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Big Noise Theatre is excited to announce Non-Equity auditions for SWEENEY TODD: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller! Big Noise Theatre is seeking a passionate, collaborative company of performers to bring one of musical theatre's most thrilling and haunting masterpieces to life. We welcome performers of all backgrounds, identities, ethnicities, body types, and ages to audition. We are looking for strong actor-singers with strong musicianship and experience with advanced choral singing and part holding, as well as excellent storytellers.

An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a 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 the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up... and the carnage has only just begun! This production will include a full orchestra.

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
From an Adaptation by Christopher Bond
Originally Directed On Broadway by Harold Prince
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

Directed by Mark J. Bracken Jr.
Music Direction by Aaron Kaplan
Choreographed by Anna Roemer

When: Monday, July 20 and Wednesday, July 22, 2026; 6pm-10pm.
Video submissions due by Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 5pm. Please use the digital form (linked below) for submissions.
Where: Christ Church United Church of Christ, 1492 Henry Street, Des Plaines, IL 60016
Pay: $100 Stipend

Callbacks: Monday, July 27, 2026; 6pm-10pm. By invite only.

Character Breakdown:

Sweeney Todd - A wrongfully imprisoned barber seeking to right the wrongs committed against him. He is Johanna’s father, singularly focused on taking bloody revenge. Our story’s tormented protagonist.

• Male Presenting
• Age: 40 to 55
• Vocal Range: F2 to Gb4

Mrs. Lovett - An entrepreneurial and amoral meat pie shop owner. She falls in love with Todd and turns his desire for revenge into a profitable business venture.

• Female Presenting
• Age: 35 to 50
• Vocal Range: G3 to E5

Anthony Hope - A naive and youthful sailor returning to London. He helps Todd return to London and unexpectedly falls in love with Johanna.

• Male Presenting
• Age: 20 to 30
• Vocal Range: Bb2 to F4

Johanna - A spritely girl, full of innocence, constantly yearning for freedom. Todd’s long-lost daughter and Turpin’s ward.

• Female Presenting
• Age: 18 to 21
• Vocal Range: Bb3 to A5

Tobias Ragg (Toby) - A poor youngster apprenticed to Pirelli. He finds a surrogate family in Todd and Lovett.

• Any Gender
• Age: 16 to 22
• Vocal Range: Bb2 to Ab4

Judge Turpin - A lecherous public official who portrays himself as a sanctimonious authoritarian. He takes advantage of his position in the city and is responsible for imprisoning Todd.

• Any Gender
• Age: 50 to 65
• Vocal Range: E2 to Gb4

Beadle Bamford - A pompous public official. He is deeply loyal to the corrupt Turpin.

• Any Gender
• Age: 40 to 55
• Vocal Range: D3 to D5

Beggar Woman - A deranged and schizophrenic woman who harbors a dark, surprising secret.

• Female Presenting
• Age: 35 to 50
• Vocal Range: Ab3 to F5

Adolfo Pirelli - A flamboyant Italian rival barber; a charlatan with a secret past.

• Male Presenting
• Age: 30 to 45
• Vocal Range: B2 to C5

Jonas Fogg - The owner of Fogg’s Asylum. He sells the hair of madmen to wigmakers.

• Male Presenting
• Age: 35 to 60

Understudies will be cast internally from the ensemble.

Time Commitment: Rehearsals will be held in Des Plaines between August 3, 2026 and October 15, 2026 typically on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings from 7pm-10pm and Saturdays from 10am-2pm. Tech Week will take place between October 11 and 15, 2026. Not every performer will be called to every rehearsal.

Performances are at Prairie Lakes Theater October 16 through November 1, 2026 on:
Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 2pm

Materials to Prepare: Please prepare 32 bars, or up to 1 minute, of a musical theatre selection, Sondheim selections are encouraged. Bring clearly marked sheet music, an accompanist will be provided.

Submission Info: Do not submit photo/resume via email for consideration; for in-person auditions, please make an audition appointment and complete the digital form. The form contains a place for links (Google Drive, Youtube, etc) to audition videos to be shared. It is the policy of Big Noise Theatre to accept walk-in auditions regardless of full audition slots.

Do not submit photo/resume via email for consideration. No phone calls, please.