APTOS >> Cabrillo Stage’s summer play will feature scenes of murder, revenge and even cannibalism, accompanied by catchy songs that will stick in audiences’ heads for days, all set amid the dark and foggy backdrop of Victorian London. In other words, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” will be coming to Cabrillo College’s Crocker Theater in July and August.

Taking the helm for this production will be Cabrillo Stage Artistic Director Andrea Hart, who announced the play as Cabrillo Stage’s summer production Jan. 1.

Sweeney Todd is a character with a long history, dating back to the 1840s penny dreadful series “A String of Pearls,” about a barber who kills his clients and gives their corpses to his assistant, Mrs. Lovett, who bakes them into meat pies. The story has been adapted numerous times since then, notably as a play by Christopher Bond titled, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” in 1973, which in turn was adapted into a 1979 musical by Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim’s version went on to win eight Tony Awards, nine Drama Desk Awards and a Laurence Olivier Award. It was subsequently adapted into a 2007 movie by the same name, directed by Tim Burton.

It is the Sondheim version that Cabrillo Stage will be performing, and in Wednesday’s announcement video, Hart said she liked the play for being “devilishly entertaining” while also examining various human reactions to living in a dog-eat-dog world.

“I want theatre to entertain us and offer us opportunities for reflection and catharsis,” she said in a statement. “I am in awe of how ‘Sweeney’ explores class warfare and the corroding influence of bitterness…all while singing about pies! I can’t wait to share it with you!”

This is the first Cabrillo Stage production to be directed by Hart, who was hired as artistic director in 2022, although she was an instrumental part of Cabrillo Stage’s last two productions, “In the Heights” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” She also directed Cabrillo’s Black Box Theater production of “Marie Antoinette” and Cabrillo Theater Arts production of “The SpongeBob Musical,” both in 2024. She will be joined by Musical Director Daniel Goldsmith, Technical Director Marcel Tjioe, Scenic Designer Skip Epperson, Managing Director Dustin Leonard, Assistant Production Manager Kelly Mack and other crew members who will be announced at a later date.

Cast auditions are scheduled for Feb. 22 and 23, with video auditions accepted Feb. 1 to 21. Those auditioning in person are asked to bring in sheet music in their own key, with 32 bars or 1 minute of a stylistically appropriate song. An accompanist will be on hand to perform the music while the auditioned sings. Callbacks will take place Feb. 28 and March 1, and the cast will be announced in April. Casting is open to performers ages 16 and older. For more information, go to CabrilloStage.com/auditions.

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” will kick off with a preview performance at 7:30 p.m. July 17, followed by opening night 7:30 p.m. July 18. After that, performances will be 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 10, save for a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee performance Aug. 9. The July 20 show will feature a post-show Q&A with the directors and cast. All events will take place at Crocker Theater, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos. Tickets will go on sale online starting April 1, and phone or box office sales start June 26. For information, go to CabrilloStage.com/SweeneyTodd.