SWEENEY TODD SLICES DEEP —
EVEN WITH A FEW MISSTEPS

Jason Alexander’s ambitious concept does not
blunt the impact of a blisteringly performed revival

McCoy Rigby Entertainment has been doing solid work for decades, but they have outdone themselves with their new production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, now playing in La Mirada for a painfully short three-week run. It’s barely February, and I can say that—even with a smattering of directorial missteps—this is one of the best shows of the year.

Lesli Margherita and Will SwensonMeghan Andrews and Will Swenson

For those unfamiliar with the story: The 1979 musical, with score by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, follows Benjamin Barker, a London barber in the industrialized Victorian era who is wrongfully imprisoned by a corrupt judge. Barker, having been separated from his wife and daughter, returns 15 years later under the name Sweeney Todd, consumed by revenge. Reunited with the resourceful pie-maker Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney turns his barber chair into a killing machine—disposing of victims in a way that is as grotesque as it is darkly comic. Beneath the Grand Guignol trappings lies a bitter meditation on injustice, obsession, and moral rot.

The company

Now, my first question with every production of Sweeney Todd: which version is this? With fewer cuts than usual, we get the tooth-pulling scene and the full parlor sequence. Unsurprisingly, still no “Johanna,” the show’s most fascinating neglected stepchild, sung by Judge Turpin, who self-flagellates with an autoerotic release. Whereas other, truncated, productions have an unavoidable feeling of something missing, this version — at about three hours running time — has space to breathe and feels complete and satisfying.

Austyn Myers (center) with the companyThe company

Casting Director Julia Flores assembled an incredible ensemble of pros, many of whom already have significant experience with Sondheim’s works. Will Swenson headlines as Sweeney, who begins the show traumatized and on the verge of tears. Once Sweeney becomes alive with rage, where other actor-baritones go thin, Swenson goes full-blast for the high notes in a way that you can tell he gives everything. Lesli Margherita has the chops but does not aim to be a “singing” Mrs. Lovett. She uses a variety of voices for maximum comic potential on a line-by-line basis. If you were to listen to a recording, you might wonder what the big deal is, but she makes her demented Mrs. Lovett endlessly enjoyable to see.

Andrew Polec and company

As Anthony, suitor to Johanna, Chris Hunter has a virile masculinity that suggests, while he may be pure of heart, his body really has seen the world. Allison Sheppard has a pleasingly full-bodied soprano voice and sings Johanna without being ear-piercing. As the villains, Norman Large (Judge Turpin) and Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (Beadle Bamford) refrain from being cartoonish. In particular, Mongiardo-Cooper is a perfect example of the friendly, neighborly, banality of evil. Andrew Polec’s Pirelli, always a scene-thieving role, is delightful as the fraud who twice gets shown up by Sweeney. As Pirelli’s apprentice Tobias, Austyn Myers keeps the energy up during scenes that typically drag.

Allison Sheppard and Chris Hunter

As good as the performances are, director Jason Alexander leans into a few counterproductive ideas, falling into the “more is just more” trap. Chiefly, he makes this one of those “concept” productions. We get a framing device: Sweeney, in shadow, sits at the top level of Fogg’s Asylum and imagines (or maybe he directs – it’s not clear) the musical, performed by his fellow inmates. It’s distracting. This is another one of those productions where people are constantly lurking about in the darkness. Also disappointing is the lack of Sweeney’s death chute (he tosses his victims in a dumpster). While certainly better than a bucket of blood or a parachute, as in prior major LA-area runs, why are productions so reticent to implement Sweeney’s full death-chair? It’s getting to be as bad as Lohengrin’s missing swan. Curious is Alexander’s decision to have Sheppard sing traumatically during the “Johanna” quartet, usually the most beautiful part of the show. The delirious lighting and spinning set during “Epiphany” was undeniably impressive and fit the music, but I had the nagging feeling that it overwhelmed the words, and removing Sweeney’s thrilling address to the audience (now directed to fellow inmates) during the same number was simply irritating.

Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper and Norman Large

I just laid out a whole list of flaws in the production, but the fact is, they are minor and fleeting. Even some of the stuff I disagreed with were interesting. Alexander’s direction kept everything moving, never sagging, not even during the songs that usually prompt me to hit “skip” when listening to recordings. As expected, his actors give intricate comedic performances, but the show doesn’t fall into hamminess or pandering, unlike some of the trash that’s been at the Ahmanson over the past several years. His commitment to staging the show as written, and without winking at us, fully captured the attention of the viewers, who displayed amazing behavior; no one around me took out a phone during the performance – an amazing accomplishment in such a large theater, and on opening night. Most of his added funny business is genuinely hilarious. Occasional theatrical chills kept us on edge. Good productions are “merely” absorbing and delightful. What’s remarkable about this production is that it feels fresh. It’s the difference between smiling and laughing out loud. That this one leans into grimness, making us gasp, too, is all the better.

Lesli Margherita and Austyn Myers

I don’t normally go for rickety wood-and-curtains sets, but Paul Tate dePoo III’s magnificent scenic design fills the entire space under the proscenium arch, allowing Alexander to extensively use the stage’s vertical space. Jared A. Sayeg’s disciplined, restrained, and beautiful lighting design really comes to life in the second half. I prefer more colors, but Kate Bergh’s costumes stick to the monochrome look and are appropriate to the characters. Kaitlyn Yagen designed hair, wigs, and makeup; I particularly liked how she made The Beggar Woman disease-ridden. Jonathan A. Burke’s sound design was too loud, flattening the dynamic range, but I could practically hug him for largely concealing the microphones.

Will Swenson and Norman Large

Music Director Darryl Archibald conducted Jonathan Tunick’s orchestrations with a 15-member ensemble, almost as God intended (the original Broadway orchestra used 26). Still, it was substantial enough that it made me bemoan the fact that most new musicals use far fewer musicians. (Quick note, diction is amazing. This was the first time I made out “coriander” in “God, That’s Good!,” a line that always evaded me.) Sweeney Todd is not a dance musical, but choreographer Lee Martino, much like John Carrafa’s work in the revelatory 2002 revival of Into the Woods, elegantly fleshes out scenes with dancing that feels like it’s always belonged and makes other productions feel static.

Will Swenson and Lesli Margherita

Much like the works of Richard Wagner, there will be no perfect production of Sweeney Todd. However, exceptional productions will sear themselves into your memory. You are unlikely to see a better production in Los Angeles for a very long time. If you are more demanding than me, well, you probably also demand that operas be performed in their original languages. For everyone else, this is a can’t-miss production that I recommend without reservation. To major theater companies in LA-proper, you have been shamed.

Will Swenson

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photos by Jason Niedle/TETHOS

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
14900 La Mirada Blvd.
Thu at 7:30; Fri at 8; Sat at 2 & 8; Sun at 1:30 & 6:30
ends on February 22, 2026
for tickets ($20–$110, prices subject to change),
call 562.944.9801 or visit La Mirada Theatre

for more shows, visit Theatre in LA

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