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 An unjustly exiled barber returns to London to seek vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife.The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs.Lovett, the resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop above which he opens a new barber practice.Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people lining up for more.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE FULL CASTING TO JOIN THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED WILL SWENSON & LESLI MARGHERITA
starring as “Sweeney Todd” & “Mrs. Lovett” in its upcoming major revival of the Stephen Sondheim Masterpiece
SWEENEY TODD:
THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Book by HUGH WHEELER
From an Adaptation by CHRISTOPHER BOND
Originally Directed on Broadway by HAROLD PRINCE
Orchestrations by JONATHAN TUNICK
Musical Direction by DARRYL ARCHIBALD
Choreography by LEE MARTINO
Direction by JASON ALEXANDER
“ATTEND THE TALE” BEGINNING FRIDAY, JANUARY 30
AT LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS!
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are thrilled to announce full casting to join the previously announced Tony award-nominee WILL SWENSON (A Beautiful Noise, Hair, 110 in the Shade) starring as “Sweeney Todd” and Olivier award- winner LESLI MARGHERITA (Gypsy, Matilda, Dames at Sea) starring as “Mrs. Lovett” in its upcoming major revival of the Stephen Sondheim masterpiece, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler, from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, originally produced on Broadway by Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards in association with Dean and Judy Manos. Musical direction will be by Darryl Archibald, choreography by Lee Martino, and direction by Tony award-winner Jason Alexander. SWEENEY TODD will preview on Friday, January 30 at 8 pm and Saturday, January 31 at 2 pm, have its official Press Opening on Saturday, January 31 at 8 pm, and run through Sunday, February 22, 2026 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada.
Attend the dark, witty, and Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder, and revenge set against the backdrop of 19th-century London. SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREEET has become a bloody, worldwide sensation since being awarded eight Tony Awards (including Best Musical) for its Broadway premiere in 1979. Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's (A Little Night Music) tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed, and delighted audiences around the world. An infamous tale which originally appeared as a Penny Dreadful serial in 1867, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET follows an unjustly exiled barber (Todd) as he returns to London to seek vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, the resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop above which he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up for more and the carnage has only just begun!
ABOUT THE CAST AND THE CREATIVE TEAM
Joining Will Swenson as “Sweeney Todd” and Lesli Margherita as “Mrs. Lovett” will be
Chris Hunter as “Anthony,” Allison Sheppard as “Johanna,” Norman Large as “Judge Turpin,” Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper as “Beadle Bamford,” Austyn Myers as “Tobias,” Andrew Polec as “Pirelli,” Meghan Andrews as “The Beggar Woman,” and Jeff Lowe as “The Overseer.” The Ensemble will feature (in alphabetical order) Gabbie Adner, Anthony Cannarella, Ryan Dietz, Grant Hodges, Bets Malone, Drew Margolis, Michael McClure, Hassan Nazari-Robati, Lizzy Sheck, Rianny Vasquez, and Toni Elizabeth White. The Swings will be Davide Costa and Maddie Miller Lacambra.
WILL SWENSON (“Sweeney Todd”) is known as one of Broadway’s most versatile leading men. Will has been seen on Broadway in roles across a wide character spectrum. He most recently starred on Broadway as “Neil Diamond” in A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. Will received critical acclaim for his performance as the subversive hippie “Berger” in the 2009 revival of Hair, for which he received Tony, Drama Desk, and Drama League nominations and went on to perform the role in London’s West End, as well. He starred as “Inspector Javert” in the 2014 revival of Les Misérables and played the conflicted drag queen “Tick” in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (Drama League nomination). In Waitress, Will performed opposite the show’s creator, Sara Bareilles.
Other Broadway shows include Disaster!, Lestat, Brooklyn: The Musical, and his sentimental favorite, 110 in the Shade, the production where he met his wife, actress Audra McDonald. Off-Broadway favorites include the revival of Assassins, (Outer Critics, Lucille Lortel, and Drama League nominations), Nantucket Sleighride, and Jerry Springer: The Opera, for which he won an Obie Award. Will originated the role of “Tom” in Murder Ballad and created the role of “Stacey Jaxx” in the original Off-Broadway production of Rock of Ages. Other favorites include Little Miss Sunshine, Adrift in Macao, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Pericles.
Tours and other performances include Miss Saigon, We Will Rock You, Camelot with the New York Philharmonic, Pirates of Penzance, Moon for the Misbegotten, and The Royal Family of Broadway. Film & Television credits include “Philo Barnum” in the movie musical The Greatest Showman and roles in the feature films This is Where I Leave You, The Kitchen, Sons of Provo, and The Switch. Will spent a season on the Netflix series “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” as the evil “Professor Carcosa.” He played opposite his wife in the Covid/Zombie thriller series “The Bite.” He’s guest-starred on “Law & Order (SVU & CSI),” “The Good Wife,” “No Tomorrow,” “The Code,” and “Elsbeth.” He played “Henry Donnenfeld” on the Netflix crime drama series “Hit and Run” and can be seen as the father of the vampire clan “The Fairmonts” in the Netflix drama “First Kill.”
