"The name Sweeney Todd is pretty well known in popular culture," says Jay Berkow, director of music theatre at Western Michigan University and director of the upcoming production. "It is often produced by opera companies as well — story-wise, fantastic; singing-wise, brilliant."
WMU School of Theatre and Dance continues its season with Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, opening Friday, Apr 10 at Shaw Theater and running for three weekends through April 25. Cara Lieurance speaks with Berkow and the show's two leads — senior Jack Austin in the title role and junior Savannah Lee as Mrs. Lovett — about the production's operatic scale, its roots in Victorian horror, and what it takes to inhabit two of musical theatre's darkest characters.
Berkow describes the show as living in a "horror drama satire zone" and says he deliberately leaned into that quality for this production. "I wanted it big, I wanted it operatic, and I wanted it to play into the horror genre," he says, adding that the design — lighting, sound, fog, and costumes by faculty designer Katherine Wagner — is "a visual treat" assembled largely by student designers.
For Austin, playing Sweeney has meant departing sharply from his usual boy-next-door tenor roles. "Everyone has these introspective emotions that they hold inside and don't really talk about — Sweeney does not talk about his emotions, he's just seeking revenge," he says. "There's something relatable about that." The senior, who also appeared on NBC's The Voice — earning a steal from coach Michael Bublé — says the role required a deep dive into a darker register, both vocally and emotionally.
Lee says her approach to Mrs. Lovett centers on want and survival. "I just want to be wanted by somebody and be needed," she says, describing how that longing shapes every choice the character makes — from her macabre business partnership with Sweeney to her makeshift maternal bond with young Tobias.
A special President's Performance fundraiser on Friday, April 24, includes a catered dinner and post-show reception with the cast. Tickets are available at the WMU Theatre website or by calling 269-387-6222.
The interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
