Tennessee Rep Opens 30th Anniversary Season with SWEENEY TODD, Now thru 10/25

Tennessee Repertory Theatre recently announced its plans to open its 30th anniversary season with Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This announcement means that Tennessee Rep will close its 29th season with one Stephen Sondheim musical (Company) and open its 30th season with another Sondheim musical (Sweeney Todd).

To celebrate this rare occurrence of back-to-back Sondheim musicals, Tennessee Rep has put together a cross-seasonal package to include both productions (available at tennesseerep.org or by calling 615/782-6560). Sondheim is widely considered the most significant creative force in musical theater during the past half-century.

The announcement of the "Sondheim package" comes during Tennessee Rep's current production of Red, which playwright John Logan dedicated to Sondheim. Logan and Sondheim became close friends when Logan was writing the screenplay for the movie version of Sweeney Todd.

About Company (March 22 - April 12)

The clashing sounds and pulsing rhythms of New York City underscore the landmark multiple Tony Award-winning Company, considered by many to have inaugurated the modern era of musical theatre. On his 35th birthday, Bobby-a commitment-phobic bachelor-searches for the answers to love and life in New York City. While enjoying the company of some lovely ladies, he observes both the joys and pitfalls of marriage from his five quirky couple friends - but is he ready? Only Bobby can find the answer in this witty and piercing examination of matrimony. For how else can you treat marriage, but as a comedy?

About Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (TONIGHT, October 4 - 25)

The rare instance of a musical thriller, this chilling, suspenseful, heart-pounding masterpiece of murderous "barber-ism" and culinary crime tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled Benjamin Barker (aka Sweeney Todd). He returns to 19th century London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The enterprising (and unforgettable) pie-maker Mrs. Lovett helps Sweeney Todd exact his revenge in the most "delicious" of ways. Sophisticated, macabre, visceral and uncompromising, Sweeney Todd mixes intense drama with howlingly funny moments of dark humor.

The remaining shows in Tennessee Rep's 30th anniversary season will be announced in late March.

Since 1985, Tennessee Repertory Theatre has been a critically acclaimed regional theatre, creating the highest quality professional productions and by serving as a prime cultural, educational, and economic resource within the Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities. Tennessee Rep produces work that is designed, built, and rehearsed in Nashville by highly skilled actors, designers, directors, and technicians. A non-profit organization, Tennessee Rep is committed to consistently delivering thought-provoking theatre each year while creating "Ah-ha!" moments that inspire empathy, prod intellectual and emotional engagement, and expand the creative capacity of audience and artists though the dynamic connection unique to live theatre. For more information on Tennessee Repertory Theatre, please visit www.tennesseerep.org.