BEMIDJI — How far will a man go for vengeance?
That is the theme behind the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It tells the tale of Sweeney Todd after he was unjustly exiled by a crooked judge and returns to Victorian London many years later. He becomes close with a local pie-maker and together they go down a bloody path of vengeance turning victims into meat-pies.
The Bemidji Community Theater is performing the musical Nov. 13-15 and 19-22, 2026. Director Vicki Stenerson told Area Voices on the KAXE Morning Show she has been wanting to stage Sweeney Todd for a long time.
She said, "We do a lot of family-oriented musicals that include adults and kids, and I've been kind of wanting to do an adult one just as a variety and offer something that we haven't done yet."
The show is based on the book Sweeney Todd by Hugh Wheeler with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, which was another thing that attracted Stenerson to the show. However, the music accompaniment was a challenge.
"We use recordings. We tried to use a pianist ... But the accompaniment music is incredibly difficult," Stenerson said.
Stenerson credits the music director, Carissa Templeton, for getting the cast ready for such an elaborate musical. She taught the cast skills like breathing to hit the high notes.
Another challenge was recreating Victorian London, and creating the barber chair that goes into a meat mincer to make meat pies. They luckily had help from the Grand Rapids Players on getting a specific barber chair for the show.
Stenerson said, "One of their patrons had built the barber chair that you pull a lever and it straightens out for the body to slide through a trap door down a chute ... Instead of us having to build the same thing, I called them and (asked if) we could possibly rent it? 'Oh, you can use it, no problem. As long as you come and get it and bring it back.’"
The dark themes of Sweeney Todd are recommended for audiences ages 14 and up. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7 p.m., and Sunday shows at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the Bemidji Community Theater website and at Ken K. Thompson Jewelry and McKenzie Place.
Listen to the full conversation with Stenerson and Stage Manager Kristine Cannon above.
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
