Behind the scenes of Sweeney Todd

The Hawk: How does it feel to play the lead male role in such a popular musical?

Nick Virginio: It was a tremendous experience—a big challenge for me, personally, but with a great reward in the end.

TH: Were you overwhelmed or excited when you were informed of your role as Sweeney Todd?

NV: Excited. It was the first time I got to play a dark character like this.

TH: What made you decide to audition?

NV: I've been doing this since freshman year, and I thought this would be a great last show before I graduate.

TH: Were you expecting to get the lead role?

NV: It was a surprise.  It's different from the roles I'm used to playing.

TH: How easy or how difficult was it to play this role?  What challenges did you encounter?

NV: Very challenging; I had to put in extra time.  I had to do a lot of character research, through watching horror films and reading about the urban legend of Sweeney Todd.

TH: Is there anything else you'd like to tell the readers?

NV: It's been a tremendous opportunity to work with this amazing cast.  It really showcases the tremendous talent of the performing arts program at SJU.

The Hawk: How was Sweeney Todd chosen for performance at SJU?

RD: It was Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday, and we wanted to celebrate by performing one of his works.

TH: What challenges or obstacles have you faced in production?

RD: The music is incredibly difficult; the set is very complex.  It is a difficult acting piece as well.

TH: Are you excited or nervous about performing such a popular musical at SJU?

RD: I'm not nervous; I think it's a great opportunity for the students to see it live, as opposed to the film, which was recently released.

TH: Is there anything else you would like the readers of The Hawk to know about the musical?

RD: I think it is a great piece of musical theatre, and it is well worth doing, performing, or seeing.