USM Students Prepare for Sweeney Todd Musical - WHLT 22 Connecting the Pine Belt

USM Students Prepare for Sweeney Todd Musical

HATTIESBURG, Miss.- The fictional story of a barber who kills his clients and uses the bodies to make meat pies is coming to life in a musical at the Saenger Theater.

Nick Webb is playing the main antagonist in the theatrical musical Sweeney Todd as Judge Turpin.

"Judge Turpin's the bad guy and in show full of bad people it takes a lot to be the worst," Webb said.

Sweeney spends a tedious amount of time trying to get back at Turpin for the hardships he caused him. 

However, even though this is just a play, the cast got a taste of real hardship when the February 10 tornado damaged the Performing Arts Center, where the play was originally scheduled to be.

"We were all there," Webb said.

"We had just finished putting our set up on the stage when the tornado came through," said Mike Lopinto, director of the musical.

Lopinto said after the weeks of preparation, this was a major set back for the crew.

"The floors were buckling up under the stage," he said. "We've worked so hard we were so close."

Due the water damage, the cast will have to do without the original set and have the orchestra perform in the background at the Saenger.

"We've come back from extremely difficult circumstances," said cast member Roxann Jackson who plays Mrs. Lovett.

She said their set backs gave them more motivation.

"We want this production, we wanted it to happen and that's what really makes this thing come to life ," said Jackson.

Now with only a few days before show time, the crew is busy  practicing and preparing for their audience

"You're going to feel scared, you're going to feel a little bit confused, your going to have a lot of laughs, and have so much fun," said Jackson.

The play will start at 7:30 p.m. on March 6 and 7 at the Saenger Theater.