Bay Amanda Purser
In the quaint interior of the Lawton Community Theatre (LCT), a talented cast brought a Broadway musical “Sweeney Todd” to life for a local audience’s viewing pleasure. A packed house of chairs surrounded three sides of the two-level stage that is centered in the building, located in Lawton, Oklahoma, at 1316 NW Bell avenue. The intimate nature of this playhouse allows viewers to feel close to the performers and captivated with each scene, in an almost immersive experience.
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” is a musical thriller adapted from Christopher Bond’s adaptation of the Harold Prince Broadway production. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim this production was brought to the Lawton community from Feb. 20-22, and 26, before completion on March 1.
The rights for the music and production materials were licensed and acquired through the Musical Theatre International (MTI) organization, with special permission for LCT to perform it.
The ensemble and primary cast featured performers from across the state of Oklahoma including many Lawton locals. Together the infamous tale of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street was brought to life. Many are familiar with this long running plot; Sweeney Todd returns to London to seek revenge for his wife’s mistreatment and the miscarriage of justice brought on by a local judge. The performers who brought some of these beloved characters to life, such as Sweeney Todd himself and Mrs. Lovett, the pie shop owner who sublets the barber space to Todd, captivated the audience.
Todd was played by Kristoffer Pendergraft-Pak, and his rendition was spectacular, with incredible vocals and acting that brought the demon barber to life. Lovett was played by Alyssa Martinez who brought humor, wit, dynamic vocals and a believable cockney accent that helped transport the audience to 19th century London.
Michael Kidd Harden practically stole each scene he was featured in, while portraying the hilarious, charismatic and flamboyant Beadle Bamford.
Perhaps one of the most impressive performances was from the character Tobias Ragg, played by the young Angelo Chip. A recent MacArthur High School graduate, Chip seemed poised and in control each time he stepped onto the stage, showcasing his natural talents for music and performance, with an experienced maturity far beyond his age.
The cast and ensemble was guided by a team of hard-working professionals, from the crew, to the choreographers, along with the stage managers all led by Director Addam Tate.
Making her Musical Directing debut on this production, Kat Frye-Davies of Lawton was responsible for bringing Tate’s vision to life, with respect to the music. Frye-Davies had limited time to work individually with the cast and ensemble, so she wanted to ensure that she was well-prepared for every component.
“Sweeney Todd is one of those musicals, you can listen to it a million times, you can watch the movie, you can go to the show, and you can think you know it, and you don’t,” Frye-Davies said. “It’s really hard music, and even though I’m very familiar with it, I still had to sit down and go through every part. Every principle’s part, every ensemble’s part…so I’d sit at home with those books and I’d learn the parts so that when it came time for rehearsals, I would know that I’m teaching them the right thing.”
Frye-Davies is a classically trained flautist and private piano instructor, as well as a certified musical therapist who grew up around music, playing the piano and flute at an early age. After moving to Lawton in 2024, she auditioned for LCT that summer, for the “Rocky Horror Show” production and was selected. After a few performances, Frye-Davies was asked to be a stage manager, which helped to propel her into the behind the scenes leadership of which her education and background seemed to prepare her well for.
Stepping into the musical director role for “Sweeney Todd” was a difficult choice as Frye-Davies was unable to perform in the production that holds a special place in her heart.
“I really wanted to be in it, I love that show, it’s so good,” she said. “That music is really beautiful, really powerful — Sondheim composed it, and hits all the notes as you might say.”
The commitment from the entire cast and crew was demanding, with rehearsals from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Mon. – Thurs., until a few weeks out from opening night, when they moved to Mon.- Fri.
The performers, many of whom do this for a living and some simply as a passion or the pure enjoyment, all have to decide that working on a production like this can be prioritized in their lives.
“We had about 25 people on this cast, give or take, and there were over 50 people who auditioned,” Frye-Davies said. “People are looking for these opportunities and when they see them, they try and grab them.”
Frye-Davies is inspired by the passionate team at LCT and looks forward to what the future holds for this little playhouse in Lawton, which clearly has the ability and talent to perform far beyond what most might expect from a tiny community theater.
“I’m seeing these ideas and where they’re going,” she said. “The creativity, the attention to little things, and also the desire to show this Lawton community that the arts are very accessible. I think anyone who saw ‘Sweeney Todd’, something in that resonated with them.”
The Lawton Community Theatre is one of the longest running live-performance locales in Oklahoma and holds the title of the oldest continuously producing community theatre in southwest Oklahoma. The theatre and its crew have come a long way since the first production in December of 1952, where they performed at schools, churches and even members’ backyards, according to their website. They established a more stable location in 1966 at the same building they perform out of today, which bears the name “The John Denney Playhouse” after its Director-Emeritus, John Denney, who directed 58 productions in the 18 years he was actively involved with Lawton Community Theater.
For the continued supporters of the LCT, the performers and crew who keep this tangible art alive and active in southwest Oklahoma, and the spectators who keep the seats full, we can continue to bring more powerful productions to our community for generations to come.
“Support your local arts,” Frye-Davies said. “I’m so proud of this show, it was really an amazing experience. The fact that we had just about every night sold-out, shows that people want to come and see these things. Even if something isn’t as familiar to you as ‘Sweeney Todd’, trust the experience still.”