Book by HUGH WHEELER Music & Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM Based on a version of Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond
The rare instance of a musical thriller, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s chilling, suspenseful, heart-pounding masterpiece of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th century London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. His thirst for blood soon expands to include his unfortunate customers, and the resourceful proprietress of the pie shop downstairs soon has the people of London lining up in droves with her mysterious new meat pie recipe!
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SWEENEY TODD
METRO STAGE COMPANY
SWEENEY TODD Directed by Paul D. Farwell Musical Direction by Kendra Alati & Maria Duaime
Fri. & Sat., OCT., 16, 17, 23, 24, 2009 at 8PM Thurs., OCT. 22, 2009 at 7:30PM & Sun., OCT. 18, 2009 at 2PM
Cambridge Family YMCA Theatre Central Square, Cambridge
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CAST
Ben DiScipio (Sweeney Todd) is thrilled to be at the center
of such a talented cast for his debut with Metro Stage
Company. Sweeney Todd has always been one of his
favorite musicals. Coming full circle, he had the good
fortune of twice before playing Anthony in outstanding
productions of this musical...of course "that was many years
ago...I doubt if anyone would know". Now he's gracefully
aged into the title role. Ben began his professional theater
experience as a music director and conductor. In his
mid-20's, he enrolled in New England Conservatory's Opera
Studio and began his years ONstage. He's been lucky
enough to play so many outstanding roles, but his favorites
have been Jekyll & Hyde in JEKYLL & HYDE THE MUSICAL,
The Beast in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Billy Flynn in
CHICAGO, and, most recently, Edward Rochester in JANE
EYRE THE MUSICAL...and so many others. Outside of the
theater, Ben teaches Music at St. Pius V School, is music
director at St. Margaret's Parish in Saugus, and teaches
voice in whatever remains of free time. He'd like to thank
his wife, Kristy, and his two wonderful boys (Jared 8, and
Gianni 4) for their patience and support.
Shana Dirik (Mrs. Lovett) has been performing since the
tender age of 10 when she got bitten by the theater bug after
a duet of "Sunrise Sunset"! She has performed in the area
for the last 20 years and feels the theater is her second
home. Her most memorable roles to date have been Eva
Peron in "EVITA", Mame in "MAME", Kate in "KISS ME KATE",
Fanny Brice in "FUNNY GIRL", Aldonza in "MAN OF
LAMANCHA", Anna in "THE KING AND I", Sylvia in
"RUTHLESS", Phyliss in "FOLLIES", the Witch in "INTO THE
WOODS", Harriett in "KEY FOR TWO", Mother Superior in
"NUNSENSE" and of course Sylvia the dog in "SYLVIA". She
is honored to have garnered best actress in a musical in
New England twice through the Emact Dash program for
Anna in The King and I and Phyliss in Follies. She is
excited to be performing for the first time with Metro Stage
Company, under the direction of Paul Farwell and is thrilled
to be playing the challenging role of Mrs Lovett!! Love and
hugs to her beautiful family, Art, Tanyel, Devin, Anne, Baba
and Rezan for all their support over the years for her undying
love of the theater......now let's go make some meat pies!!!
Phil Thompson (Judge Turpin) recently appeared in Men of
Tortuga and Dead City at Apollinaire Theater. Other recent
roles include: Jack in The Yeats Game (Boston Playwright's
Theater), Abusive Male/Bobbo in Wives (Boston Playwright's
Theatre), Connor in Distant Music (Image Theatre), White
Man in Race (Theatre on Fire, Charlestown Working
Theatre), Xavier Cassidy in By The Bog of Cats
(Devanaughn), Detective Porterhouse in Run For Your Wife
and Vic in Funny Money (Firehouse Theatre). Phil is a
resident actor with Playwright's Platform actively taking part
in numerous readings of new plays in various stages of
development. He has performed in radio and television
commercials in Boston. Phil has toured the east and mid
west as a vocalist.
Arjana Andris (Beggar Woman) is thrilled to be joining
Metro Stage Company for the first time in her very favorite
show. Though she usually resides in NYC, Arjana is a
Newton native; she's been seen in productions like "Lucky
Stiff" at Turtle Lane Playhouse. She recently completed a
nearly two year run on the North America and Asia National
Tour of "Hairspray" playing Prudy Pingleton and others and
understudying Velma von Tussle. Arjana holds a Bachelor
of Music in Vocal Performance from NYU. Thanks to my
always phenomenal parents for giving me back my old
bedroom for this run, and Chris, for backing me yet again in
my latest adventure. I love you.
