The Culver City High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts is presenting one of its most ambitious productions with Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.  Directed by The Actors’ Gang member Jon Kellam, AVPA is bringing together a professional team of creative artists to teach and direct students in this large-scale production. Students are working with experienced professionals who have worked on productions such as The Lion King, Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark, and a vocal coach who has sung in the Vatican. 

As with many other school districts, funding is limited for arts education.  The cost of producing and providing this opportunity for our students to experience working on Sweeney Todd exceeds the funds that are normally raised by ticket sales.  The AVPA Theatre department is launching a fundraising campaign to help provide the support of the professionals who are working with the students each day.

Parents and students have worked together to provide information and how to help become a “Sweeney Sponsor.”  By visiting www.avpa.org and clicking on our link to the Sweeney page, you can find all the information for our production, as well as learning how to contribute to its success by becoming a donor and purchasing tickets to witness the students’ hard work. In addition to being acknowledged for all donations, $100 donors will also receive 2 reserved premium seats at a performance of their choice.

In conjunction with contemporary news and events, director Jon Kellam has linked the 19^th century English setting with the modern “Occupy” protests.  Pitting wrongfully imprisoned Sweeney Todd, the alias for character Benjamin Barker, against Judge Turpin, the story conjures up battles between classes, inequality, and injustice.

Our students are preparing to “Occupy Fleet Street” — and our community can help make their dream a reality by attending the production March 15-18 and by becoming a Sweeney Sponsor.  Visit www.avpa.org for more information, to purchase tickets, and make a much appreciated donation to support the continued excellence of arts education provided by Culver City High School’s AVPA.