,” Pruett said. “And when the people that we rented the scaffolds from did not bring us that center scaffold; we had to completely change our design on the fly. It worked out for the best because it actually made it a lot more open.”  

When actors and actresses are portraying a character, it’s important that they delve into that character’s emotions and objectives. Senior theatre major Mary Claire Page played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. Mrs. Lovett is a love-struck, unpolished woman who provides Sweeney Todd with a place to set up his barber shop. Page explained how she embodied the character of Mrs. Lovett.  

“This character is outside of the realm of anything I’ve ever done before,” Page said “She knows exactly what she wants, has a very clear objective, and she is ruthless in in the pursuit of that objective. I really dived into what that looks like and how to physically portray that because she’s a bit older than I am.”  

Another important aspect of character work is developing the relationships between characters and bringing them to life on stage. Willis, who played Sweeney Todd, was also the director of the show. One of the most complex relationships in the play is the bond between Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd. Page shared how she and Willis collaborated to craft and develop the relationship between their characters.  

“Dr. Willis had a clear vision for what he wanted for Mrs. Lovett and so we were able to build that relationship through conversation,” Page said. “So, I would make a new choice in rehearsal, and then he would say yes or no to that choice. Having that communication between the two of us was super helpful in building their relationship.” 

Overall, this was another amazing performance by the Berry Opera. The collaboration between the musicians and the actors on stage made the show extra special. If you missed this show, be sure to catch Berry Theatre Company’s upcoming performance of “The Pajama Game” in April.