{"id":37614,"date":"2022-10-28T23:38:03","date_gmt":"2022-10-29T05:38:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/sweeney-todd-brings-a-slice-of-broadway-to-farmington\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T02:38:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:38:52","slug":"sweeney-todd-brings-a-slice-of-broadway-to-farmington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/sweeney-todd-brings-a-slice-of-broadway-to-farmington\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Sweeney Todd\u2019 brings a slice of Broadway to Farmington"},"content":{"rendered":"

Randy West brings top-notch theater and talent to Four Corners<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Producer
Producer Randy West\u2019 introduces the Four Corners Musical Theatre Co. production of \u201cSweeney Todd\u201d on Oct. 22. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Four Corners Musical Theatre Co. presented its high-energy production of \u201cSweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street\u201d to an excited crowd of 245 theater lovers on a warm autumn evening Oct. 22.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a Teeny Todd,\u201d producer Randy West told the audience in his introduction of the musical, joking that cast of 22 was half the number cast in the Broadway hit by his famous friend and mentor, Stephen Sondheim, who wrote all the music and lyrics.<\/p>\n

With his vast high-level experience, West is committed to bringing the best and brightest to the Four Corners theater.<\/p>\n

He was hired three years ago by the city of Farmington because he could manage and produce. He does double duty as director of the Farmington Civic Center and producer of the Four Corners company.<\/p>\n

\"Randy
Randy West, left, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, right, at work on \u201cMerrily We Roll Along\u201d in this photo from 1987. (Photo provided by Randy West)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI was lucky enough \u2013 oh, boy \u2013 38 years ago I was asked by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth to work on collaborating to develop a new version of their musical, \u2018Merrily We Roll Along,\u2019\u201d<\/em> West said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. A Musical Thriller\u201d (1979) is a musical adaptation by Sondheim of a play by the British playwright Christopher Bond. The show began on Broadway in 1979 and in London\u2019s West End in 1980, winning awards including the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.<\/p>\n

A movie production directed by Tim Burton and adapted from Sondheim’s musical featured Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, as noted in Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"James
James Aguilar, Civic Center usher and shift supervisor. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A multimedia screen backdrop and smoky plumes to simulate foggy London opened the musical. As the eerie organ hit a squealing pitch, the mysterious mood was set for \u201cSweeney Todd,\u201d about an unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife.<\/p>\n

His violent path to revenge leads him to Mrs. Lovett, the resourceful owner of a failing pie shop. Todd, consumed with a thirst for blood, opens a new barber practice above her \u201cmeat pie\u201d shop. Her fortunes take an upturn when a \u201csecret ingredient\u201d creates a booming business.<\/p>\n

The orchestra was composed of seven local musicians including Robert Beck, percussion; Sam Bader, trombone; Levi Brown, violin; Chris Dietrich, bass; John Patton, trumpet; Katie Patton, reeds; and Steven Zumbrun, musical director. The accomplished musicians opened the performance with a spirited blend of sinister sounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the most difficult books \u2013 in the business they\u2019re called books \u2013 one of the most difficult repertoires there is,\u201d said violinist Brown. He said the musicians have to turn 88 pages during the performance.<\/p>\n

An impressive set design \u2013 incorporating props on wheels and a colorful backdrop with large screen to project images \u2013 created effects of bloody terror and mayhem. William West is credited for his work as multimedia coordinator.<\/p>\n

West revealed his recruitment of James Sasser for lead as Sweeney Todd, who was in Houston playing lead in \u201cSouth Pacific.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim, Randy West \u2013 I\u2019m there,\u201d Sasser said.<\/p>\n

Next, West contacted Anne Runolfsson \u2013 another \u201cBroadway icon\u201d to play Mrs. Lovett. Runolfsson played Carlotta in \u201cPhantom of the Opera\u201d and was an understudy for Julie Andrews in \u201cVictor Victoria.\u201d When Andrews developed vocal problems, she played the role with great success, achieving standing ovations for her 3\u00bd octave range \u2013 like Andrews, West said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe (\u2019Phantom\u2019) audience was so fun that night \u2026 screaming, and we know that, we feel that energy,\u201d West said.<\/p>\n

