SWEENEY TODD, WMU, cOMING IN 2026
Director: Jay Berkow | Scenic Designer: Andrea Imsland | Lighting Designer: Elena Hewitt | Sound Designer: Amber Kolp Technical Director: Patrick Niemi | Costume Designer: Kathryn Wagner | Props Master: Luke Henn
Sweeney Todd is a man with a very complicated and mysterious past. He has lived a very messy life, and the set is a manifestation of such. The use of metal and truss above the set evokes the feeling of the cage that he, as well as many other characters, feels trapped in. To feel as realistic and gruesome to the audience, the set is as condensed and close to the audience as can be. The gore is right in their face, there is no hiding from the immorality. Even the colors in the set portray the dullness and depression of the characters, while bloodshed seeps out because of their actions.
Research
Most inspiration was found in the architecture of London streets and alleyways. This painting was also very interesting to me, in the way that it has many staircases, but each one is unique and interesting. I was excited by natural textures that are neutral colored bases with pops of red that are bloody adjacent.
Concept Sketches and White Model
I played around with platforms, staircases, and other scenic elements and how they would interact/portray the different locations in the musical. I also began to plan some set decoration and texture.
Paint Elevations
