Sweeney todd?????????

Question

Okay I'm auditioning for mrs.lovett and I need some tips on what to do when i play her for the audition. so any ideas?

10 points for a detailed answer! thanx!

Answer 1

1. watch the movie

2. listen to the soundtrack to be famililar with the music

3. practice singing "worst pies in london" and "a little priest"

4. practice your accent. make sure it is cockney.

5. come up with little mannerisms for your character to have. (example. jack sparrow always swoons around and does stuff with his hands)

good luck!!

Answer 2

I'm not a big fan of the way the girl in the movie sings the song. I'd say get yourself a recording of the song from the opera. They did release a soundtrack for it and you can probably download it off of limewire or something. Mrs. Lovett is definitely a very creepy weird character, so be sure you have that in mind. And as far as the singing goes, take in a lot of breath. Her songs have almost no room to breathe in them, so make sure you know exactly where you're breathing to not mess with the song.

Answer 3

Pick a song that few of the other people auditioning will choose - I'd go with "By the Sea" - it's the most challenging and the judges will be sick of hearing "Worst Pies in London" on audition day.  Practice, practice, practice and don't build any breathing spots into it - you should have good enough air - I can do the verses without breathing, it *is* possible.  Use the broadway version of the song, not the version from the movie as those were shortened and you want to make it clear that you understand that you're auditioning for the stage production.  I'd include the second verse from the stage production, the "kippers/slippers" verse and make it shorter after that.

Answer 4

I would say watch the movie and look at what Helena Botam-Carter does. Get familiar with the story and the script. And I would say act kind of quirky if they have you sing "The Worst Pies In London". Good luck. Hope you get the part.

Answer 5

Helena Bonham Carter did a nice job with the character in terms of acting, but don't listen to her singing as there is no way she'd ever get away with it on stage - it was OK on film but not for live performances.  A good audition song is going to be key to your chances of getting the part; unless they've specifically asked for a song from the show, don't sing a Sweeney song.  Find some other Sondheim (I'd recommend something from Into the Woods or Sunday in the Park with George) and sing that.  Mrs Lovett can be seen as the "villain" of the piece, but I don't think she was actually evil, she just loved Sweeney a lot and would do whatever she could to keep him.  She's very maternal, as shown by her attitude towards Toby.