James Aguilar, Civic Center shift supervisor and theater usher, has seen the production a couple of times.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a great performance,\u201d Aguilar said. \u201cI think everybody who comes out here will love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The audience shared Aguilar\u2019s enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it was a stunning performance, very professionally done, and the music was wonderful. \u2026 It was difficult music and complex,\u201d Jan Patton said.<\/p>\n

Rey Arellano and his partner, Virgina Padey, also were at the Civic Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really good,\u201d said Padey. \u201cWe try to come to all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Theater
Theater lovers Virginia Padey and Rey Arellano. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Actor Tanner Berry from Arkansas, who played Adolio Pirelli, said it was his fourth show with Four Corners Musical Theatre Co.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my first time doing the work of Stephen Sondheim with Randy. It\u2019s just been one of the greatest privileges of my life. It\u2019s just the best Halloween outing you could possibly ask for.\u201d<\/p>\n

He seemed equally struck by Farmington.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful town,\u201d Berry said. \u201cI mean turning the corner and getting to see a gorgeous, sunstruck cliffside. I mean you don\u2019t get that in Arkansas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Actor
Actor Tanner Berry of Arkansas said the \u201cSweeney Todd\u201d production was the first time he did the work of Stephen Sondheim with Randy West. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New York City resident James Sasser (Sweeney Todd) said it was his first trip to Farmington.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s spectacular \u2013 I\u2019ve not spent a lot of time in the high desert before, and I am just absolutely blown away \u2013 the people, everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sasser said he\u2019s known West for almost 30 years and worked with him in California as a kid.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to say the quality of the talent and the people here, the company and the theater \u2013 is really remarkable,\u201d Sasser said. \u201cEven by New York standards. I\u2019m blown away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"James
James Sasser, who played Sweeney Todd, displays his Halloween spirit after the show on Oct. 22.. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Matthew Aaron (Judge Turpin), from New Jersey, took the long way to Farmington.<\/p>\n

\u201cI travel with my Huskies, so I drive out here every time Randy wants to work with me. Honestly, this is what actors love to do. It is hard theater \u2026 that is challenging and rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n

West said the actors stay in \u201cindependent Airbnbs,\u201d which is more cost-effective and homey.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the actors are looking to come back, and many of them are on their third or fourth Four Corners Theatre contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey love Farmington, they love New Mexico, especially in the summer,\u201d when they can visit a wide variety of regional sites, like Monument Valley, the Petrified Forest, Mesa Verde National Park and Chaco Culture National Park.<\/p>\n

West noted that the theater seems to have developed an increasingly regional audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re pulling much more audience from Durango than we used to,\u201d he said. \u201cThese (\u2019Sweeney\u2019 leads) are all people who are dear friends, and I\u2019m offsetting them with regional and local talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Four Corners Musical Theatre Co. was founded by West almost four years ago when he took over supervisory and production duties at the Farmington Civic Center and Sandstone Productions at Lions Wilderness Park. With the recent opening of the Totah Theater under city auspices, he\u2019ll be in charge of another venue.<\/p>\n

Funding for theater company comes in part from The Mains Foundation, founded by Dr. Paul and Elsie Mains, to bring quality musical productions to the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m surrounded by terrific people, and believe me, that\u2019s the only way this thing works,\u201d West said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

West brings top-notch theater and talent to Four Corners Producer Randy West\u2019 introduces the Four Corners Musical Theatre Co. production of \u201cSweeney Todd\u201d on Oct. 22. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)cca Four Corners Musical Theatre Co. presented its high-energy production of \u201cSweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street\u201d to an excited crowd of 245 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37615,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[799,28,2401,138],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-37614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-farmington","tag-headlines","tag-musical-theater","tag-new-mexico"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37614"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83719,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37614\/revisions\/83719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37614"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=37614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}