"SWEENEY TODD" AND MY DARKEST CHARACTER EVER

Playing Judge Turpin in the Sondheim musical was devilishly fun

By early 2010 I had performed in five musicals staged by the Escondido-based community theatre Arts Off Broadway. I had enjoyed taking small parts, assuming that with no formal acting or singing experience, not to mention lessons, that a leading role would be unlikely any time soon. My eyes were on AOB’s schedule for the end of that year, “Oliver,” one of my favorite musicals, in which the key role of Fagin was one I wanted more than any other.

Not sure if I’d ever get that large, featured role, I figured the best way for me to show the directing team that I was up to it would be to get the evil lead Judge Turpin in the musical AOB had coming up first, “Sweeney Todd.” I knew it would be a challenge to get, and more of a challenge to pull off with my limited theatrical experience (I had never so much as stepped foot on a theatre stage until 2008).

But I was determined to go for it.

From my Journal, April 10, 2010:

Saturday. At today’s callback auditions for “Sweeney Todd” there were a number of familiar faces from previous Arts Off Broadway shows, and new faces as well. Sat through all the auditions for Mrs. Lovett, Anthony, Lucy, the Beadle and Joanna before getting to Judge Turpin, for which only Jordan Marborough and I sang. We did “Pretty Women”…the low part…and it was a challenge because of the intricate timing of the duet’s ins and outs. I thought I did okay. Actually it was fun to sing with Eric Hellmers, the young man who will likely get the Sweeney role. One of the real kicks I get out of this acting thing is working with the other actors as peers. I’ve always had great respect for these talented people who put on such amazing performances. To feel like one of them is immensely satisfying. An honor and a challenge.

Without more competition for the part, I may have just lucked out. At home later Robbie called to tip me off that director Jon Zierden was casting me as Judge Turpin and Jordan as the Beadle (Robbie will play in the ensemble). I’m feeling more in shock than anything else. The role is by far the biggest I’ve ever had, not only memorizing lines but mastering the challenging Sondheim music will be something tough but should pay off with the reward I really want, to play Fagin in “Oliver!” later this year.

Rehearsals started the next week and I was immediately challenged by the intricacies of the music. Having to learn harmonies after only singing melodies to the CD for years was my biggest challenge. I can’t count the number of times I started singing harmony and fell back into the melody unconsciously.

My own personal challenges aside, there were other things going on which worried me.

July 10, 2010:

Saturday. Sweeney Todd rehearsal from 11:30am to 5pm was a bust because our director Jon Zierden didn’t show up. With only three rehearsals left before tech week we are terribly far behind. Three scenes I’m in haven’t even been blocked yet! One thing I was able to do was knock out a Sweeney press release which will go out in the coming week.

July 13, 2010:

Tonight’s Sweney Todd rehearsal was a “sing through” with the full orchestra. I was thrown off the music while fumbling through the steps, thinking more about the movement than the words. We open next week and I still have unblocked scenes. A lot of them.

Things came together during “tech week,” as they usually do. On Tuesday morning KUSI News reporter Brad Perry came to the California Center for the Arts to do a ”Good Morning San Diego” segment featuring music from our “Sweeney Todd” cast and the junior production of “Into the Woods” that was running concurrently. On Wednesday at rehearsal I took my first few “falls” through the trap door which I’d have to do during each performance after (spoiler alert) I’d had my throat slit.

Thursday, the night before opening, was our first and only full dress rehearsal, but I felt ready. At least as far as my performance went. What I wasn’t ready for was the reaction to my character from our first live audience the next night.

July 23, 2010:

On to Escondido for opening night of “Sweeney Todd,” our long awaited first performance. Three months of rehearsals and it all came down to tonight, which I have to say was spectacular. The audience was into it, very vocal, and that made it better for those of us on stage. My performance as Judge Turpin must have been effectively creepy; at the point where I sprang a marriage proposal on Joanna, there was a chorus of “eeeeeeew” from the house, most of which were the young girls in AOB’s “Into the Woods” junior cast, as well as others in the audience. My cousin Elisa Kass, who came with her friends to see the show, told me afterward that the thought of a young girl like that going with an older guy like me was unfathomable. The reaction was natural.

The toughest part of that particular scene was hearing the reaction and trying not to laugh when I Margot and I were frozen, waiting for the blackout which should have been immediate but seemed to take forever to materialize.

But other lines elicited reactions too, and everyone cheered when I was killed near the end. Everyone congratulated me on a great job, including director Jon Zierden, which meant the most to me. I thanked him for having the confidence to cast me.

Most fun in the show was singing “Pretty Women” with Eric Hellmers. We hit every cue in the music, and I kept thinking to myself while I was up there how great it was to be doing it! That was my moment to shine. Jon told me that Robbie was in the wings watching and smiling and saying “that’s my dad!” during the number. That’s just how I’ve felt every time I’ve watched him on stage. Very proud. I am very happy that I get to do this, with my son and all the cast, a few more times.

Opening night was a hit, as was our second show on Saturday. Our closing was Sunday, and it was bittersweet.

July 25, 2010:

The cast really hit it out of the park tonight. It really is a shame that after three months of rehearsals we only get to do three shows over one weekend. This cast has been so much fun to work with. Like all the Arts Off Broadway shows so far, the acting and singing was solid, with everyone working together, though sometimes the road getting to opening night has been a challenge.

I enjoyed this one as much as the others, and was not very nervous, which means I’m getting more comfortable on stage. Playing Judge Turpin was a demanding role for me, but my being able to do it well tells me I may actually be able to handle the role of Fagin in “Oliver!” when AOB stages it this fall.

I did get to play Fagin in AOB’s production and was just as excited to play both Judge Turpin and Fagin again in productions with STAR Repertory Theatre (read about that at REVIEWING THE SITUATION: “OLIVER!” BLESSED ME, ALMOST KILLED ME )

Two great roles and happily recorded on video for me to enjoy the rest of my life.

With Margot Nelson (Joanna), Eric Hellmers (Sweeney) and Jamie Parker Nelson (above), Robbie Friedman as Mr. Fogg (below) and backstage with Lisa & Ian Laughbaum and my son Robbie (bottom).

Here I am with Eric Hellmers as Sweeney Todd, “Pretty Women”:

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