Nathan Fogg (Beadle Bamford) is thrilled to be making his
Metro Stage Company debut in Sweeney Todd. Usually
found behind the scenes as director, scenic designer or
costume designer, Nathan has worked with many area
companies including The Winthrop Playmakers, The
Massasoit Theatre Company, Company Theatre and
Wakefield Repertory Theatre. Favorite roles include Dave
in The Full Monty and Mary Sunshine in Chicago. Thanks
and love to family and friends.
Johnny Newcomb (Anthony Hope) is thrilled to be making
his Metro Stage Company debut with their production of
Sweeney Todd. Johnny is a junior this year at The Boston
Conservatory studying Musical Theatre and has worked in
theaters throughout New England including The
Conservatory, The Boston Children’s Theatre, The
Barnstormers Theatre, and The North Shore Music Theatre.
Some of his favorite productions include The Rocky Horror
Show (Riff Raff) Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus) Oklahoma!
(Curly) Footloose (Ren) and Urinetown (Bobby Strong).
Thanks to Mom and Dad for all their support in such a shaky
biz, Daniel Blake, Craig Wich, The North Shore Crew and
SBCATMB!
Victoria Thornsbury (Johanna) is thrilled to be a part of
this production of Sweeney Todd! Recent productions
include "I Never Saw Another Butterfly, the Musical (NYC),"
"The Fantasticks," "L'enfant et les sortilèges," "42nd
Street," "The Merry Widow," "Miss Saigon," andmost
recently the cabaret project "Something Cool...This Way
Comes." Tori is a classical musician first, and sings with
the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops as a
Soprano in the Tanglewood Festival Choir. Originally from
the South Shore, Tori now resides in New Haven, CT after
graduating from The Hartt School with a BM in music
education/classical voice. Thank you to everyone who told
me to follow my dreams!
Paul Kmiec (Tobias Ragg) is thrilled to be making his
debut with Metro Stage Company. He is a Senior at Marian
High School in Framingham. Paul has appeared in
productions with Arlington Friends of the Drama, Turtle
Lane Playhouse, and the Woburn Repertory Theatre.
Favorite roles include: Jason, Rabbit Hole; Jean Val Jean,
Les Miserables; Curly, Oklahoma ; Jesus, Godspell;
Japeth, Children of Eden; Dodger, Oliver; Mozart, Still Life
with Iris. Paul was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at
the Stellar Adler Film Festival for his role as Billy in the
film, “In the Tradition of My Family” for which he also
received Critic’s Pick, The New York Times. Paul wishes
to pursue a career as Director and Director of
Photography for film.
Abigail Cordell (Pirelli) is thrilled to join the cast of
Sweeney at Metro Stage. Last June she mounted her own
one-woman show as part of the Metro in Concert series.
Behind the scenes, she has music directed "Once on
This Island Jr" at Watertown Middle School, "Ruthless" at
Metro Stage Company (2009 IRNE nomination), and "High
School Musical" for Turtle Lane's Summer Workshop.
Abigail performs in shows in and around Boston and has
her BA in Voice from the University of Mary Washington, as
well as her Masters in Music Education from Boston
University. To balance her play in theatre, she teaches
music, chorus, and drama at Watertown Middle School,
where she directs shows as well.
Robert Case (Ensemble), co-founder of Metro Stage
Company, is originally from North Carolina and has lived in
Boston for the past ten years. He has worked in theater as
an award-winning actor and director of several productions
in local, regional, and stock theaters since the age of
seven. He is a state and regional winner in both classical
and musical theatre categories in the National Association
of Teachers of Singing Competition. He is also the
recipient of a DuPont Research Grant to study original and
modern Shakespeare performances and to develop study
methods and performance techniques for middle and high
school students. Some of his favorite past roles include
John Wilkes Booth (Assassins), Curly (Oklahoma!), Lil
Abner (Lil Abner), Gaston and the Beast (Disney’s Beauty
and the Beast), and Cooley (Anyone Can Whistle). Robert
received his Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from
Wingate University and his Masters degree in Musical
Theatre from The Boston Conservatory.
Kim Peck (Ensemble) is pleased to be making her debut
with MSC. Some of her most recent roles include Maggie
Williams with the Boston Ghost Cruise, Mary Read with the
New England Pirate Faire (Pastimes Entertainment), the
Blue Fairy in Pinocchio (Bay Colony Productions), and Peep
Bo in the Mikado (FOPAC). Kim is currently earning a
Master of Music in Opera at the Longy School of Music,
where she studies voice with Bob Honeysucker. In her
spare time, Kim teaches voice lessons and freelances as a
church soloist and improvisational actress in the greater
Boston area.
