Letter writer: Get thee to Sweeney Todd at ACT for Broadway quality production

Posted on by Letters
Steve Parkin and Christy Montesdeoca as Todd and Lovett in ACT'S Sweeney Todd Photo by Rodney Smith/Tempus Fugit Designs

Giving up watching football and venturing over to Asheville Community Theatre to see a play is not a typical way to spend a Sunday fall day for me. Although I have seen a number of plays in New York, London and Los Angeles over the years, [outings to see] plays in Asheville have been few and far between. After viewing Sweeney Todd this past Sunday afternoon, taping football just might be an option.

From the opening number to the closing epilogue, Sweeney grabs you and won’t let go. The set design dazzles before you can get comfortable in your seat. The orchestra, with only seven pieces, feels like a Fourth of July celebration with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops.

The actors, from support staff to Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney himself, set the stage ablaze in every scene. They have a rare and special connectivity not often found in musical theater. During postshow discussion, I learned that all cast members were local Asheville residents. The talent within our wonderful city truly overwhelms.

At $25 a ticket, this production might fetch nearly 10 times that on big-city venues. I urge all of Asheville and Western North Carolina to see this spectacular production. Taping the Bills, Brady and the Broncos never felt so rewarding.

— Rob Lipsett
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Letters
We want to hear from you! Send your letters and commentary to letters@mountainx.com
View all posts by Letters →

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Letter writer: Get thee to Sweeney Todd at ACT for Broadway quality production”

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.