Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd
Photo by Dennen Phillips
There are plenty of shows currently running, but if you’re looking for truly high-calibre, professional quality theatre this weekend in Montreal, your best choice is Sweeney Todd at the Centaur. Except this isn’t a Broadway tour, or even a local professional music theatre company. This staging of Sweeney Todd is brought to life by Starcatcher Productions, a community theatre not-for-profit.
Starcatcher Productions is a company dedicated to bringing the magic of English dramatic arts to the Kahnawá:ke, Châteauguay, and Montreal communities. Built on the belief that live theatre has the power to inspire, develop social skills, and transform everyday life, they host musical productions, local fundraisers, and creative outreach events that welcome everyone, regardless of their prior artistic experience or background. Starcatcher stands for a deeply inclusive, collaborative culture rooted in trust, respect, and mutual empowerment, creating an open space where new ideas thrive, community flourishes, and every participant is inspired to find their voice.
I love the Centaur Theatre. Walking a cobblestone path, then through neo-Classical columns to reach a lobby filled with theatre goers is a magical experience. I mean, there’s something to be said for more leg room, but when the house is full, which it was on opening night of Sweeney Todd, there is a crackling energy in the room.
Led by director Ainsley Tsokwenion, and musical director Kirk Elsmore, the cast of 22 play on the foundation of a dynamic set. Co-Set Designers Diya Kapoor and Sara Malo-Koch have created an ambitious and detailed Fleet Street. Featuring a tower, pie shop, a second story barber shop, and including the infamous chair, the set is a well-executed world for the actors to tell the story of the demon barber.
Complementing the set is the costumes, stunning costumes, designed by Tea Anderson, along with hair and makeup from Kari Valmestad. A special acknowledgement goes to dialect coach Éléonore Crépin, as the actor’s accents are all incredibly cohesive and well-maintained throughout the play.
Bringing all these elements together is a brilliant orchestra conducted by Kirk Elsmore, and a significantly talented ensemble, with Erin Yardley-Jones as Mrs. Lovett, and Gage Karahkwí:io Diabo as the titular barber. I need to be clear, for those who are unfamiliar: Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the book and lyrics for Sweeney Todd, is not an easy composer. I mean, he’s brilliant, but you can’t just get by with good vocal technique, you have to have talent. And this cast has it in abundance.
Flipping through the program before the show began, it was apparent the immense amount of time and effort, dedicated hard work, that went into this production, by an entire community of people. Dozens of folks from the Kahnawá:ke, Châteauguay, and Montreal regions have spent hours toiling together to bring Sweeney Todd to the stage. Most importantly, these are volunteers. These are people dedicated to a mission, a goal, and an experience, and they give their quality time to this project because of their passion. The standing ovation during the curtain call of opening night was earned, and well deserved, by each and every person involved. I’m not saying that professional Anglo theatre in Montreal is lacking imagination and passion, a certain dedication… What I am saying is that community theatre from companies like Starcatcher Productions has a sort of magic that is impossible to find elsewhere.
In the spirit of accessibility, not just physically, but financially, tickets to this spectacle are Pay-What-You-Decide. Always. All of them. For a non-profit organization, that sort of dedication to a mission is both wild, and noble. For those of you with the means, please consider the boundless energy (and more) that has been spent to entertain you.
So, if you’re looking for an evening out in the next four days, I implore you to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