James Aitchison (Ensemble) a new arrival to the United
States, hails from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. He has
played lead and supporting roles in a number of
productions including Cabaret, Geography of a Horse
Dreamer and the Glass Menagerie. He has also
developed a number of educational theatre productions
that aimed to address the spread of HIV/Aids among
under-aged youth of South Africa He received his masters
in Drama and Performance studies from the University of
KwaZulu-Natal in 2008.
Renee Saindon (Ensemble) hails from Missouri and
recently returned from her second engagement with the Key
West Symphony Young Artist Program and summer New
England Tour. Equally at home in opera and musical
theater, Ms. Saindon has been seen in concert touring
throughout Italy as well as with the Paducah Kentucky
Symphony, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and Longwood
Opera. She completed both her BA in Music and BS in
Theater from Murray State University as well as her Masters
in Music Theater from Oklahoma City University. Ms.
Saindon now holds her Graduate Performance Diploma
with Longy School of Music. Favorite roles include Isabel in
Pirates of Penzance, Mrs. Mayor in Seussical the Musical,
Mrs. Peachum in ThreePenny Opera and Magda in La
Rondine. Ms. Saindon can also be seen on Longy's
Septemberfest Concert Series with many other Longy
faculty and alumni.
Jaime Steinbach (Ensemble) could not be more excited to
have the chance to perform in one of her all time favorite
musicals. Jaime has had a great run in theater and has
had the chance to play some challenging roles. Last year,
she played Dr. Charlotte in Falsettos which received 8 IRNE
nominations including best musical. Some of Jaime’s other
favorites include Little Red in Into the Woods, Mary in Merrily
we Roll Along, Patty in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,
and Heidi in Nine. In her “real” life, Jaime has been an
elementary school music teacher for 17 years (not sure how
that went by so quickly). Love to all my family and friends
from the second flee on the left. XXOO
Carlos Cardenas (Ensemble) is more than happy to be a
part of Metro Stage Company's production of Sweeney
Todd. He recently graduated from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology with a Bachelor's degree in Brain
and Cognitive Sciences. Past favorite roles include: Emcee
in Cabaret, Phil in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party, Neville
Landless in Drood, and Ralph in Reefer Madness. Carlos
would like to thank all of his friends for their everlasting
support, and for the Ice Teas.
Gary Ryan (Ensemble) is excited to be working again with
Metro Stage Company. Prior shows with MSC include
Working (Stonemason), Company (Peter), Nunsense,
Amen (Mary Leo), A New Brain (Mr. Bungee), and
Cabaret(Klaus). Other area roles include Secret Garden
(Dickon), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), and Pippin
(Pippin). He has also performed at Six Flags, New England
and in concert with Kenny Rogers. Love to James and Sam!
Cailene Kilcoyne (Ensemble) is really excited to be doing
her first show here at Metro Stage Company, and hopefully it
won't be her last! Cailene is currently a Junior in the Musical
Theater program at The Boston Conservatory and enjoying
every minute of it. Her recent productions include "Peter
Pan" in Peter Pan, "Narrator" in Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dream Coat, "Princess Winifred" in Once Upon
a Mattress and many more. Cailene is really grateful for all
the support and love she gets from her family and her
friends!! Thank you so much, I love you guys!
Lindsay Holland (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her
Metro Stage Company debut in SweeneyTodd! Lindsay has
been performing on Boston area stages since she was
10years old, playing roles such as Bonnie in Anything Goes,
Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Mayzie in Seussical, and
Dunyasha in The Cherry Orchard. She was most recently
seen as Jane Eyre in Theater III's Jane Eyre the
Musical. When she is not on stage, Lindsay teaches
theater and voice workshop classes with Arlington
Children's Theater and Needham Public Schools, and is a
professional "Disney princess" at children's events in the
Boston area. To add to her hectic schedule, she works as a
full time Special Education aide at Needham's
Broadmeadow School. As always, special thanks to Steve,
Nessie, and the fam for being okay with her replacing social
time with rehearsals!
















Josh Pemberton (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his
Metro Stage Debut in Sweeney Todd. Joshua is a Junior
Musical Theater Major at The Boston Conservatory. Past
Shows include: Aida (MUNY), Grease (MUNY), Show Boat,
The Light in The Piazza, Rocky Horror, Our Town, You’re a
Good Man Charlie Brown, Annie Get Your Gun, Fiddler on
The Roof, The Music Man, Jesus Christ Superstar,
Brigadoon, Joseph.., South Pacific, ect. Joshua would like to
thank his friends and family for their never ending support
and love.