Sweeney Todd at Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg: A Perfect Blend of Comedy and Horror

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A perfect mix of comedy and spine-tingling horror

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Sondhein and Wheeler created the award-winning musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 1979. This dark comedy is rife with moments of hilarity combined with intense horror. Based on a character from a Penny Dreadful, Sweeney Todd takes the audience on a journey into Victorian England, providing commentary on themes of classism, justice, corruption of the power, and revenge. Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg takes on this incredibly challenging score and emotionally demanding storyline under the direction of Tom Blaisse with assistant director Brian Silva, music director Bethany Malykh, and assistant music director Ryan Snider through June 14th.

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This production of Sweeney Todd shows the audience just how effective a small stage can be, even for shows that are typically thought of as being “big” productions. With the use of curtains, levels, backdrops, and hinged flats, this set (designed by Tom Blaisse with set construction by Mandi L. Hurley and Kevin Hand) is the perfect example of theatre magic. The lighting design (by Heather M. Flatley and David Blenderman) is beautiful and the sound (designed by Lori Haagen) is well-balanced. The props (by Susan Reutter) and costumes by ( Bethany Butler ) work beautifully together with the set to transform the space into Victorian England. The costumes include a steampunk flair that this reviewer found particularly enchanting.

The ensemble features Georgia Rinker, Scott Liddick, Jr., Hannah Itzen, Megan Harbert, Kelly Garcia, and Jonathan Crawford (who also appears as the head of the asylum, Jonas Fogg). Each member of the ensemble pulls their own weight vocally. The solos are clear and precise, and the harmonies on the duets, trios, and full group sections are stirring. This reviewer especially enjoyed Liddick’s astonishingly deep bass with Crawford’s clear, full baritone on their numerous duet lines. Along with their stunning vocal performance, the ensemble brings a lively energy to the crowd scenes—the shaving contest scene in act 1 and the asylum scene in act 2 being two of the best.

Matthew Stewart’s performance as Adolfo Pirelli is one of the best this reviewer has seen from this actor. Stewart’s Pirellis is larger-than-life, charismatic, and sleezy in all the best ways. “The Contest” is hilarious and shows off Stewart’s beautiful falsetto. Joining him in the camp of characters the audience will love to hate are Brandon Rexrode as Judge Turpin and Brandon Sterling Goodling as Beadle Bamford. Rexrode’s Judge Turpin is arrogant, self-absorbed, and self-important. His performance, from his tone of voice to his facial expressions, brings the Judge’s repulsive treatment of others to the fore in such a way that the audience has a visceral dislike for the character. Goodling is perfectly cast as Beadle Bamford. His performance is one of the most delightfully villainous of the evening, and his gorgeous tenor voice makes “Ladies in their Sensitivities” and “Parlor Songs” sound effortless. From his laugh to his posture and bearing, Goodling’s Beadle is haughty toward those he sees as beneath him and obsequious toward Judge Turpin.

Peter Cote is adorable as Anthony Hope, the sailor who befriends Sweeney Todd and falls in love with Johanna. His earnest expression and puppy-dog eyes immediately win the audience over, and his scenes with Johanna are sweet. Lydia Kramer’s Johanna is a mix of innocence, hope, and fear. Together, Cote and Kramer are cute as the star-crossed lovers, and the audience cannot help but root them on. Samantha Grinage takes the stage as the young boy Tobias Ragg, who goes from being the abused assistant of Pirelli to the well-fed, well-cared for assistant of Mrs. Lovett. Grinage puts on a fantastic performance. Her energy and commitment to the role are thoroughly engaging, and her vocals are spot-on. “Not While I’m Around” is heart-warming. The most astonishing part of Grinage’s performance, though, comes at the end of the show as everything he has witness leads Tobias (Toby) to have a breakdown. Grinage is frighteningly believable in those final scenes.

Randi Walker , Jacquie T. McNary, and Giovanni Traino round out the cast as the Beggar Woman, Mrs. Lovett, and Sweeney Todd, respectively. Walker’s performance as the Beggar Woman is one of the best this reviewer has seen over many productions of Sweeney Todd . The audience can understand every single word she sings even with the Beggar Woman’s accent. The wild look in her eyes and twitchy movements highlight her character’s madness, while the Beggar Woman’s moments of lucidity and near-prophetic warnings are accented with subtle transitions in Walker’s voice and expression. McNary is simply delightful as Mrs. Lovett. She embodies the character with an energy that draws the audience into the action. Her vocals are exactly what fans of Sweeney Todd would hope for, making “The Worst Pies in London” and “A Little Priest” definite audience favorites. Her facial expressions are well-crafted and hilarious. Her interactions with Grinage’s Toby and Traino’s Sweeney Todd are engaging and highlight various aspects of Mrs. Lovett’s personality. Traino’s performance of Sweeney Todd is pitch-perfect in every way. His incredible range and breath control, along with his beautifully resonant voice make the audience hang on every single note, while his emotional range captures their hearts and minds. The final scenes in particular take the audience on an emotional roller coaster as Sweeney Todd’s desperation for revenge results in devastating consequences.

This production of Sweeney Todd at Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg is the perfect mix of comedy and spine-tingling horror. The intimate setting at LTM suits the atmosphere of the show, making the audience feel as though they are part of the story. The cast and crew definitely deserve the standing ovation they received on opening night. Tickets are going fast, with several performances already sold out. Get your seats while you can at ltmpa.com.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/central-pa/article/Review-SWEENEY-TODD-THE-DEMON-BARBER-OF-FLEET-STREET-at-Little-Theatre-Of-Mechanicsburg-20260530)._