Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd - March 04 - March 12, 2016

Fullerton Union High School

End Notes

DIRECTORS NOTES

Welcome to the Historic Plummer Auditorium! One of my favorite events of the year is the Spring Musical because of the incredible team that comes together in order to make this an educational experience for these talented actors and technicians. The process of putting together a musical at FUHS includes a team of over fifteen professionals and countless volunteers. We pride ourselves on providing opportunities to students that are not only educational but mirror the experiences they will have when they leave here to pursue the arts and life.

This is not an easy musical for a high school. The lyrics are quick, the tempos can be fast and the musical counts leave the audience feeling unsettled. After last years' successful Alumni Showcase it was apparent that the students at FUHS needed a new challenge musically. Sweeney Todd was just the challange they needed. To up the ante, the directing team decided include all choral music students to serve in the chorus and utilize the auditorium's historic Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ.

The production concept was inspired by the greek chorus. In Ancient Greece, Thespis, who is largely considered to be the first "actor," left the chorus to perform solo. This idea is explored as this production focuses on telling the story of Sweeney Todd through the chorus. Actors shift in and out of the chorus.

The original production premiered on Broadway at the Uris Theatre on March 1, 1979 and closed on June 29, 1980 after 557 performances. The cast included Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett, and Len Cariou as Sweeney Todd. The production was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning eight, including Best Musical.

I am indebted to both Tim MacDougall and Genni Klein. Throughout this production they have given countless hours to our performers through vocal coaching, character development and dialect coaching. I would like to thank all of the people who make an FUHS production possible. Katya Beener, Mckenna Vargas and Laura Bilger for their wonderful work managing the stage during rehearsals and performances. Arcadia Eckmayer for the work she did as a student director. Victor Name and Ginger Tan for taking on the task of being our company’s dramaturgs, a task that is difficult yet important. Anthony Lopez for his hard work, patience and guidance during rehearsals. Troy Trimble for conducting and leading an incredible orchestra. Scott Hedgecock for his support and for helping to choose a wonderful vehicle for our students to learn about the arts and themselves. Beverly Shirk and Sonia Mendez for their hours of continuous work to make sure students look great on stage. Lastly all the parents who came out to work on Saturday's to help us put this production together. It is so great to see increased participation from all of our theatre families.