Synopsis: One of the darkest musicals ever written, Sweeney Todd: A Musical Thriller is the unsettling tale of a Victorian-era barber who returns home to London after fifteen years of exile to take revenge on the corrupt judge who ruined his life. When revenge eludes him, Sweeney swears vengeance on the entire human race, murdering as many people as he can, while his business associate Mrs. Lovett bakes the bodies into meat pies and sells them to the unsuspecting public. Perhaps composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s most perfect score, Sweeney Todd is lush, operatic, and full of soaring beauty, pitch-black comedy and stunning terror. It’s one of the signal achievements of the American musical theater of the last fifty years, and it’s the high water mark of Sondheim’s six remarkable collaborations with director Harold Prince.
I have been listening to this soundtrack nonstop lately. Who doesn't love a musical about a murderous barber and a cannibal restaurant? This dark horror comedy truly is one of a kind and I wanted to pay tribute to it in a unique way that, to my knowledge, hasn't been done before. I wanted to have a fully animated version of the show on Youtube for anyone to watch. This is a huge project and everyone involved should be ready to be committed to it for a while, this will take many months to animate, record, and edit. I hope to get voice acting done by the end of 2018, however depending on how things go and complications that may happen unknown to us, it could take two or more years (not counting time it takes for me to edit and animate), so please be prepared for that. This will be entirely animated in stop motion.
Voice Actor Info: This is a very, very mature show, which as this is the case I would prefer you be at least 16 to audition for a lead, with the exception of Tobias (explained below in his listing), and 13 to audition for chorus. Keep in mind this is a vocally intense show. If you are unable to hold harmonies or intense high and low notes, this probably isn't a project you should audition for. You should also be comfortable with mild profanity (hell, piss, etc.). The only pre cast role is Pirelli, which will be played by me. Every other role will be cast in a non-biased fashion and based on if I feel like you can handle the role based on your audition alone. Also note: When I say Voice Type, I mean Alto, Tenor, Soprano, Bass, and Baritone or anything in between. When I say Voice Range, I mean your exact range, for example, mine would be C2-A5. If you do not know it, you can do a test to find it here: it takes less than three minutes!
Composer Info: I am not asking you to compose new music, but simply to be familiar with the music of this show and be able to play the songs in it. I may have only one or multiple depending on the skills everyone that applies has. You do not need to add sound effects (i.e. factory whistles and other effects in the show) so that is something to keep in mind.
Assistant Animator Info: I have decided to animate this in traditional art form. However, my style tends to be very cartoony when I'm not taking my time, and to get this done quickly I will probably be rushing a lot. I am looking for assistant animators that can balance out a few cartoony looking numbers with beautiful imagery, this can range from creating backgrounds to full on character animation.
Please note none of the images used in this casting call are mine, they are only to show the characters.
http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/members/HaidenG/casting-call/Sweeney-Todd-The-Demon-Barber-of-Fleet-Street-Full-Animated-Musical/ new listing on BTVA for those whom that's more convenient for, although I definitely will check this one more often.
Character Description: After having been transported for fifteen years and separated from his wife, whom he presumes dead, and daughter, held as a ward of the very same crooked judge that transported him in the first place, Benjamin Barker changes his identity to Sweeney Todd and vows vengeance on the ones that took his world from him. With help from his old friend and neighbor, Mrs. Lovett, they create a scheme: Sweeney kills clients until he can get to the judge and Mrs. Lovett disposes of the bodies by baking them into meat pies to save her failing business.
Voice Type: Baritone/Bass
Casting Notes: Sweeney, while broken inside, still is able to appear as a gentleman to others. He should be able to switch from calm and collected to pure insanity the moment people are out of sight.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
TODD: I do. [He holds up the bottle of elixir] I am Mr. Sweeney Todd and I have opened a bottle of Pirelli's Elixir, and I say to you it is nothing but an arrant fraud, concocted from piss and ink. And furthermore . . . I have serviced no kings, yet I wager that I can shave a cheek and pull a tooth with ten times more dexterity than any street mountebank! [He holds up his razor case for the crowd to see] You see these razors? [To Pirelli] I lay them against five pounds you are no match for me. You hear me, sir? Either accept my challenge or reveal yourself as a sham.
Sing Epiphany and My Friends.
Character Description: Running a failing meat pie shop, Mrs. Nellie Lovett is an older, busty woman able to find the positives in anything. When a man she was once infatuated with Mr. Benjamin Barker, now under the alias Sweeney Todd, returns from being transported, she helps him to seek vengeance on the man that locked him up and stole his wife and child from him. Eventually the two of them develop a devious plot: Todd kills civilians that come to his barbershop, whom he hands off to Mrs. Lovett to make into her now extremely successful meat pies.
Voice Type: Alto
Casting Notes: Speaks with a heavy Cockney accent.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
MRS. LOVETT: Oh, you poor thing! You poor thing! Wait! [She disappears behind a curtained entrance leading to her parlor. For a beat TODD stands alone, almost exalted. MRS.LOVETT returns with a razor case. She holds it out to him] See! It don't have to be the sewers or the plague hospital. When they come for the little girl, I hid 'em. I thought, who knows? Maybe the poor silly blighter'll be back again someday and need 'em. Cracked in the head, wasn't I? Times as bad as they are, I could have got five, maybe ten quid for 'em, any day. See? You can be a barber again. [Music begins. She opens the case for him to look inside. TODD stands a long moment gazing down at the case] My, them handles is chased silver, ain't they?
