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North Iowa Area Community College and Martin, Cooney, MacNider & Cooney, Financial Consultants of Raymond James and Associates, Inc. are honored to present Sweeney Todd. Sweeney Todd slices its way onto the North Iowa Community Auditorium stage on Friday, October 3, at 7:30 p.m. as a part of the 2008-2009 NIACC Performing Arts Series. Tickets are $39 in advance and $45 at the door.

This exciting and innovative new production features a multi-talented ensemble of ten talented actor/musicians.  The Wall Street Journal says, “The greatest musical of the past half-century has returned in a staging of the utmost force and originality!” and Time Out New York calls John Doyle’s revival “the most addictively delicious dish on Broadway in years!”

Sweeney Todd is based on the 19th century legend of a London barber driven to a life of crime after a malevolent judge takes his wife and child from him.  Sweeney’s plan for revenge includes a cutthroat partnership with Mrs. Lovett—an enterprising businesswoman—who is soon producing the tastiest meat pies in London.

Doyle’s production of Sweeney Todd opened on Broadway in 2005 to universal critical acclaim where it won the Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Revival of a Musical, and was awarded a Special Citation by the New York Drama Critics Circle.  It arrived on Broadway from a highly successful London engagement originally staged by the Watermill Theatre, which transferred first to the Trafalgar Studios in London’s West End in July 2004 to wide critical acclaim, then to the New Ambassadors Theatre.

Original direction and design by Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards winner John Doyle; recreated by Adam Hunter; Sweeney Todd features the music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, with music supervision by David Loud.  The creative team also includes Paul Miller for lighting design, based on original design by Richard Jones, and Shannon Slaton for sound design.

Tim Burton filmed an adaptation of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd for the big screen in 2007, starring Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin, Sacha Baron Cohen as Signor Adolfo Pirelli and Laura Michelle Kelly as the Beggar Woman. The movie received four Golden Globe nominations, winning two, for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, and Best Actor for Johnny Depp.  The movie was also nominated for three Academy Award nominations: Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Art Direction, which it won; and Best Costume Design.
For more information on Sweeney Todd, please visit the tour website, www.sweeneyontour.com.

For tickets to Sweeney Todd, call the NIACC Box Office at 1-888-466-4222, ext.4188.  Tickets may also be purchased online at www.niacc.edu.  Platinum sponsors for the 2008-2009 series include NIACC, Globe Gazette Elizabeth Muse Norris Charitable Fund; the Globe Gazette; Alliant Energy; Community National Bank; Henkel Construction; and Principal Financial Group.  Gold sponsors include Diamond Jo Casino; First Citizens National Bank; First State Bank of Belmond; Kraft; Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa; Martin, Cooney, MacNider & Cooney, Financial Consultants of Raymond James and Associates, Inc.; Dr. Gary W. Swenson and Dean A. Genth; and Sukup Manufacturing.  In kind sponsors include Country Inn and Suites; KIMT; and Pepsi.

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