LESLI MARGHERITA (“Mrs. Lovett”) most recently played “Tessie Tura” in the Broadway revival of Gypsy starring Audra McDonald (Drama Desk nomination). She won the Laurence Olivier Award for her West End debut in Zorro: The Musical and originated the roles of “Mrs. Wormwood” in Matilda, the Musical and “Mona Kent” in Dames at Sea on Broadway. Off-Broadway, she received Drama Desk, Lortel, and Outer Critics nominations for Who’s Holiday, Emojiland, and A Scythe of Time. Television credits include recurring and guest starring roles on “NCIS Hawaii,” “Minx,” “Fairly OddParents,” “The Rookie,” “The Crew,” “Raven’s Home,” “Homeland,” “Instinct,” “Seven Seconds,” and “Transparent.” She can be seen on film in The Many Saints of Newark and Opening Night. Lesli's voice can also be heard on several animated films and shows on Paramount+, Disney, FOX and Nickelodeon.
Select regional theatre credits include leading roles in Damn Yankees, Guys and Dolls, The Flamingo Kid, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Kiss Me Kate, Man of La Mancha, Little Shop of Horrors, and Spamalot. Her album, Rule Your Kingdom, is out now from Broadway Records. @QueenLesli
JASON ALEXANDER (Direction) Over his acclaimed 50-year career as an actor and entertainer, Mr. Alexander has also maintained a diverse and noted career as a director across multiple mediums of film, television, and theater. After years of developing and directing special programs and benefits in both New York and Los Angeles, he became an official member of the Directors Guild of America in 1994 when he directed “The Good Samaritan” episode of the hit sitcom “Seinfeld.” Though officially his television debut as a director, he was nominated for a DGA Award for Best Direction of a Situation Comedy. Since then, he has worked consistently as a director on some of television’s top shows, and most notably as one of the few directors not relegated to either “just comedy” or “just drama.” His noted television assignments include: “Til Death,” “Campus Ladies,” “Franklin and Bash,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Mike and Molly,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Young Sheldon.” Jason also created and directed two national television campaigns: a series of comedic public service ads regarding the dangers of second-hand smoke and a series of spots for “Jenny Craig Diet and Nutrition.”
Jason is the director of two feature length films: For Better or Worse (1996), a broad
rom-com/heist film starring James Woods, Lolita Davidovich, Joe Mantegna, Rip Torn, John Amos, and Bea Arthur, and Just Looking (1999), a period coming-of-age dramedy starring Patti LuPone and Gretchen Mol. Jason also created and directed the short film “Cooler Online,” a music video for Brad Paisley’s song of the same title. For his work on that piece, Jason won the American Country Music Award for Best Direction of a Music Video.
However, it is his experience with and passion for the live stage that has led him to a notable career as a theater director with a reputation for developing new works, as well as re-imagining revivals of classics. Jason served as the Artistic Director of the L.A.-based Reprise Theatre Company for five years. While there, he produced 18 fully staged musicals, a dozen concerts, and several special events.
Within that, his direction was particularly outstanding on productions of Sunday in the Park With George, The Fantasticks, and a revamped production of Damn Yankees, in which he authored the revised libretto, setting the piece in the 1980s and featuring Black and Latino actors. Also in Los Angeles, Jason has directed acclaimed productions of Sam Shephard’s The God of Hell, starring Bryan Cranston for the Geffen Playhouse, Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound, starring Gina Hecht for the Odyssey Theatre, Karren Zacarias’ Native Gardens starring Bruce Davison and Frances Fisher at the Pasadena Playhouse, the world premiere of The Joy Wheel at the Ruskin Theater, and a highly lauded production of Steven Levenson’s If I Forget at the Fountain Theatre. Regionally, Jason directed the world premiere of Windfall by Scooter Pietsch at the Arkansas Repertory Theater and then again at The Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor. Most notable was his direction of a new production of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years at Syracuse Stage. Jason’s re-imagined staging of the piece received national critical acclaim and BroadwayWorld.com wrote, “It is a visionary masterpiece.”
Most recently, Jason made his New York and Broadway directing debuts with Sandy Rustin’s The Cottage that played a successful run at the Hayes Theatre on Broadway with Eric McCormack and Laura Bell Bundy heading the ensemble. He is currently in development to direct a film version of the play for the Canadian Broadcasting Company.
