#BehindtheCurtain: Get to Know Jason Blitman
Get ready to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd opening this weekend at SDMT! But first, meet the creative mind behind our tale: the director extraordinaire, Jason Blitman! Jason is no stranger to SDMT, having directed Xanadu in our 2023 season, and we are so grateful he is a part of the SDMT Family. This Sondheim classic is a far cry from the bubbly and bright world of Xanadu, but it’s been so exciting seeing a different side of Jason’s creative process for this production. With years of directorial experience, he brings that wealth of knowledge with him and has crafted an exceptional and unique version of Sweeney Todd that we can’t wait to share with audiences. Playing into SDMT’s intimate theatre, Jason has worked to heighten the thrill and drama behind this tale to make the audience feel like they are fully immersed in the story as it unfolds around them. This week, we had a chance to sit down with Jason to ask him a bit more about his connection to Sweeney and his journey as a Director, so keep reading his full blog below. And once you’re done, be sure to get your tickets to see Jason’s vision come to life for yourself on the SDMT Stage from September 20th to October 20th!
Tell us a little bit about your theatre background. How did you get into theatre, and how did you get into directing?
I was a theatre kid my whole life. From putting on puppet shows to bossing my sisters around to perform. I learned pretty quickly that what I actually was doing was producing and directing, so when I was 12, a local theatre let me direct my first show for kids. I’m very grateful to the people older than me who tolerated a pre-teen directing them. I went on to get a degree in theatre and worked in New York City in the artistic departments of companies like The Public Theater and TheaterWorksUSA.
Does Sweeney Todd have any special meaning to you? What made you want to direct it?
I was introduced to Sweeney at a point in my life by my good friends Edmund and Gary, and I didn’t get it. I didn’t love the music, it was over my head. And then I saw it again and appreciated it much more. After 4 years at The Public Theater I had decided to leave to pursue freelance directing opportunities and my first gig was as the Assistant to the Director of Sweeney Todd at the New York Philharmonic starring Emma Thompson. During that process, our rehearsal room was a little too small and I was tasked with finding a new one. I called my friend Eric Keen-Louie to see if he had any recommendations for alternative rehearsal spaces — Eric had recently started a job at The Old Globe and it was on that call that he said “hey, would you have any interest in Assistant Directing a new musical at The Old Globe?”. It was working on Dog and Pony there, assisting the late Roger Rees, that brought me to San Diego for the first time! It took years, but eventually I moved here. So I would credit Sweeney Todd for getting me to San Diego, which makes directing this work here that much more special.
We’ve talked about how SDMT’s Sweeney will be different than any other version people have seen of this show. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? What is different or special about the version you’re directing?
The show has often been performed in big theatres with big casts, and so in turn people think about it as a “big” show. But in the SDMT space it has to be small because of the nature of the space. So we have 14 fantastic performers and a live band telling the story in an incredibly intimate way. Beyond that, patrons will find that this version takes a unique spin to the Sondheim classic, but just as they say in the show about Sweeney Todd himself- “he wouldn’t want us to give it away!” so you’ll have to come see for yourself!
Do you have a favorite scene or number in Sweeney Todd?
I don’t have a favorite scene or song per se, but it’s always interesting working on a show that you’re familiar with because the more time you spend with a piece the more you come to appreciate parts that you might have overlooked before. So I’d say I have a new appreciation for songs like “Wait” and “Kiss Me,” while I’ve always loved the favorites like “Worst Pies in London”.
If you were to open up your own shop, what would you be selling?
I’ve always loved bookstores, so I’d probably want to open a bookstore/coffee shop or something. A place where you could hang out and read a book and meet new and interesting people.
Sweeney Todd Creative Team:
Director: Jason Blitman
Music Director: Richard Dueñez Morrison
Choreographer: Katie Banville
CLICK HERE to buy tickets!
Photo by Julie Licari
