Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim; Book: Hugh Wheeler. At: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. Tickets: 630-896-6666 or ParamountAurora.com; $44-$59. Runs through: March 19
When it debuted in 1979, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street shocked Broadway audiences with its tragic bloody tale of a murderous Victorian barber whose victims became fillings for meat pies purchased by unsuspecting customers. But nowadays Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's eight-time Tony Award-winning revenge thriller has become so respected that it is one of the few musicals to have entered the operatic repertoire.
The Paramount Theatre's first take on Sweeney Todd is a gloriously grandiose production to rival any previous opera house staging. But more importantly, director Jim Corti's chilling approach to the material smartly succeeds at delivering the show's moments of high terror and desperate emotion.
Yes, die-hard Sondheim purists will likely bemoan Corti's decision to make minor score and dialogue edits. Some adjustments are purely logistical to play out on Jeffrey D. Kmiec's towering industrial-scale unit set. But other Corti changes smartly rethink key climactic moments, ranging from the zombie-inspired customers in the Act II opener, "God, That's Good," to Emily Rohm larger involvement as the pitiful Beggar Woman ( no other spoilers from me ).
Paramaount deploys a luxurious 19-piece orchestra majestically and fleetly conducted by music director Tom Vendafreddo. Corti has also cast a vocally strong ensemble to do full justice to Sondheim's lushly dark score.
In the title role of the wronged London barber, Paul-Jordan Jansen's powerful baritone vocals are beautiful and disturbing. True, Jansen may gloss over some of his character's rare moments of gallows humor, but that's forgivable since Bri Sudia more than makes up the high comedy quotient alongside sturdy vocals as Sweeney's manipulative baking neighbor, Mrs. Lovett.
The supporting cast is no slouch vocally or dramatically either. Cecilia Iole and Patrick Rooney are lovely as the romantic ingenues Johanna and Anthony. As Sweeney's chief rivals, Larry Adams makes for a very lascivious Judge Turpin, while both Craig W. Underwood and Matt Deitchman vocally soar in the respective high-tenor roles of The Beadle and rival barber Adolfo Pirelli.
Since it is so bleak, Sweeney Todd may be a tough sell for Aurora audiences used to the Paramount's usual programming of feel-good musical hits. But the Paramount more than makes good on living up to Sweeney Todd's critical reputation as a thrilling musical masterpiece.