Sing Worst Pies in London and Wait.
Character Description: A young sailor who saved Mr. Sweeney Todd's life out at sea, Anthony Hope sees and falls desperately in love with a young maiden named Johanna, When threatened by Judge Turpin, whom keeps her as his ward, he schemes with Johanna to elope and sail off to see the wonders of the world together.
Voice Type: Tenor
Casting Notes: He must sound like he's in his early 20's considering Johanna is 16. We don't want the age gap to sound extremely distant, that'd be really creepy (even if the way they fell in love is somewhat questionable in the first place).
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
ANTHONY: A pleasure, ma'am. Oh, Mr. Todd, I have so much to tell you. I have found the fairest and most loving maid that any man could dream of! And yet there are problems. She has a guardian so tyrannical that she is kept shut up from human eye. But now this morning this key fell from her shuttered window.[He holds up JOHANNA 's key] The surest sign that Johanna loves me and . . .
Sing Johanna and No Place Like London (only until Todd starts singing).
Character Description: Johanna Baker is naive teen who is the ward to the corrupted Judge Turpin. Unknown to her, her father is Sweeney Todd. When Turpin plans to marry her, she seeks the help of a young sailor she sees on the street, Anthony Hope, and plans to elope with him.
Voice Type: Soprano
Casting Notes: Johanna really does not have very many lines, her role is very singing intensive and she holds some of the highest notes in the show (apart from some ensemble notes). She's also 16 keep in mind. I wouldn't mind someone somewhat younger playing her as long as they can still handle her part.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
JOHANNA: But they are after us still. What if they trace us here? Oh, Anthony, please let me come with you. ... But dressed in these sailor's clothes, who's to know it is I?
Sing Green Finch and Linnet Bird and Kiss Me (her part).
Character Description: Tobias Ragg is a young man with an intellectual disability working for Adolfo Pirelli. When Pirelli mysteriously disappears, he is taken under the wing of Mr. Todd and Mrs. Lovett, helping her with running her pie shop. (Alternatively, he can also be played a child instead of an adult with an intellectual disability. More about that in casting notes.)
Voice Type: Tenor
Casting Notes: I am honestly not sure which age I want Tobias to be played. On the one hand, he can be played as a child, which gives the innocence being broken factor when he eventually goes insane. On the other hand, playing him with a disability gives a very naive approach that shows more vulnerability, Both have their pros and cons, so I'm going to leave it open for whoever auditions to decide. I will eventually decide based on who I feel can capture the character better rather than the version they're playing him as. If you are a child auditioning, I would prefer you be at least 13, however the minimum age you MUST be to audition is 10. Keep in mind that while innocent most of the show, he must be able to play pure insanity towards the end of the show.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
TOBIAS: [In the bakehouse, TOBIAS stands by the grinding machine eating a pie. He feels something on his tongue, puts a finger in his mouth and pulls the something out, holding it up for inspection] An 'air! Black as a rook. Now that ain't Mrs. Lovett's 'air. Oh, well, some old black cow probably. [He continues to eat. He bites on something else, takes it out of his mouth, looks at it] Coo, bit of fingernail! Clumsy. Ugh! [We hear a strange, shambling, shuffling sound as if a heavy object is falling inside the wall. TOBIAS spins around just as the bloody body of the BEADLE comes trundling out of the mouth of the chute. TOBIAS screams] No! Oh no! [He dashes to the door, tries the handle; it is locked. He starts beating on it] Mrs. Lovett! Mrs. Lovett! Let me out! Let me out!]
Sing Pirelli's Miracle Elixir (his part) and Not While I'm Around.
Character Description: A corrupted judge who transported Mr. Benjamin Barker in order to pursue his wife. After she went insane and attempted to kill herself by poison, he took in their child, Johanna, as his ward. 15 years later, he begins to lust after and pursue Johanna. Unknown to him, Mr. Barker's sentence had ended and he has returned to London.
Voice Type: Baritone
Casting Notes: He has a scene that can be optionally cut. Keep in mind that if you get cast I will give you the option whether you want to sing his Johanna where he does some... interesting... things. I would prefer this scene kept in as it does provide a lot of insight and depth to his character, however if you are extremely uncomfortable with it I am fine taking it out.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
JUDGE: There is indeed a Higher Power to warn me thus in time. [As ANTHONY retreats, he jumps on him and grabs him by the arm] Johanna elope with you? Deceiving slut — I'll lock her up in some obscure retreat where neither you nor any other vile, corrupting youth shall ever lay eyes on her again. [To TODD] : And as for you, barber, it is all too clear what company you keep. Service them well and hold their custom — for you'll have none of mine. [He strides out
and down the stairs]
Sing Pretty Women (his part). (Optional: You can also sing Johanna (Mea Culpa) in addition to Pretty Women.)
