Civic Theatre of Allentown delivers a dark, moody and musically dense “Sweeney Todd” highlighted by jaw-dropping stagecraft and swirling harmonies.
Civic stages the Stephen Sondheim classic through March 15 at Civic’s 19th Street Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown.
The show opens with a powerful “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” bringing the whole cast out to fill the stage reflect ing the teeming underbelly of 18th century London.
Armand Reiser’s tortured Sweeney Todd is brooding and intense. He is especially ominous in songs like the love song to his razors “My Friends” and his breakdown in “Epiphany.”
He conveys Todd’s single-minded drive for revenge, but also adds more human notes, particularly in Todd’s relationship with Mrs. Lovett, played with unapologetic zest by Nina Metrick.
Metrick’s Lovett is a survivor who always can make the most of a situation. Her and Reiser’s Todd have an almost playful dynamic, particularly in the patter song “A Little Priest,” a great moment of black humor that shows Todd’s grudging appreciation for Lovett’s pragmatic cleverness, and the bouncy “By The Sea” in which Lovett yearns for more from Todd, while he absentmindedly humors her. (Some funny choreography by Mariel Letourneau).
“God, That’s Good” is one of the most enjoyable numbers with Lovett selling out her questionable pies below while above Todd is slitting throats and sending them to the oven via a wonderfully inventive trap-door barber chair.
Jordan Joseph’s earnest Anthony is a counterpoint to Todd’s nihilism and he is soulful on his repeated “Joanna.” Maricel Wheatley warbles sweetly as the trapped Joanna in “Green Finch and Linnet Bird.”
As the corrupt judge who lusts after Joanna, Bob Trexler conveys a sense of oblivious entitlement while his toadie Beadle Bamford is given a whimsical spin by Tony Anthony who humorously displays his upper register falsetto in “Parlour Songs.”
Melody Portnoy’s beggar woman is a memorable presence as she wanders in and out to melodically beg for alms and warn of wrongdoing.
A musical highlight of the show is the “Joanna “quartet featuring Reiser, Joseph, Portnoy and Wheatley.
Melo Rodriguez offers a steady, though naive presence as the impressionable Toby.
Mason McGowan is appropriately over the top, and adept at multiple accents, as Adolfo Pirelli notably in “Pirelli’s Miracle Elixer.”
The live orchestra is full and lush, although a tad overpowering at times.
The large ensemble adds a lot of depth to the music and there are many good voices that get small solos throughout. Music direction is by Nick Conti.
Trevor Flocco’s set design is impressive and include three levels, while Ellen Schmoyer’s lighting keeps everything in shadows and haze.
Director Rae Labadie judiciously manages the large cast and uses all the levels very effectively.
Tickets are $35 for adults and $30 for seniors, student and military.
The Feb. 28 performance is pay what you can.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28, March 6, 7 and 13; 3 p.m. March 8and 15; and 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. March 14.
For information, call 610-433-8903, or go to civictheatre.com/.