Auditions & Casting

Age Ranges: Actor does not need to be the listed age but can play the age of character
Character Name    AGE        Gender          Part Size       Vocal Part(s)

Sweeney Todd       40-55        Male              Lead   Baritone/Bass (Gb4, F2) (ability to whistle)
Sweeney Todd escaped from prison after being wrongfully accused and jailed for fifteen years. Formerly a proud barber, a loving husband and a happy father, Sweeney is now consumed by loss and revenge. He has returned to London to right the wrongs committed against him, his wife, and his daughter. Sweeney is charming but hot-tempered, ferocious yet vulnerable. Speaks with an Estuary or London dialect.
 
 Anthony Hope        20-30           Male            Lead              Tenor    (F4, Bb2)
A youthful sailor who helps Sweeney return to London and unexpectedly falls in love with Johanna. He is idealistic, romantic and a little reckless. His passions sometimes get the better of his reason and his enthusiasm sometimes makes him unintentionally comedic. Over the course of the show, he awakens to the horrors around him and becomes disillusioned with London. Speaks with a standard British accent
 
Johanna        18-21                Female             Lead           Soprano   (A5, Bb3)
Todd’s long-lost daughter and Judge Turpin’s young ward. Homeschooled and largely homebound. She has a rebellious, subversive and romantic streak and longs to escape her confinement. Johanna is aware that Judge Turpin isn’t her real father and suspects that he might be a predator. Like her father, she has experienced trauma and possesses a buried capacity for violence. Although described as “pale” and “yellow haired,” we are not taking this literally. Speaks with a standard British accent.
 
Mrs. Lovett       35-50             Female             Lead                Mezzo/Alto w/a strong belt  (E5, G3)
An entrepreneurial meat pie shop owner who will do whatever it takes to survive. She is in love with Todd and hopes that he’ll forget the past and build a new life with her. At first shocked by Sweeney’s bursts of violence, Lovett turns his desire for revenge into a profitable business venture. She is resourceful, ambitious, charismatic, and has great comedic timing. Speaks with a Cockney accent.
 
Judge Turpin          50-65             Male                 Supporting      Bass/Baritone    (Gb4, E2)
A lecherous public official who portrays himself as a sanctimonious authoritarian. He takes advantage of his position to imprison Todd, assault Lucy, and take Johanna in as his ward. He is aware that what he wants and what he’s done is wrong, yet chooses to ignore or push against his conscience. Embodies Puritanical hypocrisy: he lusts after Johanna, even as he professes to keep her innocent. Speaks with a standard British accent.
 
Adolfo Pirelli/Daniel O’ Higgins     30-45          Male            Supporting      (high) Tenor    (C5, B2)
An Irish former employee of Sweeney’s who has since developed a public persona as a flamboyant and flashy world-famous Italian barber. A charlatan who sells fake medicine and challenges other barbers to shaving contests. Pirelli is charming, calculating, and over-the-top comedic. Possess some anti-English sentiments and does not take lightly to being publicly embarrassed by Sweeney. Speaks in both an Italian and Irish accent.
 
Tobias Ragg           16           Male            Supporting      Tenor   (Ab4, Bb2)
A poor youngster apprenticed first to Pirelli and then to Mrs. Lovett. He is industrious and eager to please, with a good sense of humor. Uneducated, but innately clever and observant, Tobias responds quickly to the kindness of Lovett, but grows increasingly suspicious of Sweeney. After a betrayal, Toby experiences the violence and terror of this world and snaps emotionally. Or maybe he just becomes like everyone else. Speaks with a Cockney accent.
 
Beggar Woman/Lucy Barker     35-50          Female             Supporting      Mezzo-Soprano  (F5, Ab3)
An eerie, poor soul living on the streets of London. She supports herself by begging and prostituting herself to sailors. She is also Sweeney’s wife, Lucy, who lost her mind after being assaulted by Turpin and taking poison. She has occasional flashes of lucidity and distrusts Mrs. Lovett. She is the only one who sees what’s happening but no one will listen to her. Speaks with a Cockney or Estuary accent (contemp. British accent spoken in the southeast of London)
 
Beadle Bamford        40-55            Male               Supporting      Tenor w/ strong falsetto   (D5, D3)
A pompous public official who is responsible for the health and safety of London. He possesses a dry, deadpan sense of humor and enjoys wielding his power. He is deeply loyal to Turpin, though in his heart of hearts he believes he’s better than the judge. The Beadle loves singing children’s nursery rhymes, which remind him of his youth. Speaks with a standard British accent.
 
Bird Seller          25-40                         Male                 Featured          Spoken
The Bird Seller is typically played by a member of the ensemble, meaning they are not a main character but contribute to the overall atmosphere and action of the musical. He often dresses in a distinctive manner, sometimes as a fakir with a red turban and a cape lined with feathers. He is friendly and helpful, a vendor who is willing to assist those around him. He has a distinctive cockney accent. He is whimsical and adds a slightly macabre atmosphere.
 
Jonas Fogg         35-60                      Male                 Featured          Spoken
The owner of Fogg’s Asylum. Fogg sells the hair of inmates to wigmakers. Considers the inmates “children” and takes pleasure in showing them off to visitors. Chooses to ignore the human rights of his patients in the name of scientific progress. An authoritarian who is really a coward at heart. Speaking role who sings with the ensemble. Speaks with an Estuary dialect.
  
Looking to cast 16-20 ensemble members that can carry featured solo and ensemble roles. If your audition song doesn’t include the notes below you may be asked to sing a quick scale including specific ranges.
 
Soprano: high D6 low C4
Mezzo/alto: high F#5 low A3
Tenor: high Db5 low D/F3
Bari: high G4 optional low G2
Bass: high F4 low G2
 
Ensemble          ANY          Ensemble        Sop, Mezzo-Sop, Alto, Bari, Bass
The ensemble acts as a Greek Chorus, commenting on the action and participating in the tale. They are the show’s chief storytellers, taking on the roles of customers, townspeople, police, inmates at the insane asylum, Sweeney’s thoughts, and Sweeney’s victims. They stand in for us and there is a feeling of them always being nearby, watching. The ensemble gets ample opportunities for vocal challenges and is showcased with solos and harmonies throughout the show.