Wethersfield local joins Broadway veteran, Terrence Mann, at CRT

WETHERSFIELD LOCAL JOINS BROADWAY VETERAN, TERRENCE MANN, IN CT REP’S “SWEENEY TODD”

STORRS: Olivia Fenton of Wethersfield, CT joins Broadway stars Terrence Mann (“Beauty and the Beast”, “Les Misérables”), Liz Larsen (“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”, “Hairspray”), Andréa Burns (“On Your Feet!”, “In the Heights”) and Ed Dixon (“Sunday in the Park with George”, “Mary Poppins”) in “Sweeney Todd”. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale at crt.uconn.edu or 860-486-2113.

Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to London seeking vengeance against the lecherous Judge Turpin who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, the resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires a new ingredient for her meat pies that has the people of London lining up…and the carnage has only just begun! This chilling masterpiece is sure to thrill and delight audiences.

Olivia Fenton, who is making her CRT debut with this show, is a rising senior at the University of Hartford getting her BFA in Musical Theatre. She says, “Working with the equity actors on this show is so encouraging as a performer. Andréa, for one, makes new choices every time she’s on stage and it’s been an honor to learn from her. She inspires me to push myself to meet the energy that each of them bring to the rehearsal room.” Olivia shares the stage with students from lauded theatre programs including UCONN, Michigan, Hartt, Western Carolina and Western Connecticut.

The three-time Tony Award nominee Terrence Mann stars as Sweeney Todd. Most recently, Mann performed off-Broadway in the title role Broadway in “Jerry Springer The Opera” for which he received a Lucile Lortell nomination. On Broadway, Mann was The Man in the Yellow Suit in “Tuck Everlasting”. He can be seen in the final installment of the Netflix Series “Sense8” premiering in June. Other Broadway credits include: “Les Misérables,” “Cats,” “Barnum,” and the Tony winning revival of “Pippin.”

Liz Larsen returns to the CRT stage as Nellie Lovett. Larsen earned a Tony Award-nomination and a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in Broadway’s “The Most Happy Fella.” Other credits include her current role in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” and previously “Hairspray,” “The Rocky Horror Show,” “Starmites,” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” She previously appeared at CT Rep in “Les Misérables” and “The Odd Couple”.

Broadway veteran Andréa Burns makes her CRT debut as the Beggar Woman. Most recently, she has been in the Broadway production of “On Your Feet!” She also won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance for “In The Heights.” Other Broadway credits include: “The Nance,” “The Fully Monty,” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Ed Dixon will make his CRT debut as Judge Turpin. Dixon won the 2017 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for “George: My Adventures with George Rose”. Previous Broadway credits include “Anything Goes”, “Sunday in the Park with George”, “Mary Poppins” and “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man”.

Director Peter Flynn’s New York credits include Actors’ Fund concerts of “On the Twentieth Century”,“Chess”, and “Funny Girl” with Whoopi Goldberg and Andrea Martin. He has also performed on Broadway in “The Scarlet Pimpernel” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Recent credits include “Curvy Widow” off-Broadway, “Ragtime” for Ford’s Theatre and “Kiss Me, Kate!” for the Maltz-Jupiter Theatre.

The production team includes Peter Flynn (Director), Ken Clifton (Music Director), Tim Brown (Scenic Design), Christina Bullard (Costume Design), Alan C. Edwards (Lighting Design), Michael Vincent Skinner (Sound Design), and Tom Kosis (Production Stage Manager).

The cast will also include Lu DeJesus (Beadle Blamford), Hugh Entrekin (Anthony Hope), Kenneth Galm (Tobias Ragg), Nicholas Gonzalez (Pirelli/ Daniel O’Higgins), Emilie Kouatchou (Johanna Barker), Ryan Albinus, Alex Campbell, Cydney Clark, Lauryn Hobbs, Kelley McCarty, Charlie Patterson, Gregory Rodriguez, and Brandon Wolfe (Ensemble).

Performance and Ticket Information

Evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Matinee performances start at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Subscription package options range from $84 to $117. Single tickets prices start at $48. Discounts are available for seniors and students.

The performance on Saturday, June 30 at 2 p.m. will be ASL interpreted.

Children must be at least 4 years old to attend CRT productions. For additional ticket information or to purchase tickets by phone, call 860.486.2113. To purchase tickets online,visit www.crt.uconn.edu. All sales are final; no refunds. Play selections and performance dates are subject to change. Single tickets are now on sale.

The Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre is located on the campus of the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, CT.

CRT’s Community Partners for the Nutmeg Summer Series include Savings Institute Bank and Trust, Dog Lane Café, Mansfield Downtown Partnership.

June 21: Preview 7:30 p.m.

June 22: Opening 8:00 p.m.

June 23: 2 p.m. / 8 p.m.

June 24: 2 p.m.

June 26: 7:30 p.m.

June 27: 7:30 p.m.

June 28: 7:30 p.m.

June 29: 8 p.m.

June 30: 2 p.m./ 8 p.m.

July 1: 2 p.m.

CRT is the professional producing arm of the Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. CRT productions are directed, designed by and cast with visiting professional artists, including Equity actors, faculty members and the department’s most advanced student artists. The synergy between professional and advanced student artists creates extraordinary theatre and a unique learning environment.

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