FSU is known for its exciting theatre program. Filled to the brim with talent, each production is a treat to the ears and the eyes. This year, FSU Theatre has a variety of shows that have something for everyone!
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
As we enter October, aka spooky season, FSU Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is set to take the stage. A story of an exiled barber returning to London to find his lost daughter, with a side of murder and meat pies.
Sweeney Todd is a seminal work by composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim is one of the most influential figures in the musical theatre space throughout the past 50 years. His other popular works include Into the Woods, Company, Assassins, and many others.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is based on an old British legend, which originated as a 19th-century newspaper periodical. The show follows Sweeney Todd and his accomplice, Mrs. Lovett, an older woman hopelessly in love with him. So in love, she bakes his victims into her pies.
The show also features a pair of young lovers. Sweeney’s lost daughter, Joanna, is being raised by the corrupt Judge Turpin, who plans on marrying her. Young sailor Anthony befriends Sweeney before unknowingly falling for his daughter and making a plan to rescue her.
A deliciously funny show that blends twisted humor with gorgeous instrumentation, and a London filled to the brim with corruption at every turn. Will Sweeney get away with murder? Will Mrs. Lovett get Sweeney to love her back? Will Joanna get her freedom, and will Anthony get the girl?
Check out Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Oct. 17-26, in the Fallon Theatre, located in the Fine Arts Building.
You on the Moors Now
You on the Moors Now begs the question, what if our favorite literary heroines rewrote their stories? The show features Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre, Jo March from Little Women, and Cathy Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights.
This play takes the rejection of the male love interests and turns it into a coordinated act of defiance. The women want to form identities outside of the men they’re romantically linked to. This rejection turns verbal spars into a full-on battle of the sexes.
The men and women become warring factions, and side characters create a spy network. This fun play is a comedic twist on the stories we’re all too familiar with, as well as being a commentary on dating in the modern cultural landscape.
Written by Jaclyn Backhaus, the show is a love letter to English majors everywhere. Reconciling antiquated ideas of love fed to us through classic literature with our modern idea of dating. This witty, nuanced portrayal of girlhood is the perfect way to spend an evening.
The show opens on Halloween night and runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 9 in the Lab Theatre. Make sure to get your tickets for this exciting show.
Junie B. Jones: The Musical
The final show of the fall season is Junie B. Jones: The Musical. Based on the beloved book series by Barbara Park, this upbeat musical brings Junie to the stage to sing and dance.
Junie B. Jones: The Musical is an example of FSU’s mission to deliver theatre to young audiences, and is dubbed Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), aiming to bring palatable messages to kids through the medium of live performance.
FSU’s TYA shows include school day performances, where children across Tallahassee get out of class to come see a daytime performance of the show. FSU Theatre wants to make theatre accessible for kids of all ages and introduce theatre to so many who may not have gotten this opportunity otherwise.
An over-the-top fun show that follows Junie through all her escapades is sure to be an exciting one for all audiences. The show is running for one weekend only, from Nov. 20-23, in the Fallon Theatre. Make sure to get your tickets for this perfect family outing — bring your siblings, cousins, or just yourself!
FSU Theatre has such a varied and exciting fall season, so make sure to use that student discount on tickets to see these fantastic shows!
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