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‘Sweeney Todd’

NMU theater playing dark musical

Cast members of ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ hold a dress rehearsal. The dark musical continues this week with performances Tuesday through Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Northern Michigan University)

MARQUETTE — In the director’s notes for Sweeney Todd, currently being staged at Northern Michigan University’s Forest Roberts Theatre, director Keli Crawford- Truckey smartly asks the question before her audience does: Who would choose to write a musical about murder and cannibalism? She astutely answers it, thus also answering/asking perhaps the more important question at the same time: Who are you, and why should you care?

I believe that most good art also necessitates a portion of trickery — the self-examination challenge can be tough pitch, but when swaddled up tightly with a sleight of hand warm blanket of beautiful music, colorful characters and stunning production assets it becomes far less taxing of an endeavor.

Sweeney Todd is a story of a man who loses everything. A wife, a daughter, a “life before” that we never really get a glimpse of — and yet we get a sense that it was something to be cherished. He’s exiled, an evil judge is the culprit — and upon his return to London, Sweeney sets forth on a journey for vengeance, revenge or some may say justice. He connects with other broken people suffering from their own losses, and together they promenade and seizure their way thru the rigors of the human condition.

A great artist once told me that the only necessary ingredients for a story is a man, a woman and a problem. Boiled down to the simplest form, with caveats, a man (see: human, flawed), a women (see: human, flawed) and a problem (see: how big?). Part of Stephen Sondheim’s genius is creating scores of melodies that not only accompany a character but articulate ranges of emotional subtext ever-present when the stakes are highest. And the stakes are pretty damn high in Sweeny Todd. Just because we are singing murder and cannibalism doesn’t make the happening any less harrowing. Quite the opposite, really. Sondheim has given us a manual for following each characters peregrination, detailing emotional facets and a key to measure their depths.

We all view art through our personal lens- a “true theatre critic” supposedly has no connections to the industry, no agenda, no bias. We live in Marquette. We are all connected. I’m here to instigate a conversation- after all, great art without the post-coital discussion simply leaves one cold and naked on the floor.

Let’s get into the guts of it — I personally perceive theatre in this community as being a variable mash-up of community meets professional meets academic — out of necessity, of course, as we are a small town with no shortage of theatre organizations/companies with actors of all skill and experience levels. This leaves most productions hybridized, rehearsals half acting class half efficient work-place. This presents challenges, but also opportunities. Forest Roberts Theatre has embraced this reality, often considered the professional theatre company of the area due in part to its incredible production values. Yet, students are paying a tuition to be a part of this program, lest we sometimes forget. This is academic theatre, so to regard it as anything other would be a disservice to the students that are there to learn. It’s hard to remember this in Sweeney, because Bill Digneit, David Pierce, Regan McKay and Hannah Cormier have turned the Forest Roberts stage into something straight outta Broadway.

An immaculate movable set, steely, sharp lighting and a musky, scented-smog-filled scheme is nothing short of sumptuous. Surreal steam punk costume elements and elaborate, nuanced props remind us that the devil is truly in the details.

This is genuinely an ensemble driven production- and what an ensemble it is. Vocally astounding, when group numbers take the stage be prepared to have your hair blown back. Staged meticulously, your eyes follow action and nuance and land exactly where Keli Crawford-Truckey expertly intends them to land. The full cast of 25 feels larger, often bottom-lit and mobish, crawling, pleading and intensely vindicating right into the audiences face, boney eye-ball to boney eye-ball.

The scene-changes alone lend itself further to an already confirmed re-watch value without being distracting. Beautifully orchestrated and subtle, set pieces and staircases rotate and float in, out and during scenes creating an almost cinematic, panoramic view of our characters, filling further the already bloated balloon of dramatic tension in moments it’s warranted the most.

A lack of live pit musicians will always leave me with something to be desired. As a purist, perhaps, who’s been lucky enough to experience the benefits and impact of live music in musicals as a pit musician, a musical theatre actor and an audience member-I will forever think of a pit orchestra as a beloved and significant additional character. Not only does a group of music humans plus conductor solve logistical problems should they arise — vamping for ques, picking up ques, melodious retards, blending, sound levels — but they breathe life into the human conversation that occurs between accompanist and singer. There are multiple aura lasers pingin’ around in a theatre — actor to actor, actor to musician, musician to actor, actor to audience, etc.

This is especially important as the music in this play is really, really hard. Particularly for our leads. Execution requires adept breath support, experienced vocal modulation and technical wherewithal artists take decades to master. Sweeney’s leads achieve this, wholly. Almost too wholly, as I felt a rigid focus on vocal fulfillment that, at times, trumped the connections I so desperately seek when taking in art. The restraint I discerned from Paul Truckey’s Sweeney Todd felt more removed than character-driven.

It’s similar to the ballet dancer focusing on her under-extending arch over why she’s sweeping across the stage or the cellist focusing on the mechanics his vibrato rather than the attitude of the piece. This work requires one to think with both sides of the brain at the same time. Musical theatre singers should sing with their whole body. And they shouldn’t sing at the expense of speaking, rather it’s merely the mechanism for speaking with their entire soul.

These characters, though their relationships with one another, are going through painful transformations, coming to life changing/ending realizations, gnashing their teeth on whatever semblance of identity they can confront at the time all whilst intangibly coping with it, gleefully, occasionally. As one does.

As the devils in the details: the mechanics, the execution- The angels in the relationships: the palpable exchange of energy between flawed characters we have no choice but to root for, because they could so very easily be us. Both are the recipe for connection, see: our why’s and who we are and why the hell we are here.

I will say this- This production will move you, will entertain you, and you won’t be bored. NMU’s Forest Roberts Theatre has done an exceptional job of bringing this story to life. It’s tangibly cared for, invested in, and focused on by a disarming group of artists with clear and passionate vision- and that’s not easy, or common.

Sweeney Todd runs until Friday, with 7:30 p.m. shows set for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There will also be a 1 p.m. show on Saturday.

Tickets are $15 for the general public, $10 for students, and $5 for NMU students.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jamie Weeder is the artistic director of Upper Peninsula Shakespeare Festival and Wolfs Head Theater Company, Marquette Symphony Orchestra board member, Evolve MQT board member, cellist and composer. She is also directing NMU’s Medieval Dinner Theatre in February 2019.

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