[Norfolk, VA] – Virginia Stage Company is thrilled to partner with the Virginia Arts Festival in bringing Sweeney Todd A Musical Thriller to the Hampton Roads Community. VSC’s own Tom Quaintance joins VAF’s Rob Fisher who will serve as Music Director and Conductor. This concert version of the famous Sondheim musical will feature the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and starring acclaimed American opera singer Rod Gilfry in the title role as well as several Broadway soloists. This live concert will be performed at Chrysler Hall on April 13th.
Stephen Sondheim’s smash hit musical won eight Tony Awards when it premiered on Broadway in 1979 – including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Since then, “the Demon Barber of Fleet Street” has thrilled audiences around the world in theaters and concert halls. The Broadway, film and television stars who have taken on the iconic roles of this unforgettable musical include Angela Lansbury, Kelsey Grammer, Christine Baranski, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Emma Thompson and most recently Josh Groban. In this rousing orchestra and chorus performance led by renowned Broadway music director Rob Fisher (who serves as Virginia Arts Festival’s Goode Family Artistic Advisor for Musical Theater and American Songbook), a company of gifted Broadway singers joins the Virginia Symphony Orchestra in a performance that puts Sondheim’s unforgettable score front and center. Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!
Tom Quaintance expressed his excitement about joining the production, stating, “I love Sweeney, and the opportunity to collaborate with Rob Fisher on this masterpiece is thrilling. Sweeney Todd with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Chorus? With this powerhouse cast? The prospect makes me giddy. Folks are going to want to attend this particular tale of Sweeney Todd..”
Original music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; book by Hugh Wheeler; from an adaptation by Christopher Bond; originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince. Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick; originally produced on Broadway by Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards in Association with Dean and Judy Manos.
Sweeney Todd will be presented at Chrysler Hall on April 13th at 7:30pm. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.vafest.org or by calling (757) 282-2822.
For media inquiries or interviews, please contact Maris Smith at (757) 627-6988, x306 or [email protected] or Alli Pereira at (757) 282-2804 or [email protected].
The mission of the Virginia Arts Festival is to bring world-class performing arts to our citizens and visitors, impact the lives of students through outstanding educational programs, commission new works of national and international significance, and make a tangible difference in Hampton Roads through regional partnerships and cultural tourism.
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is a leading cultural asset that is the source of regional pride, connecting everyone in Hampton Roads through the transformative power of exceptional musical performances and educational activities.
Virginia Stage Company is Southeastern Virginia’s leading theatre destination, serving an audience of over 24,000 annually, both at the Wells Theatre and throughout the community. Virginia Stage Company’s mission is “We make memories together, building community through the extraordinary power of sharing a story.”
