Stage Write

  When I was young, my parents and grandparents would occasionally take me to see a live performance. Sometimes it was a musical like Brigadoon or The King and I at Beef & Boards. At other times it was a show at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. From those early years, I loved seeing productions of all kinds. That passion grew when I studied abroad in London. Every chance I got, I made my way to the West End. I bought cheap tickets minutes before a show began and packed in dozens of performances by the end of my stay. When I began my career after college, I was working as a reporter at a daily newspaper. I realized that theatres provided free press tickets to their shows in the hopes that someone on staff would write a review. I immediately took up the post and began seeing at least one show a week. That was in August 2006, and it has been 20 years of plays, musicals, ballets, and operas since then. After the newspaper shut down, I moved my column online and continued Stage ...

 Sweeney Todd is a deliciously dark musical that tackles a revenge story worthy of The Count of Monte Cristo. The content is not for the faint of heart, but the Stephen Sondheim musical is a classic for a reason.  The famous score is brought to life in reverberating tones by the Carmel Symphony Orchestra in the first-ever collaboration between the group and the Actors Theatre of Indiana. The 32-piece orchestra is on stage, just behind the simple set. An 80-person choir provides the backdrop, rising above the action and adding a Greek chorus element to the tragedy. The unique set up adds gravitas to the big numbers, as does Erin Meyer's lighting design, filling the ample space with an eerie red glow. The whole production has an operatic feel that suits the material beautifully. Don Farrell plays the title character and the role allows him to showcase his incredible baritone voice. He is full of grief and a bloodthirsty rage. Judy Fitzgerald is Mrs. Lovett, his partner in...