Review: Will Swenson Leads New SoCal Revival of SWEENEY TODD at La Mirada Theatre

In what is clearly proving to be the must-see stage production of the new year so far here in Southern California, McCoy Rigby Entertainment's stunning new production of the 1979 Tony Award-winning classic SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET—now playing a limited engagement at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through February 22, 2026—has been revived locally with thrilling visuals, Broadway-caliber showmanship, creative chutzpah, and a spectacular cast led by Tony nominee Will Swenson as the titular vengeful London barber and the hilarious Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita as pie shop proprietor Mrs. Lovett.

Unsettling yet riveting in the best possible ways—even for those who have seen the show a gazillion times and know exactly what transpires—this brilliantly-mounted SWEENEY TODD crackles with an extra air of invigorated intrigue that sustains for its entirety, keeping the audience rapt at every turn. 

And, from the first startling screech to the last, the show sounds gorgeous, too. Seriously, one of Stephen Sondheim's most complex scores has never sounded better. 

This beautifully sadistic refreshed iteration—directed with impressive, detail-rich panache by the Tony winning star of Seinfeld, Jason Alexander—is, from start to finish, a mesmerizing new vision of this macabre masterpiece, which retains Hugh Wheeler's original book as its untarnished foundation but gives it a fascinating, robust point of entry that envelopes the La Mirada venue with the kind of immersive aura that thoughtfully planned-out productions could only dream up let alone realize with full tilt execution. 

Here, the show takes place entirely "inside" an insane asylum that, we assume, is now the forever home of the murderous Mr. Todd—his punishment for all the events that play out before us during the show. While this is certainly not the first time this framing device has been used as the setting for this stage musical, this particular production adds a twisty new angle to the asylum-set proceedings to make things extra sinister and even more mysterious.

Perched high (and I mean high!) above the towering stage set is a foreboding, long-haired figure drenched in darkness that remains there throughout the musical, gesturing and reacting to all the action happening beneath him. 

Like an evil puppet master judging and controlling his subjects from his throne, this mystery figure is basically almost like a "director" for this staged production happening inside the asylum. From his bird's eye view seat on the asylum's highest level, he is seen "conducting" the inmates to re-stage Todd's story like a nightmare-tinged psychiatric breakdown with heightened histrionics, adding an extra layer of doubt about the tale's reliability and authenticity. 

Are we, the audience—as passive observers visiting the asylum—seeing a true account of Todd's events in flashbacks, or are we actually being forced to "attend the tale" that's been skewed and manipulated in a certain way by a man surveying everything from above like a god-like Svengali, making sure his inmate "actors" are conveying the story as directed/dictated? His true identity, of course, isn't revealed until the very end, but it's a predictable one that many will likely guess correctly right from the get go—which only adds to the overall enjoyment of this incredibly staged, refreshed production.

Simply put, this SWEENEY TODD is theatrical stage craft at its most purposely refined.

Every aspect from top to bottom—from casting to visual choices—seems thoughtfully put-together and meticulously created to work towards a cohesive vision set about by Alexander. 

Even before the show truly starts, patrons entering and filing in to their seats are greeted by the startling sight of Paul Tate DePoo III's menacingly weathered scaffolding-structured asylum set (made up of rotting planks, rusting pipes, and threadbare curtains), where a steady trickle of slow-moving asylum patients—dressed in believably grimy, soot and grease-stained costumes designed by Kate Bergh—walk on with crazy tics and eccentric quirks, indicative of the most mentally-afflicted, which introduces us to this production's frightful environment before even a single note is sung (kudos, too, to Kaitlin Yagen's Hair, Wig, and Makeup designs for finishing the cast's looks with period authenticity).

From the hauntingly atmospheric lighting design by Jared A. Sayeg and the spine-tingling soundscapes designed by Jonathan A. Burke, to the rousing, reinvigorated musical accompaniment from the gorgeous-sounding orchestra conducted by musical director Darryl Archibald, the show gives literal chills (seriously, hearing this score again live in this kind of immersive environment is such a treat). 

Even the actors' movements and, yes, dance routines—choreographed by Lee Martino—speak well for production's overarching visual and metaphorical language, feeling complementary rather than as a mere afterthought. 

