“Sweeney Todd” opens this weekend at Porchlight Music Theatre, which is celebrating 20 years in Chicago.
As this theater opens its anniversary season, it’s only fitting that Rebecca Finnegan stars as Nellie Lovett—she won a Jeff Award in 2005 for the same role with the same theater. Taking on the title character isDavid Girolmo, also a Jeff Award winner. He appeared on Broadway in the 1997 revival of “Candide.”
We talked to both of these local actors about this thrilling musical and Porchlight’s anniversary celebration.
Rebecca, you won a Jeff Award for your portrayal of Nellie Lovett. What brought you back to this character?
Rebecca Finnegan: This role and this show are actually what got me interested in doing theater in the first place. I was in about seventh grade and I saw a video of the original Broadway cast, and it’s been my absolute favorite show and absolute favorite role of all time. And I kind of feel like I would keep doing this role for the rest of my life if somebody would let me.
David, you’ve been in this musical before, but this is the first time you’ve played Sweeney Todd. What drew you to this character and brings you back to this show?
David Girolmo: I’ve been in love with the show since I saw it on Broadway in 1979, the original production. [It was] an incredible experience to see that on Broadway in its original form. He goes through everything in the course of these two hours, from great joy and elation to the horror of finding out that your family has been destroyed, and then turning all of those emotions and interests toward revenging yourself on the people that did this to you. It’s a part I’ve always wanted to play. In fact, if I still had to pick my favorite Broadway show of all time, that would be it. It’s been a part of my life since July 29, 1979, when I saw it on Broadway.
“Sweeney Todd” has been remade countless times. What do you think makes this show so popular?
RF: The music, first of all. To me, it’s the best score ever written for a Broadway musical, hands down. I also feel like it’s the anti-Broadway-musical musical. There are no happy endings. There are no songs just to have a pretty song. It’s dark. There’s murder everywhere, there’s blood everywhere. And I think for people who don’t really dig what they perceive Broadway to be […] it’s a really great way for people to see a Broadway show and go, ‘Wow. That’s not what I expected.’
DG: When I look at this show, it is, for me, [Stephen Sondheim’s] greatest achievement. It’s an incredible piece both musically and dramatically and artistically. So anybody who comes to see ‘Sweeney Todd,’ I hope they come to see what is, to my thinking, this great master at his best.
This year, Porchlight is celebrating its 20th anniversary. What does that mean to you as an actor?
RF: For them to get to 20 years is no small feat. We’ve all seen, in the past few years, a lot of theater companies shutting their doors. We can’t afford to lose any more theaters and we certainly can’t afford to lose Porchlight because they are unique and they were sort of the first to do that large musical on a small scale and introduce new talent and new pieces that other theaters aren’t doing.
DG: Their 20th anniversary is kind of amazing. I mean, it’s just the little theater that could.
“Sweeney Todd” opens Oct. 3 and runs through Nov. 9 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. For tickets and more information, please visit Porchlight Music Theatre’s website.
Photo courtesy of SHOUT Marketing & Media Relations.
