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02/17/2020 11:00 PMProducing a high school play is a huge undertaking: Renting the script alone can cost thousands of dollars. In addition, money is needed to build and design the set and costumes and to feed the crew, set builders and cast on those long practice days that can run eight hours or more. And it takes volunteers -- lots of them. Parents and students, teachers and neighbors pitch in time and money to get everything ready for opening night.
In short, it takes a village, and luckily, Branford is just such a place, full of generous people who give their time, talents, and treasure year after year to support students in producing the annual spring musical.
This year, BHS Performing Arts is bringing Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, to the stage. The show tells the unsettling tale of a Victorian-era barber who returns home to London after fifteen years of exile to take revenge on the corrupt judge who ruined his life. The musical, written by Steven Sondheim, requires the students to perform difficult vocals, tackle mature material…and requires two of the characters to shave with a straight razor (sans an actual blade when on stage!)
Shaving with a straight razor is a bygone skill, and the students must learn not only to mimic the motions of shaving, but do it while singing. While David Rosenthal, 18, Sweeney mainstage, and Liev Shpitalnik, 15, Sweeney understudy, have impressive accomplishments on their resumes, neither one has ever shaved.
To help train the students, Branford native John Kenney generously offered his barber shop, The Blue Collar Barber, and his talents as a director and video producer to help the high school students shine on stage. The Blue Collar Barber, located at 184 Maple St in Branford, is a cozy neighborhood salon that John opened when he moved back to Branford after spending years in Los Angeles as an actor, model, videographer and director.
The Blue Collar Barbershop is a step back in time. The old-fashioned chairs, instruments and leather aprons cast just the right atmosphere for the play. The actors had the opportunity to don aprons, lather up inflated balloons and practice sliding a razor across the surface. Several balloons did succumb to the blades, in explosions of shaving cream. After balloons, the blades were removed and they went to the next level to practice shaving the face of the evil Judge Turpin, played by Dorian Hayes, 17. Aside from teaching the boys to shave and directing their performances, John also generously videotaped and edited the session for social media promotions. Clips from the session may be viewed on Facebook at facebook.com/BranfordHighPerformingArts/
Other essential support has come, year after year, from Guilford Savings Bank, Branford Community Foundation and Greg Nobile and Seaview Productions, Branford Festival and Jersey Mike’s. Without the school’s sponsors, the play would not be possible. Marcos Pizza, located on East Main Street, with its award-winning pizzas and salads, has also supported many BHS plays and musicals, providing a hot meal to keep the teams going.
These wonderful individuals and businesses, as well as countless other local companies, parents and friends make up the village that supports the Branford High Performing Arts.
Sweeney Todd will be performed on March 18, 19 and 20 at 7:30 PM; March 21 at 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM and March 22 at 2:00 PM. All performances will be held in the Cathyann Roding Auditorium in Branford High School, 185 East Main Street. Tickets are $18 adults and $15 for seniors and students and can be purchased on-line at www.thechoirlobby.com and at the door on performance nights.