Theo Ubique's SWEENEY TODD Opens 3/2 at No Exit Café

Philip Torre, a baritone who has appeared on the stages of Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and others, will perform the title role of Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. The production's Mrs. Lovett will be Jacquelyne Jones, who just completed a run in Firebrand Theatre's acclaimed production of LIZZIE and appeared in Theo Ubique's HONKY TONK ANGELS as well as Kokandy Productions' HEATHERS last season.

Pictured above: Philip Torre, Jacquelyne Jones. Click on images to access high res files. Joining Torre and Jones in the cast is Cecilia Iole, reprising her role as Sweeney Todd's daughter Johanna from Paramount Theatre's 2017 Jeff Award-winning production of the musical. Iole also played Cunegonde in Music Theater Works' production of CANDIDE last summer. Nathan Carroll, a Jeff Award nominee for his leading role as Molina in BoHo Theatre's KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, has been cast as Johanna's paramour Anthony Hope. Carroll appeared most recently in Kokandy Productions' BONNIE AND CLYDE as the Preacher.

Frankie Leo Bennett, who played Mark in Theo Ubique's just-closed production of ALTAR BOYZ and previously appeared as Sonny in Porchlight's IN THE HEIGHTS, will be Tobias Ragg, the unfortunate assistant of the blackmailer Adolfo Pirelli (Ryan Armstrong of Theo Ubique's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, THE MOST HAPPY FELLA, and AN Anthony Newley AND Leslie Bricusse SONGBOOK). John B. Leen, last seen at Theo Ubique as Colonel Ricci in Sondheim's PASSION, is playing the villainous Judge Turpin, along with Kevin Webb (seen most recently in BoHo's MARIE CHRISTINE) as Turpin's sidekick Beadle Bamford. The production's Beggar Woman is Megan Elk, who played Hucklebee in THE FANTASTICKS for Quest Theatre Ensemble last Spring. The ensemble includes Grant Brown, Hope Schafer, Missy Wise and Trevor Vanderzee.

Anzevino says, "We've always wanted to do SWEENEY in the No Exit Café and we're so happy to finally be able to do it here before moving to our new home in Evanston next season." SWEENEY TODD will be the company's last full musical play at No Exit. The company's final production in the café will be a retrospective revue, LAST CALL AT NO EXIT, to run June 15 - July 22, 2018.

In the musical, Sweeney Todd, a barber unjustly convicted of a crime, escapes from prison in Australia and returns to his former home in nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up... and the carnage has only just begun!

To immerse the audience into the world of SWEENEY TODD, the No Exit Café will be transformed into "Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop." Continuing Theo Ubique's tradition of offering a three-course prix fixe menu themed to the current show, the SWEENEY TODD dinner will feature an entrée of "Deconstructed Meat Pie" -- pork loin and bacon cooked with mixed vegetables, mustard, fresh herbs and apple cider, served on puff pastry. (Vegetarian option substitutes seitan for the pork.). The salad course will be "Bloody Beet Salad" -- Warm beet salad with greens, fried rosemary, spiced cashews, finished with crumbled cheese and a citrus vinaigrette. The dessert course is vanilla sesame seed cake finished with a berry glaze. For those who elect to dine, dinners are an additional $25 above the ticket price and advance reservations are required. Cast members serve the salad and entrée courses before the show begins and serve dessert during intermission.

Joining Anzevino on the creative team are Resident Music Director Jeremy Ramey, who will perform in and lead a four-piece orchestra; James Beaudry as choreographer; and Courtney Crouse as assistant director. The design team includes Ben Lipinski (scenic design), Bill Morey (costume design), James Kolditz (lighting design), Aji Slater (props design) and R & D Choreography (fight choreography). Mina Slater is stage manager and Darren Hill is dialect coach.

SWEENEY TODD has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony Awards, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere. Stephen Sondheim's and Hugh Wheeler's tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world in venues as large as the world's great opera houses and occasionally as small as the 55-seat No Exit Café.

SWEENEY TODD will preview from March 9-11, open to the press on Monday, March 12, 2018 and close on April 29, 2018. All performances will be staged in the intimate No Exit Café., 6970 N. Glenwood Avenue in Rogers Park. Tickets for SWEENEY TODD are on sale now at www.theo-u.org.

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