Arts & EntertainmentNovember 5, 2015

RTOP sets the stage for musical thrills with 'Sweeney Todd'

Dominique Wald dwald@dnews.com
Moscow-Pullman Daily News/Cary Wilton The demon barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd (Jim Sato) prepares to kill his nemesis Judge Turpin (Kevin Keifer) during dress rehearsal Oct. 28 at the Regional Theatre of the Palouse in Pullman.
Moscow-Pullman Daily News/Cary Wilton The demon barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd (Jim Sato) prepares to kill his nemesis Judge Turpin (Kevin Keifer) during dress rehearsal Oct. 28 at the Regional Theatre of the Palouse in Pullman.

PULLMAN - Halloween may be over, but there's still room for a certain demon barber from Fleet Street to slice his way to the stage when the Regional Theatre of the Palouse debuts its production of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" tonight.

The musical thriller is set in 19th century England and follows the story of Sweeney Todd, a barber who is returning to London after 15 years in exile and he is looking to take revenge on the judge who banished him.

Many audience members might be familiar with the movie adaptation of the story, starring Johnny Depp, but Jim Sato, who plays Sweeney Todd in RTOP's version, said the stage production is much different.

"There's a lot of humor in the play that the movie doesn't include," Sato said. "As a fan of the musical, I was very familiar with the story but never dreamed of actually playing this character."

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Although Sato doesn't have much in common with his character, who spends the majority of the play with a blade in hand and seeking blood, he said becoming Sweeney Todd has taught him a lot about anger.

"I wouldn't say I'm an angry person, but this play depicts how people's back story can be attributed to their emotions and actions," Sato said. "It's so much more than someone seeking revenge on someone else."

The man whose neck is on the line is none other than Judge Turpin, played by Kevin Keifer, who is also RTOP's stage manager. Keifer said his character is somewhat of a tortured soul, and although he's unsavory and not a very likable character, he hopes he represents on stage the judge's internal struggle.

"Judge Turpin is someone who maintains a strong and tough exterior, but he knows that on the inside he's flawed and has issues," Keifer said. "I think that's a quality that will resonate with a lot of people."

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" contains content that may not be suitable for younger audiences.

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