Sweeney Todd - Miles Sternfeld's Directing Thesis

We invite you to be part of this innovative production of Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece Sweeney Todd at Columbia University!

About This Production:

Directed by MFA candidate Miles Sternfeld, this groundbreaking interpretation sets Sweeney Todd against the backdrop of America's fascination with true crime and serial killers during the 1980s/90s. Through this lens, we explore how society's obsession with violence shapes our collective consciousness.

Performance Dates:

February 20 at 8p

February 21 at 8p

February 22 at 2p & 8p

February 23 at 2p

Our Fundraising Goal: $8,680.00

Your contribution will help us create a professional-quality production while ensuring fair compensation for our talented artists.

As a donor, you will receive a ‘Special Thanks’ in our production program. For donations over $1000, we will prominently bill your name above the title on the poster and program cover.

Your Donation Will:

Support emerging theater artists at Columbia University

Help bring this unique interpretation of a classic musical to life

Enable us to maintain high production values worthy of Sondheim's work

Ensure fair compensation for our dedicated creative team

A Note from the Director

In 2020, like many did, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the last five years of my life. Until that moment, I had been lucky enough to start my own non-profit musical theatre company – directing reimagined productions, collaborating with writers on new works, and working with world renowned artists. I also had the privilege to form, operate, and artistically lead an education program which provided training opportunities for students around the world with working Broadway professionals. Life was good and yet I still wanted more for myself – to further hone my skills as a director and take bigger steps towards my dream of directing in commercial theatre. This ultimately led me to applying for my MFA in Directing at Columbia University.

I knew much about Columbia’s prestigious program from reading Anne Bogart’s mind-expanding books on directing and theatre. Anne’s philosophies on directing in A Director Prepares and the likes served as touchstones for me as I navigated a path in directing without formal directing education. After much thought, deliberation, and some strong pushes from loved ones, I jumped through my fear and applied to the program. In my essay to Columbia, I wrote about my greatest influences in theatre – the works of Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim – and how their influence has shaped my approach, aesthetic, and core values as a director. So, it is only right that I complete my time at Columbia returning back to my main inspirations by directing one of the greatest collaborations of Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim: Sweeney Todd.

This production of Sweeney Todd will be a culmination of my intensive training at Columbia. I have had the incredibly special privilege to be mentored by theatre luminaries Anne Bogart and Brian Kulick, as well as studying with Katie Mitchell, Saheem Ali, and Carey Perloff. Over the last three years, I have dedicated countless hours to directing experimental theatre, the Greeks, Chekhov, Shakespeare, Churchill, new play development, and opera. These forms of theatre were all brand new to me! I look forward to integrating all I’ve learned from these experiences into musical theatre – my primary passion. It is my hope to incorporate all of the tools and training that I have received and honed these last three years into my thesis production of Sweeney Todd. This will serve as a showcase for my skills as a theatre director for industry professionals and be a launching pad for the next stages of my career.

We have been given special permission by Columbia University to pursue $8650 in additional fundraising – a new precedent in the Columbia directing program’s history. This will be the largest production ever produced at Lenfest Center for the Arts and so we need all of your support to make it all possible.

I thank you endlessly for any contributions you may be able to make – whether it be monetary or just helping to spread the campaign. Your support of this production means everything to me, my collaborators, and the next stages of my career. I hope to see you all in February for what I know will be an incredibly special production of Sweeney Todd.

Join Us in Creating Theatre:

Tickets for this production are FREE to the public, so If you’re planning to attend please donate what you can. Every contribution, regardless of size, helps us reach our goal and brings this innovative production closer to reality. Be part of this exciting theatrical experience that examines how we process and consume stories of violence in modern media.

Thank you for supporting the next generation of theater artists and helping us bring this compelling vision to the stage.