And, of course, combined with the outstanding performances of its perfectly-selected leads and their supporting ensemble cast, this SWEENEY TODD deserves every accolade and standing ovation it will likely receive during its shockingly brief scheduled run. This deserves an extension.

Set amid the dirt-and-ash-choked streets of 19th-century London, SWEENEY TODD—for those unfamiliar with the musical—spins a grand Penny Dreadful-esque tale of injustice, obsession, and vengeance with an operatic sweep sprinkled with dark humor and hysterical melodrama. 

From inside the dilapidated walls of Fogg's Asylum, an entire wing of patients in various levels of hysterics suddenly come together in unison to introduce the assembled audience to "attend the tale" of a man named Sweeney Todd (a superbly moody Swenson), whom they dub as "the demon barber of Fleet Street," a moniker he earns after people become aware of his evil activities.

Wrongfully exiled to Australia by the corrupt Judge Turpin (Norman Large) several years before, a man formerly known as Benjamin Barker—now going by his chosen alias "Sweeney Todd"—is on a ship bound for his origins in London, hollowed out by loss and fueled by righteous fury. 

Upon arrival, he makes his way back to his former stomping grounds on Fleet Street, dirty and grimy and bathed in the stench of working class poverty. After getting propositioned by a seemingly random (yet recurring) homeless beggar woman (Meghan Andrews), he makes his way back to his old barbershop, now sitting vacant above a struggling pie shop run by the indefatigable Mrs. Lovett (scene-stealing Margherita).

Urged by an intrigued Mrs. Lovett—who fortuitously gives Todd back his old set of magnificent razors and promises to keep his real identity a secret—Todd decides to reclaim his former place of business for the sole purpose of serving as his base of operations for his plot to exact revenge against the man he blames for his downfall: Judge Turpin. 

We soon learn the tragic details of his backstory: Turpin coveted Todd's wife Lucy so much that he had Todd sent away on false charges. With Todd gone and out of the way, Turpin—with assistance from his cohort Beadle Bamford (Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper)—seizes the opportunity to sexually assault Lucy. 

According to Mrs. Lovett, Lucy—likely devastated by what happened to her—poisoned herself, leaving Lucy and Todd's then-infant daughter Johanna an orphan. It later turns out that Turpin himself decides to make the orphaned child his live-in ward. 

Fast-forward to present day and Johanna (Allison Sheppard), now a young woman, longs for escape from the confines of Judge Turpin's prison-like home. Luckily for her, a young sailor named Anthony Hope (Chris Hunter)—the same young man who rescues and befriends Mr. Todd on that London-bound ship—becomes romantically infatuated with her from the streets below. Naturally, he would later devise his own plans to break her out.

Meanwhile, back at the barbershop, Todd's single target of revenge balloons to several, as his thirst for vengeance grows indiscriminate and all-consuming. 

Mrs. Lovett, ever the pragmatic entrepreneur, seizes opportunity from Todd's relentless carnage by transforming Todd's victims—cleverly dispatched down a mechanized chute (reimagined here as a large dumpster wheeled around by the asylum patients) to the meat grinders and baking ovens down in the basement—into the savory secret ingredient that brings her formerly empty pie shop roaring back to life. 

As the bodies—and moral compromises—pile up, this grim musical hurtles toward a devastating conclusion that underscores the cost of revenge and the corrosive power of obsession.

Effortlessly fusing high art with pulp, SWEENEY TODD is one of those rare titles in the musical theatre canon that dares to operate simultaneously as grand opera, social satire, and jet-black comedy. Now many decades after its Broadway debut, Sondheim and Wheeler's thunderous masterwork remains a towering achievement—bracing in its musical complexity, audacious in its serious tone, and startlingly modern in its emotional brutality.

Wheeler's original book—even when encased by this refreshed staging—remains equally formidable to Sondheim's melodic treasures, unabashedly embracing melodrama while grounding the horror in human (and surprisingly relatable) longing. 

Sondheim's score—sounding wonderfully bombastic in this rousing local revival—continues to be the engine that drives the show's relentless momentum, and ever so much more so when performed by spectacular artists, which this production confidently trots out. From the shrieking, industrial fury of the opening "Ballad of Sweeney Todd" to the aching emotions of "Not While I'm Around" and the giddy absurdity of "A Little Priest," the show's memorable songbook refuses complacency. 

