Best of
the Twin Cities
Oh, did Theatre Latte Da hit a bloody home run with Sweeney Todd. It's not like they didn't have great material to work with — the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler musical has been lauded for decades — but director Peter Rothstein brought his own distinct touch by putting performers better known for their acting than their singing in the two lead roles. It worked wonders, as Mark Benninghofen (the murderous barber) and Sally Wingert (his cannibalistic partner in crime) brought a rough reality rarely seen in the show. It didn't stop there, as set designer Kate Sutton-Johnson crafted a rusting, rotting London for all the actors to play out all of these dark deeds. In the end, Latte Da offered us a best-of-the-decade creation.