Sweeney Todd – Sweeney escaped from prison after being wrongfully accused and jailed for fifteen years. Formerly a proud barber, a loving husband and a happy father, Sweeney is now consumed by loss and revenge. He has returned to London to right the wrongs committed against him, his wife, and his daughter. Sweeney is charming but hot-tempered, ferocious yet vulnerable. Strong baritone/bass who can whistle. Speaks with a London dialect. Vocal range top: Gb4, Vocal range bottom: F2

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Rich bass-baritone voice, F-Gb. Needs power and control, and the stamina to make it through

· No Place Like London: take bars 214-226.

· Epiphany: whole thing

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Mrs. Lovett – A meat pie shop owner who will do whatever it takes to survive. She is in love with Todd and hopes that he’ll forget the past and build a new life with her. At first shocked by Sweeney’s bursts of violence, she turns his desire for revenge into a profitable business venture. Mrs. Lovett is resourceful, ambitious and calculating. Requires an actor with great comedic timing. Mezzo with belt. Speaks with a Cockney accent. Vocal range top: E5, Vocal range bottom: G3

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Ballsy alto or mezzo voice, G-E. Again, power, control, stamina required, to match Sweeney.

· Worst Pies: whole song. Use a recording to become familiar with awkward rhythms and time signature changes.

· Wait: take bars 25-56.

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Anthony Hope – A youthful sailor who helps Sweeney return to London and unexpectedly falls in love with Johanna. He is idealistic, romantic and a bit reckless. His passions sometimes get the better of his reason. Over the course of the show he awakens to the horrors around him and becomes disillusioned with London. Tenor. Speaks with a standard British accent. Vocal range top: F4, Vocal range bottom: Bb2

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Light baritone/tenor voice, Ab-F#.

· Ah, Miss: take from the start to bar 37. If you’re unfamiliar with the piece use a recording to check the rhythms at bar 17, bearing in mind the quaver is the same length regardless of the surrounding time signature.

· Wigmaker Sequence: take bars 23-37, and be prepared to sing against a second part: again, use a recording to check the rhythms of the ⅝ bars.

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Johanna – Todd’s long-lost daughter and Judge Turpin’s young ward. Homeschooled and largely homebound. She has a rebellious, subversive and romantic streak and longs to escape her confinement. Johanna is aware that Judge Turpin isn’t her real father and suspects him to be dangerous. Like her father, she has experienced trauma and possesses a buried capacity for violence. Although described as “pale” and “yellow haired,” we are not taking this literally in casting considerations. Soprano. Speaks with a standard British accent. Vocal range top: A5, Vocal range bottom: Bb3

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Light high soprano: A-Bb.

· Green Finch and Linnet Bird: whole song

· Kiss Me p1: take start to bar 28: if you’re unfamiliar, use a recording to gauge the fast rhythms and overall effect (but note that the actual words are indistinct in many recordings)

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Tobias Ragg – A poor youngster apprenticed first to Pirelli and then to Mrs. Lovett. He is industrious and eager to please, with a good sense of humour. Uneducated, but innately clever and observant, Tobias responds quickly to the kindness of Lovett but grows increasingly suspicious of Sweeney. After a betrayal, Toby experiences the violence and terror of this world and snaps. Tenor. Speaks with a Cockney accent. Vocal range top: Ab4, Vocal range bottom: Bb2

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Light tenor: Bb-A. Played as a child but needs a broken voice.

· Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir: take bar 7-56

· Not While I’m Around: take start to bar 36

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Judge Turpin – A lecherous public official who portrays himself as a sanctimonious authoritarian. He takes advantage of his position to imprison Todd, assault Lucy, and take Johanna in as his ward. He is aware that what he’s done is wrong yet chooses to ignore or push against his conscience. Embodies Puritanical hypocrisy: he lusts after Johanna, even as he professes to keep her innocent. Bass/baritone. Speaks with a standard British accent. Vocal range top: Gb4, Vocal range bottom: E2

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Rich bass-baritone: E-F#.

· Pretty Women p1: take bars 1-16. Use a recording if unfamiliar with the ⅝ time.

· Pretty Women p2: take bars 49-75, and be prepared to sing against a second part. Note that we do not intend to include the optional solo song, ‘Johanna’, for the Judge.

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Beadle Bamford – A pompous public official who is responsible for the health and safety of London. He possesses a dry, deadpan sense of humour and enjoys wielding his power. He is not a snivelling civil servant. He is deeply loyal to Turpin, though in his heart of hearts he believes he’s better than the judge. The Beadle loves singing children’s nursery rhymes, which remind him of his youth. Tenor with a strong falsetto. Speaks with a standard British accent. Vocal range top: D5, Vocal range bottom: D3

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Light tenor with strong (ideally counter-tenor-ish) falsetto: D-D.

· Ladies in their Sensitivities: whole song

· Kiss Me p2: take bars 31-45 (you won’t be expected to sing this with harmony parts, but the falsetto at bars 37-39 etc. is important)

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Beggar Woman/Lucy Barker – An eerie, poor soul living on the streets of London. She supports herself by begging and prostituting herself to sailors. The Beggar Woman is Sweeney’s wife, Lucy, who lost her mind after being assaulted by Turpin and taking poison. She has occasional flashes of lucidity and distrusts Mrs. Lovett. Like the oracle Cassandra, she is the only one who sees what’s happening, but no one will listen to her. Mezzo. Speaks with a Cockney or London accent. Vocal range top: F5, Vocal range bottom: Ab3

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Light to medium mezzo or soprano voice, Ab-F. 

· No Place Like London: take bars 23-42. Pitch control is crucial in the ‘Alms…’ sections.

· Searching: take bars 14-32

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Adolfo Pirelli – An Irish former employee of Sweeney’s who has since developed a public persona as a flamboyant and flashy world-famous Italian barber. A charlatan who sells fake medicine and challenges other barbers to shaving contests. Pirelli is charming, calculating, and over-the-top comedic. Possess some anti-English sentiments and does not take lightly to being publicly embarrassed by Sweeney. High tenor. Speaks in both an Italian and Irish accent. Vocal range top: C5, Vocal range bottom: B2

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Light baritone or tenor (with good comedy falsetto, especially if baritone).

 · The Contest: whole thing.

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Jonas Fogg – The owner of Fogg’s Asylum. Fogg sells the hair of inmates to wigmakers. Considers the inmates “children” and takes pleasure in showing them off to visitors. Chooses to ignore the human rights of his patients in the name of scientific progress. An authoritarian who is really a coward at heart. Speaking role who sings with the ensemble.

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Ensemble – This is an ensemble piece! The ensemble, essential to the storytelling, acts as a Greek Chorus, commenting on the action and participating in the tale. They play roles of customers, townspeople, police, inmates at the insane asylum, Sweeney’s thoughts, and Sweeney’s victims. The ensemble gets ample opportunities for vocal challenges and is showcased with solos and harmonies throughout the show. Sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones, and basses.