Dense, angular, and exquisitely orchestrated, Sondheim's score demands performers of both vocal precision and dramatic intelligence. When executed well, it rewards audiences with a visceral, almost cinematic experience—music not merely accompanying the story, but actively sharpening its blade as it progresses. After experiencing this new La Mirada revival during its fantastic opening night performance, it's safe to declare that Alexander has palpably directed a cast that delivers on this promise.

As the titular barber, Swenson is convincingly haunting in his slow burn to madness, arming the role with tension and grit while also delivering perfect vocals that fit the character at every stage of his arc. In his thoughtful portrait, Swenson's Todd is not merely a monster, but a cautionary figure—an embodiment of grief left to fester. But don't let the "hunk" behind the unkempt hair fool you: he is scary AF and completely disappears into the role with menacing ferocity. 

Opposite him and offering the best counterpoint to darkness is the otherworldly Margherita, creating a Mrs. Lovett that is both honorable and transcendent—and just hella funny. Tasked to refresh one of musical theatre's most deliciously complicated creations: a survivor whose moral elasticity is matched only by her desperate hunger for love, companionship, and stability, Margherita has, I have to admit, created a portrayal that will go down as my favorite of all the Mrs. Lovett's I've witnessed in person. Goofy yet grounded, all her individual delivery choices are often winning and never cloying, appropriate yet highly edgy. And when she breaks out of this comedic persona, you can definitely note the change and witness the tremor of dread and regret on her face just as loudly as her wisecracks. Brilliant, just brilliant.

Together, Swenson and Margherita balance each other out perfectly, particularly in their celebratory epiphany that closes out the first act. Their twisted partnership lies at the heart of the piece, balancing genuine pathos against grotesque humor in a way that few stage musicals dare to attempt.

As the oily antagonists, Mongiardo-Cooper and Large—as Beadle and Turpin, respectively—both offer believably skeezy characterizations that allow us to side with a murderous barber. Funny enough, I fondly remember seeing Large play Sweeney himself in a terrific 2010 production at Musical Theatre West, so it is great to see him transition just as powerfully to a different role here. 

Also worth noting are Hunter and Sheppard who both sound incredible providing the show's sole opera-tinged voices in their limited roles as paramours Anthony and Johanna, respectively. Andrews stands out as the Beggar Woman, whose repeated musical motif effectively burrows into your brain. 

Additionally, Andrew Polec is absolutely hilarious as razor-doomed huckster Pirelli (particularly when he battles a rogue glued-on mustache during opening night), while the vocally-impressive Austyn Myers essays an impressive turn as Tobias Ragg, Pirelli's assistant-turned-Mrs. Lovett's ward. His version of "Not While I'm Around" is a gorgeous, heart-piercing memorable moment that adds layers of gravitas to his scenes in the end. 

Overall, this SWEENEY TODD is one of the most impressive musical productions I have seen on this stage, comparable to even the most opulently-mounted shows at even larger venues. Bold, audacious, and replete with rewarding details, I found myself scanning the stage multiple times as the story unfolds, savoring the work it took to put this production together to achieve a memorable version both newbies and obsessives can applaud.

More importantly, beyond its refreshed alterations, shock value, and stellar performances, this SWEENEY TODD valiantly upholds the show's embedded thematic bite. Beneath the blood and bravado lies a scathing indictment of institutional corruption, class inequity, and the illusion of justice. The London depicted in SWEENEY TODD is a place where power preys freely and the poor are quite literally consumed—an unsettling metaphor that, sadly, lands with uncomfortable clarity even today.

Ultimately, this new SWEENEY TODD is musical theatre laudably sharpened to a razor's edge: thrilling, unsettling, and profoundly tragic. Staged with the musical and dramatic rigor the material demands, this resulting vibrant new revival in La Mirada is an unforgettable experience—one that reminds us just how far the art form can go when it refuses to play it safe.

** Follow this reviewer on Bluesky / Instagram / Twitter X / Threads: @cre8iveMLQ **

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Photos by Jason Niedle / TETHOS courtesy of La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.

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