Jason is also currently in various stages of development and pre-production on a stage adaptation of the now-classic story The War of the Roses, as authored by Emmy Award-winning writer Peter Tolan. Simultaneously, he is developing projects with Ricky Gervais, Penn Jillette, and several other writers. He recently completed revisions of Anthony Shaffer’s classic thriller, Sleuth, which he is slated to direct at Chicago’s Shakespeare Theatre.
LEE MARTINO (Choreographer) recently choreographed La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment’s critically acclaimed production of Fiddler On The Roof, starring Jason Alexander. Other regional productions include La Mirada Theatre & McCoy Rigby Entertainment’s productions of First Date and Carrie: The Musical, The Last Five Years at Syracuse Stage, Rita Moreno at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, also Reprise! Theatre Company (resident choreographer under the artistic direction of Jason Alexander), Gateway Playhouse, The Phoenix Theatre, Hollywood Bowl, Pasadena Playhouse, Los Angeles Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, Musical Theatre West, and Rubicon Theatre Company, just to name a few. Lee has received four Los Angeles Theatre Ovation Awards, three LA Drama Critics Awards, and the Joel Hirschhorn Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre. TV and film credits include work for NBC, Warner Bros. Pictures, Sony Pictures, Target Films, Jenny Craig, Nickelodeon, and Bravo TV. Live events include work for Harley-Davidson, Ford Motor Company, Universal Studios, Disney International, Les Girls Breast Cancer Benefit for the National Breast Cancer Coalition, and Actors’ Fund Benefits. Lee is on faculty at Mount San Antonio College and UCLA.
DARRYL ARCHIBALD (Musical Director/Conductor) most recently worked on Some Like It Hot (Broadway Shubert Theatre), Motown: The Musical (Broadway Nederlander Theatre), Jelly’s Last Jam (New York City Center Guest Conductor), Yemandja: The New Angelique Kidjo Musical (World Tour Music Supervisor), Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ (Pre- Broadway Engagement The Old Globe), “ENCORE!” (Disney+ “Ragtime” episode),
The Color Purple (Broadway Tour & Paper Mill Playhouse) Wicked (Pantages Theatre Guest Conductor), Memphis (Broadway Tour), La Cage Aux Folles, Ragtime, Little Shop Of Horrors (with M.J. Rodriguez at the Pasadena Playhouse), Fiddler On The Roof, Frozen, La Cage Aux Folles (The Muny), Dear World (with Tyne Daly at VPAC), Two By Two (with Jason Alexander at Reprise!), Passion (Boston Court), and Jonathan Dove’s Innocence (Ban? Centre). darrylarchibald.com
HUGH WHEELER (Book) was a novelist, playwright and screen writer. He wrote more than thirty mystery novels under the pseudonyms Q. Patrick and Patrick Quentin, and four of his novels were transformed into films: Black Widow, Man in the Net, The Green-Eyed Monster, and The Man with Two Wives. For films, he wrote the screenplays for Travels with My Aunt, Something for Everyone, A Little Night Music, and Nijinsky. His plays include Big Fish, Little Fish (1961), Look: We've Come Through (1961), and We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1966, adapted from the Shirley Jackson novel). He co-authored with Joseph Stein the book for a new production of the 1919 musical Irene (1973), wrote the books for A Little Night Music (1973), a new production of Candide (1973), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979, based on a version of the play by Christopher Bond), and Meet Me in St. Louis (adapted from the 1949 MGM musical).
He also contributed additional material for the musical Pacific Overtures (1976) and wrote a new adaptation of the Kurt Weill opera Silverlake, which was directed by Harold Prince at the New York Opera. He received Tony and Drama Desk Awards for A Little Night Music, Candide, and Sweeney Todd. Prior to his death in 1987, Mr. Wheeler was working on two new musicals, Bodo and Fu Manchu, as well as a new adaptation of The Merry Widow.
STEPHEN SONDHEIM (1930-2021) (Music & Lyrics) wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), Into the Woods (1987), Assassins (1991), Passion (1994), Road Show (2008), and Here We Are (2023), as well as the lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965), and additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Side by Side by Sondheim (1976), Marry Me a Little (1981), You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983), Putting It Together (1993/99), Moving On (2001), Sondheim on Sondheim (2010), and Old Friends (2023) are anthologies of his work as composer and lyricist. For films, he composed the scores of Stavisky (1974), co-composed the score for Reds (1981), and wrote songs for Dick Tracy (1990). He wrote songs for the television production “Evening Primrose” (1966), co-authored the film The Last of Sheila (1973) and the play Getting Away with Murder (1996), and provided incidental music for the plays The Girls of Summer (1956), Invitation to a March (1961), Twigs (1971) and The Enclave (1973). He won the Tony Award for Best Score for Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Passion, all of which won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, as did Pacific Overtures and Sunday in the Park with George, the latter also receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1985).
