By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
The scene was London at Lovett’s Pie Shop in the 1800’s. As the actors entered the stage from multiple entrances, the audience was fully imersed in the fluid dialect of Londoners. Students from Texas were speaking and singing as though they had never had a Texas twang in their voices.
The unison of their movements was mesmerizing. The finest details of each step, each wave of a hand, each lurch, each bend, every movement made on stage had been carefully choreographed and rehearsed.
The intimate space of the theater at College of the Mainland allows audiences to experience the littlest details of each performer. Fingers crept out of the staircase as though a pair of albino tarantulas are about to make their move onto center stage while other performers were in the midst of their tense scene.
Behind the staircase was the beggar woman. Throughout her performance, her fingers quivered and shook as Sarah Brinkmeyer embodied her character from head to toe.
Nelson Thornton is in his second year at COM. He portrays The Beadle, a man in his 40’s, and Nelson doesn’t disappoint in carrying out the more mature aspects of his character. He will be auditioning for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on February 20.
Noah Bryant, from Alvin in his first year at COM, portrayed Anthony Hope an innocent youthful lad who falls in love and plots the escape of his intended bride from an insane asylum. Bryant plans to one day be a high school theater teacher.
Performing in the show were students and professional actors whose combined skills created a suspenseful production with each performer matched to a role that showcased their individual talents.
The musical is a thriller with many surprising twists and turns and the performers carried out each surprise with breathtaking excellence. The show bears a warning as it is laden with violence and mature themes.
Acting out violent scenes requires special training to be able to carry it out in a believable manner and make sure no one is injured. Prior to each performance, there is a fight rehearsal which covers safety and believability.
H. Russ Brown portrayed Sweeney Todd and is the head of the theater department at COM. He is a certified fight director. “Each fight scene is carefully choreographed from the finest details to the largest movements. They will be better actors because fights are physical,” explained Brown.
Each of the students who major in Theater upon graduation will receive certification in managing weapons on stage. storytelling,” explained Brown.
If there was a flaw in opening night of COM’s production of Sweeny Todd: The Demon of Fleet Street, it was undetectable. The audience burst out in spontaneous applause several times during the show. A standing ovation was initiated quickly. British accents were still being used as the performers chatted with their family and friends after the show.
One attendee proclaimed, “I am so glad I came tonight. It was an amazing show!”
The show runs on Thursdays through Sundays. If you missed the first weekend, you can catch it again on February 16, 17, and 18 at 7:00pm and Sunday the 19th at 2:30pm. For tickets reach out online at www.com.edu/theatre or call 409-933-8345.