Character Description: Beadle Bamford is Turpin's right hand man in a sense. He assisted Turpin in his lusting for Lucy Barker, Benjamin Barker's wife, and encourages Turpin in his lusting after his ward. Always jolly and somewhat oblivious.
Voice Type: Tenor
Casting Notes: I am open to different interpretations of this character, he should have an animated voice.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
BEADLE: Well, ma'am, I hope you have a few moments, for I'm here today on official business.That's it, ma'am. You see, there's been complaints About the stink from your chimney. They say at night it's something foul. Health regulations being my duty, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to let me take a look.
Sing Ladies in their Sensitivities. (Optional: You can also sing Parlor Songs in addition to Ladies in their Sensitivities.)
Character Description: A crazy beggar woman. Can go from innocent begging to propositioning men for sex to paranoid in a matter of moments. As for the rest of her character: "What happens then, well that's the play, and he wouldn't want us to give it away."
Voice Type: Mezzo-Soprano
Casting Notes: Must be able to show an extreme range of emotions and change personality traits within milliseconds of speaking.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
BEGGAR WOMAN:Alms . . . alms . . . Not just a penny, dear? Or a pie? One of them pies that give the stomach cramps to half the neighborhood? [A cackling laugh] Come on, dear. Have a heart, dear. ... Stuck up thing! You and your fancy airs! Alms ... alms ... For a desperate woman ...
Sing Johanna (Quartet) (her part). (Optional: You can also sing her part in No Place Like London in addition to Johanna (Quartet).)
Character Description: Featured soloists in various songs.
Voice Type: Any
Casting Notes: There are several featured singing roles in this show that need to be done, such as the policemen at the very end of the show, the quintet during the wigmaker sequence, the tenor trio after Pirelli's murder, and several featured soloists during various songs. If you audition for these, you will automatically be in the ensemble as well. Must be able to hold specific harmonies. I will pm you if you get cast here. If you audition for this and I don't feel you would fit in any of the featured roles but would still like you in ensemble, I will let you know.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
Sing any featured ensemble part in your range. (Tenors: I would prefer you sing the Tenor Trio, also known as Ballad 3 and His Hands Were Quick, His Fingers Strong. You don't have to, but I specifically am looking for three tenors for this bit.)
Character Description: Various characters in different scenes. Roles include: Bird Seller, Men being Shaved (2), Man getting Tooth Pulled, Random Man, Passer-by (After Johanna Quartet), and Mr. Fogg.
Casting Notes: There are several spoken roles in this show (Mr. Fogg, the bird seller, etc) that need to be done but are only in one or two scenes. If you audition for these, you don’t have to audition for ensemble, but it is preferable if you are confident in your singing abilities. If you do, please send it in the ensemble audition area. While all these roles are written male, I am fine with females auditioning for any of them EXCEPT the men being shaved and Mr. Fogg. I will pm you if you get cast here.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and what role you would like to be considered for. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
Women: Read for Bird-Seller. Men: Read for Mr. Fogg.
BIRD-SELLER: We blind 'em, sir. That's what we always does. Blind 'em and, not
knowing night from day, they sing and sing without stopping, pretty creatures. Have
pleasure of the bird, sir.
FOGG: We are one happy family here, sir, and all my patients are my children, to be corrected when they're naughty, and rewarded with a sweetie when they're good. But to our business. [As they enter the inside of the asylum, lights come up behind the scrim wall revealing the shadows of the inmates. Mr. Fogg, as in a shadow play, grabs one female by the hair, pulling her head up for ANTHONY's inspection] Here is a charming yellow, a little dull in tone perhaps, but you can soon restore its natural gleam. [He drops the head, moves to a man and grabs his head up by the hair] Now here! A fine texture for a man and, as you must know, sir, there is always a discount on the hair of a male.
Character Description: Sing the ensemble throughout the show.
Voice Type: Any
Casting Notes: Must be able to hold specific harmonies. I will pm you if you get cast here.
Introduce yourself! Say your name, pronouns, and voice range. If you would like to say your age you can but it’s not required.
Sing any ensemble part from the show in your range. (Suggested songs are Pirelli's Miracle Elixir, God That's Good!, and any of the Sweeney ballads.)
I am not asking you to compose new music, but simply to be familiar with the music of this show and be able to play the songs in it. I may have only one or multiple depending on the skills everyone that applies has. You do not need to add sound effects (i.e. factory whistles and other effects in the show) so that is something to keep in mind.
Please send a file of yourself playing a piece from Sweeney Todd, preferably 'Worst Pies in London', 'Pretty Women', or 'God That's Good!', but any piece works fine! If you would like you could also send another piece (self composed or otherwise) as long as it's in the style of Broadway, but I will not require this. Please also tell me what your pronouns are so I know for reference.
Say something you think would fit
I have decided to animate this in traditional art form. However, my style tends to be very cartoony when I'm not taking my time, and to get this done quickly I will probably be rushing a lot. I am looking for assistant animators that can balance out a few cartoony looking numbers with beautiful imagery, this can range from creating backgrounds to full on character animation.
Please send a file or link to a portfolio with your previous art or samples of past animations.
Say something you think would fit