The Design Team for SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
is as follows: Scenic Design by Paul Tate dePoo III Lighting Design by Jared Sayeg Sound Design by Jonathan Burke Costume Design by Kate Bergh Hair/Wig Design by Katie McCoy Yagen Fight Choreographer/Stunt Coordinator is Erik Gratton Properties Design by Kevin Williams. The Casting Director is Julia Flores. The Production Stage Manager is Brant Sennett.
ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET will preview on Friday, January 30 at 8 pm and Saturday, January 31 at 2 pm, have its official Press Opening on Saturday, January 31 at 8 pm and run through Sunday, February 22, 2026 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada.
Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 pm Fridays at 8 pm Saturdays at 2 pm & 8 pm and Sundays at 1:30 pm & 6:30 pm. There is no performance on Sunday, February 1 at
6:30 pm.
There will be an Open-Captioned performance on Saturday, February 14 at 2:00 pm. Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Thursday, February 5 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 pm.
Tickets range from $20 - $100 (prices subject to change) and can be purchased on La Mirada Theatre’s website www.LaMiradaTheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Group, student, and military discounts are available. Children under 3 will not be admitted into the theatre.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is FREE.
To schedule press interviews, photos, press comps, or for additional information, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818-508-1754 or by e-mail at davidelzer@me.com. Photos and press information also available at lamiradatheatre.com
The Tony-nominated LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern California." This beautiful state-of-the-art theatre has been presenting quality productions since 1977. The theatre has produced several national tours and is the recipient of numerous accolades, including Tony, Emmy, and Ovation Award nominations and the L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award for “Best Season of the Year.” The theatre is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, California, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.
Parking is theatre-adjacent and free. For further information call (562) 944-9801 or visit
www.LaMiradaTheatre.com.
Celebrating its 32nd season at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT (MRE) is one of the world’s premier theatrical production companies and continues to be grateful to share a wildly successful collaboration with the City of La Mirada. Headed by Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, MRE has produced over one hundred musicals, plays, and concerts featuring some of the biggest stars in the industry today and garnering many Emmy Awards, Tony nominations, and LA Ovation Awards.
In addition, MRE has launched several Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Broadway, international, and national touring productions including: ASIA - Dreamgirls (Japan), Miss Saigon (China), Peter Pan (China), SAUDI ARABIA - Peter Pan (this was the first Broadway Musical ever to play in Saudi Arabia), USA - Seussical the Musical, and Annie Get Your Gun, starring Cathy Rigby Jesus Christ Superstar starring Carl Anderson and Sebastian Bach, Camelot starring Michael York and Lou Diamond Phillips, Happy Days written by Gary Marshall and Paul Williams, BROADWAY -Frank Wildhorn Jekyll and Hyde starring Grammy Award nominee Deborah Cox and “American Idol” and Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis, and The Little Mermaid, the Musical. Peter Pan, starring Cathy Rigby, has made four stops on Broadway and received four Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical.
The A&E TV network premiere of “Peter Pan” received one Emmy Award and four Emmy Award nominations. La Mirada Theatre productions of A Night with Janis Joplin starring Mary Bridget Davies and Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby are now streaming on Broadway HD.
Presenter / Producer: La Mirada Theatre For The Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment
Listed Categories
Theater > Drama
Event Phone: 562-944-9801
Venue
La Mirada Theatre
14900 La Mirada Blvd
La Mirada CA 90638
Regions:
Inland Empire
Long Beach & South Bay
Performance Dates: 1/30/2026 - 2/22/2026
Friday, 01/30/2026
Saturday, 01/31/2026
Sunday, 02/01/2026
Thursday, 02/05/2026
Friday, 02/06/2026
Saturday, 02/07/2026
Sunday, 02/08/2026
Thursday, 02/12/2026
Friday, 02/13/2026
Saturday, 02/14/2026
Sunday, 02/15/2026
Thursday, 02/19/2026
Friday, 02/20/2026
Saturday, 02/21/2026
Sunday, 02/22/2026
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Performance Times
OPENS: Saturday, January 31 at 8 pm (Press Opening)
and runs through Sunday, February 22 at 6:30 pm
PREVIEWS: Friday, January 30 at 8 pm & Saturday, January 31
at 2 pm
PERFORMANCES: Thursdays at 7:30 pm Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2 pm & 8 pm Sundays at 1:30 pm & 6:30 pm
There is no performance on Sunday, February 1 at 6:30 pm.
There will be an Open-Captioned performance on Saturday, February 14
at 2:00 pm.
Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Thursday, February 5 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 pm.
Ticket Information:
Tickets range from $20 - $100 (prices subject to change).
Children under 3 will not be admitted into the theatre.
For tickets, please call (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310 or buy online at LaMiradaTheatre.com. Group, student, and military discounts are available.
Web Link for ticketing
Websites:
Event Information
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