This year, the Cy-Ranch Theater Department has decided to stage the iconic 1979 musical “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” composed by Stephen Sondheim. Over the course of three intense months, 97 dedicated students worked tirelessly to bring this thrilling horror musical to life for their fellow Mustangs to enjoy.
The dark and suspense themes of this musical were quite the bold contrast from the many past family-friendly musicals the school has done in the past, yet the show still captivated audiences and received enthusiastic praise.
“I was kind of surprised because usually we do like Disney shows, so they’re a bit more kid-friendly. But Sweeney Todd is much darker if you saw it. It’s like about a barber that murders people, so I was kind of surprised the directors picked that,” junior Kaiana Matos said.
Despite having help and much guidance from the directors and teachers, the musical was still very heavily student-produced, with students creating some of the dance choreographies themselves.
“My friends [junior] Hattie Brower, [junior] Kien Pattani, [junior] Sophia Hollingshead and I, who all had lead roles or parts in the musical, created the choreography for several key numbers. Hattie and I worked together on the opening number, all four of us collaborated on Poor Thing, Kien and I teamed up for God, That’s Good! and Hattie and Sophia choreographed City on Fire. Finally, Hattie, our director, Miss McGarry and I worked together to choreograph the finale,” said junior Haley Griffin.
Despite not having much time to fully prepare for the performance, the musical still ran smoothly.
“We only had two full run-throughs before our final dress rehearsal, which felt unusual. Normally, like with Newsies last year, it took a couple of performances to hit our stride, but this time, we nailed it on opening night. Despite being a bit tired on Friday, the show still went well, and by Saturday and Sunday, our performances were incredible. We all feel really proud of how everything turned out, and it’s different, but amazing, to feel that confident and connected with the audience,” junior Logan Rodriguez said.
The musical drew many Mustangs and families from across the district and among the audience were Tommy Tune judges. Yet, the cast remained unfazed by their presence.
“I try to think of it this way: if someone is there to judge theater, it’s because they really love theater and want you to succeed. They’re hoping to see a great performance, so just focus on giving them a good little show, you know, and have a good little fun time,” Griffin said.
In the end, Sweeney Todd was a huge success for the Cypress Ranch Theatre Department, showcasing the cast’s dedication and creativity. Despite the challenges, the students delivered captivating performances and worked seamlessly together, making the production unforgettable. As the curtains closed, the cast could proudly reflect on their achievement, knowing they brought a truly unforgettable show to life.
