Local theater scene makes old plays look new

Scene from 'Sweeney Todd'
Actors Judy Kaye and David Hess in a scene from the Broadway touring production of "Sweeney Todd," playing through Feb. 10 at the State Theatre in Minneapolis.
Photo courtesy of DavidAllenStudio.com

The State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis is running a touring production of "Sweeney Todd." The new version of the Stephen Sondheim musical is radically different from the original, which was first staged in 1979.

It's not the only play on the local theater scene that's been significantly rethought. St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic Dominic Papatola discusses how old plays can be made new.