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New Jersey Performing Arts Center . Newark NJ . Photo by Esto

 
Sweeney Todd premieres in NJPAC’s Victoria Theater on Friday, July 17 at 7:30pm and runs for nine performances through Sunday, July 26.

More humorous than the film version starring Johnny Depp, this new production of the classic tells the suspenseful, razor-sharp story of barber Benjamin Barker (aka Sweeney Todd), who returns to grimy 19th-century London vowing to extract revenge for his false imprisonment with the help of immoral baker Mrs. Lovett. Their twisted strategy: Sweeney will murder his victims in his barber chair and Mrs. Lovett will turn them into the tastiest meat pies in London.

The NJPAC/NJYT production of Sweeney Todd features a multi-cultural cast of 30 talented New Jersey actors, ages 15 to 22 years old. The principal cast includes: Kevin Melendez of West New York as Sweeney Todd (John Adams in the NJYT production of 1776); Jaclyn Ingoglia of North Caldwell as Mrs. Lovett (Adelaide in the NJYT production of Guys and Dolls), Eryn LeCroy of Belle Mead as Johanna; Stephen Mir of Bloomfield as Anthony; Adam Bashian of Wyckoff as Judge Turpin; Christopher Georgetti of Nutley as Beadle; Kirk Geritano of Edison as Pirelli, Carey Gsell of Glen Ridge as Tobias and Lori Tishfield of Freehold as Beggar Woman/Lucy.

“Our young performers seem to thrive on our raising the bar. Sweeney Todd is the most demanding production we have undertaken in our eighteen years, but I feel confident that the cast and musicians will meet the vocal and dramatic challenges head on and deliver remarkable performances,” said Cynthia Meryl, Artistic Director and co-founder of New Jersey Youth Theatre. The Sweeney Todd cast will be accompanied by an orchestra of experienced student musicians and seasoned professionals.

Cynthia Meryl directs the production, with musical direction by Ilene Greenbaum and choreography by Assistant Director Sherry Alban. Past NJPAC/NJYT Summer Musical productions include: 1776, Midnight Madness (also performed in the New York Musical Theatre Festival), Ragtime: The Musical (named by The Star-Ledger as “Best Musical 2006”), West Side Story (recipient of the 2003 Music Theatre International Award of Excellence) and Carousel.
Sandra Bowie, Vice President of Arts Education at NJPAC, said of the production, “We look forward to collaborating with NJYT each summer because of the high level of training the program offers to young artists from all over New Jersey, regardless of a student’s financial situation. Undertaking Sondheim is a real challenge, but one from which the students, from cast to orchestra to crew, will learn valuable lessons under the capable and professional hands of staff from NJPAC and NJYT.”

As with past productions, Sweeney Todd will tour later this summer to the Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, New Jersey, where it will run for seven performances, from Friday, July 31 to Sunday, August 9. Tickets are available at algonquinarts.org or by calling 731-528-9211.
The NJPAC/New Jersey Youth Theatre collaboration enables young, aspiring performers, musicians and technicians from New Jersey to receive the highest quality theater-arts education at no cost. Participants are provided with the unique opportunity to embrace active roles in a professional-level theater environment regardless of their economic backgrounds. Participants in past New Jersey Youth Theatre productions have gone on to Broadway, prime-time television, movies and regional theaters as well as top theater-arts programs at major colleges.

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New Jersey Youth Theatre Sweeney Todd cast: (sorted by county of residence)

Bergen County

Adam Bashian Judge Turpin Wyckoff, NJ
Benjamin Chavez Quintet/Ensemble Rutherford, NJ

Essex County

Shani Bektemba Ensemble Orange, NJ
Christopher Georgetti Beadle Nutley, NJ
Carey Gsell Tobias Glen Ridge, NJ
Jaclyn Ingoglia Mrs. Lovett North Caldwell, NJ
Steven Michel Quintet/Ensemble/Policeman Bloomfield, NJ
Ravon Middlebrooks Ensemble; Quintet u/s Newark, NJ
Stephen Mir Anthony Bloomfield, NJ

Gloucester County

Elyse Langely Ensemble; Mrs. Lovett u/s Clarksboro, NJ

Hudson County

Sergio Hernandez Ensemble; Pirelli u/s West New York, NJ
Kevin Melendez Sweeney Todd West New York, NJ
Laura Soto-Bayomi Ensemble; Quintet u/s Secaucus, NJ

Middlesex County

Kirk Geritano Pirelli Edison, NJ

Monmouth County

Nicholas Magliocco Ensemble; Beadle & Quintet u/s Matawan, NJ
Lori Tishfield Beggar Woman/Lucy Freehold, NJ
Shana Vacarro Quintet/Ensemble Manalapan, MJ

Morris County

Sean Welsh Brown Ensemble/Trio; Anthony u/s Bernardsville, NJ
Larissa D’Andrea Quintet/Ensemble Lincoln Park, NJ
Justin D. Reamy Policeman/Ensemble; Todd u/s Flanders, NJ
James Smith Fogg/Ensemble/Quintet; Todd/Judge u/s Pompton Plains, NJ

Ocean County

Matthew Robertson Fogg/Ensemble Manchester, NJ

Passaic County

Monica Ban Ensemble; Quintet u/s West Milford, NJ
Corey Masklee Bird-Seller/Ensemble Totowa, NJ

Somerset County

Eryn LeCroy Johanna Belle Mead, NJ

Union County

Julia Babis Ensemble Scotch Plains, NJ
Sarah Beese Ensemble Westfield, NJ
Lauren Campbell Ensemble Cranford, NJ
Katy Cockrell Ensemble Fanwood, NJ
Alyssa Kempinski Ensemble; Johanna u/s Cranford, NJ
Jennifer Kujawski Ensemble; Lucy u/s Westfield, NJ

Warren County

Rebecca Krainik Ensemble Hackettstown, NJ

Sweeney Todd ORCHESTRA (sorted by county of residence)

Bergen

Esther Ryu Rutherford Piano

Essex

Dan Batchelder West Orange Viola
Mario Correa Bloomfield Trumpet
Tara Crincoli Bloomfield Clarinet
Victoria Sansone Essex Fells Keyboard (Cello)

Gloucester

Jeffrey Langley Clarksboro Keyboard (Harp)

Hudson

Owen Davitt Kearney Clarinet/Bass Clarinet

Hunterdon

Andrew Stenvall Califon Percussion

Morris

Elizabeth Maliszewski Chatham Viola
Eric Ruddick-Ferrat Randolph Trombone

Sussex

Flora Yousefi Stockholm Violin

Union

Sam Berse Westfield Bassoon
Amanda Leddin North Plainfield Violin
Robert Tarantino Cranford Bass
Lindsay Traiman Scotch Plains Flute

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New Jersey Youth Theatre Sweeney Todd Performance Schedule:

Friday, July 17, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, July 18, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Sunday, July 19, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 1:30 pm
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Thursday, July 23, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Friday, July 24, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, July 25, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Sunday July 26, 2009 @ 2:00 pm

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More information available @ NJPAC.ORG