The Ponte Vedra High School production class is preparing to put on “Sweeney Todd School Edition: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street a Musical Thriller,” during a five-night showcase Thursday, Feb. 27 to Monday, March 3.
It is the first time the class has performed Sweeney Todd, but director and Ponte Vedra High theatre teacher Jason Nettle believes this group of students has what it takes to perform such a challenging production.
“I always think about who my actors are and I’m always trying to challenge them,” Nettle said. “This seemed like the perfect show to push them past what they would be comfortable with. Last year we did Les Misérables, and they did great, so I wanted to see if they can take it one step further. Sometimes that’s the only way you can grow, is when you’re outside your comfort zone.”
Oliver Carson and Lucy Roache are a pair of seniors who are looking to go out with a bang since being involved with theatre at the high school since freshman year.
According to Carson, the best word he could use to describe the production process for Sweeney Todd is intense, especially with the amount of intricate musical numbers it has.
“It’s definitely the hardest show I’ve done,” said Roache, who plays Mrs. Lovett. “It’s very intense but there’s also funny moments in it. It’s been fun exploring the darkness in it while also finding those moments of light.”
Roache and Carson worked together during the Les Misérables last year, so the chemistry they have on stage along with many of the others in the cast goes a long way and is something they believe will be reflective in the performance.
“You learn how you can play off of each other when you’re on stage,” Carson said.
Keeping character throughout a production is something that is always challenging, but Sweeney Todd adds even another dimension to that, which Carson is fully embracing, especially with his role as Sweeney Todd.
“It’s different from what we normally do, so it’s all about having to adapt and be able to just dive into that character and discover the deeper parts of the story and what it means to those characters,” Carson said.
Both Carson and Roache caught the theatre bug early on when they were in middle school and performing in front of an audience and seeing all the hard work pay off when the lights come on is a feeling unlike anything they have experienced before.
“It definitely brings it to life a lot more,” Roache said. “We always say that ‘the show doesn’t really come alive until we have tech week when you start adding all the lights, sound and fog. Having an audience definitely brings it up to another level and we can feel it on stage.”
According to Nettle, there are many aspects that go into making such a production possible behind the scenes.
“I’ve got a tech class that’s building the set, a student costume designer, lighting design and sound design,” Nettle said. “There’s a lot of trial and error involved but it’s worth it to make it look effortless.”
The show is choreographed by Reagan Kearney.
The only one of the shows that will not start at 7 p.m. will be Sunday, March 2, which will begin at 5 p.m. instead. The play is rated PG-13.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through the Ponte Vedra High GoFan app.
