Fall arts preview: 'Sweeney Todd' to 'Laramie'

Bob Kelly promises there will be blood, just no "squirting arteries."

When "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" makes its Candlelight Theater debut near Arden this weekend, don't expect a bloodthirsty re-creation of the 2007 Johnny Depp-led film of the same name.

"If you've seen the movie, you might think this is going to be incredibly dark and bloody, but it's nothing like that," Kelly says of the show, which kicks off Saturday night and runs through Nov. 1 at the 150-seat theater.

Unlike Bootless Stageworks' blood-filled production of "Evil Dead: The Musical" in July, which had premium seats in a "splatter zone," expect "Sweeney" to be a bit more staid – even though there are several incidents of characters being slashed with razor blades.

Kelly, Candlelight's producing artistic director and director of "Sweeney Todd," decided to try the 1979 Stephen Sondheim musical as part of a campaign to expand Candlelight's reach.

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"It's a little bit newer than 'Oklahoma!' and 'South Pacific' and has its own following. We thought it was a safe risk – it appeals to a different type of an audience," he says. "This theater needs to broaden its horizons, getting word out outside of the immediate community."

Kelly says more than 90 percent of first-time Candlelight patrons come back, so he's eyeing shows that can draw and retain a new batch of theatergoers. "If they come once, they'll come back," he adds, while working on getting the color of the blood just right.

Returning Candlelight actors and actresses fill out the show's leads, including Patrick O'Hara (Sweeney Todd), Catherine Ard (Mrs. Lovett), Zachery Chiero (Anthony) and Anthony Connell (Tobias). A themed menu will be curated for the show and, yes, Blood Marys just might make the cut.

Tickets are $59 for adults and $33 for children 4 to 12 by calling (302) 475-2313 or going to candlelighttheatredelaware.com.

Candlelight isn't the only performance arts group ready for autumn, which officially starts Wednesday.

While we were on the beach, some of the state's most prominent arts organizations worked on a slew of fall shows that are just waiting to fill up your calendar.

The Playhouse at Rodney Square (1007 N. Market St., Wilmington. duponttheatre.com; 888-0200.) The newly re-branded Playhouse, which is now run by the leadership of The Grand, isn't turning into a concert hall. The 1,240-seat Victorian theater will maintain its "Broadway in Wilmington" offerings in addition to concerts, starting Dec. 1 with "Annie." Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin, the touring production of "Annie" runs through Dec. 6 with tickets ranging from $20-$95. Other upcoming Broadway series shows at The Playhouse include "Chicago" (Jan. 12-17), "Mamma Mia!" (March 4-6), "Blue Man Group" (March 18-20), "42nd Street" (April 19-24) and "Jersey Boys" (May 10-15).

Delaware Symphony Orchestra (delawaresymphony.org; 652-5577) The 2015-16 DSO season is broken into a pair of series – classics and chamber. While the classics series kicked off Sept. 11 at The Grand (818 N. Market St., Wilmington), there are still four more scheduled: Nov. 13 and 15 ("Technicolor Dreams" at The Tatnall School), Feb. 26 and 28 ("Fantastic Guitars" at Sanford School), April 1 and 3 ("Spring Nights" at Tatnall) and May 6 ("The Bells of May" at The Grand.) The four-show chamber series will be held at Hotel du Pont's Gold Ballroom (42 W. 11th St., Wilmington) on Tuesdays starting with the "Serenade to Fall" on Oct. 20 featuring Tchaikovsky's "Serenade for Strings." Other chamber shows are slated for Jan. 26, March 22 and April 19. Individual tickets for all shows are $66.

Delaware Theatre Company (200 Water St., Wilmington. delawaretheatre.org; 594-1100.) Broadway's Maurice Hines, older brother of the late Gregory Hines, has brought his new show to Delaware. "Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life," which is filled with song, dance and a tribute to Hines's brother, started Wednesday at the 315-seat DTC and runs through Oct. 4. Backed by a nine-piece, all-female band, Hines will be joined by the Manzari Brothers, Washington D.C.-based tap masters. Tickets are $40-$55. If tap isn't your thing, try "Playing the Assassin," which runs Oct. 21 to Nov. 8. This dramatic play by Wilmington-based playwright David Robson tracks the true story of a career-ending injury in the NFL and examines the league's violent nature. The New York Times noted Robson's "compelling dialogue and forceful characters" while reviewing a New York staging of the play last year. Tickets are $30-$45.

Schwartz Center for the Arts (226 S. State St., Dover. schwartzcenter.com; 678-5152.) A shot of new energy and leadership at Dover's Schwartz Center for the Arts marks the theater's new season. When it comes to stage shows, Schwartz has a pair of kid-friendly productions coming up. "James and the Giant Peach" by St. Thomas More Academy students comes Nov. 13-14 with three shows to choose from. The next weekend, Nov. 20-21, sees the arrival of "Shrek: The Musical." All shows are $8-$10.

Premier Centre for the Arts at Milton Theatre (110 Union St., Milton. pcade.com; 684-3038.) With Premier Centre for the Arts completing its move from Middletown to Milton earlier this summer, the fall is set to be a season of rebirth in Milton. In addition to concerts, comedy shows, magic nights and drag shows, the theater will host its Broadway Cabaret night Oct. 24. Led by Premier Centre for the Arts leader Fred Munzert, expect an evening of cabaret, complete with a live band, cabaret tables, candlelight and an amuse-bouche-styled dinner. Tickets are $30 if you're eating and $20 for the show only.

Wilmington Drama League (10 W. Lea Blvd.,Wilmington. wilmingtondramaleague.org.) Even though there's only a week left for WDL's "Memphis" (it closes Sept. 27), that doesn't mean Lea Boulevard is going to be quiet this fall. From Oct. 12-25, the DIY theater will take on the heart-wrenching "The Laramie Project," which tracks reaction to the 1999 murder of gay student Matthew Shepard. Then the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds" runs Nov. 5-8 and "Shrek: The Musical" brings in laughs Dec 11-30. Tickets for all shows range from $12 to $20.

First State Ballet Theatre (firststateballet.com; 658-7897) "Sleeping Beauty," the timeless Brothers Grimm fairy tale, will meet Delaware's professional ballet company Oct. 17 and 18 at The Grand (818 N. Market St., Wilmington). Tickets are $28-$48. But the ballet company won't just perform at its Wilmington home base. You can also check them out at Delaware Technical Community College (21179 College Dr., Georgetown) doing their traditional run through "The Nutcracker" on Dec. 12. It's their 14th year bringing the show to Sussex County. Tickets for the holiday show are $15-$20.

OperaDelaware (4 S. Poplar St., Wilmington. operade.org; 658-8063.) Even though OperaDelaware's festival with performances of "Hamlet," "Falstaff" and "Shakespeare in Song" doesn't happen until May, there's still some opera on the menu this fall. "Viva Italia!," directed by Jeffrey Miller, will help preview the festival with performances by soprano Jennifer Cherest, mezzo-soprano Lara Tillotson, tenor Jeremy Blossey and baritone Jose Sacin. Expect the most celebrated moments in Italian opera to be represented in the show, which runs Oct. 22 and 25 and costs $28-$60.

-- Ryan Cormier, The News Journal. Facebook: @ryancormier. Twitter: @ryancormier. Instagram: @ryancormier.