Award-winning composer Steven Sondheim has taken us to the forum, into the woods and the park, and given us a close shave. What Sweeney Todd did to his tonsorial customers, nine charming wingnuts do to presidents in Sondheim’s Assassins, a musical about political murderers and would-be murderers. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, Squeeky Fromme (she missed Ford), John Hinkely (winged Reagan) and the rest of the wacky gang dance, sing, shout and shoot. The show opens in a shooting gallery with the catchy ensemble number “Everybody’s Got the Right” with its squirmingly funny “If you keep your goal in sight, you can climb to any height. Everybody’s got a right to their dreams.” Then Lincoln gets it. Assassins is dark, poignant, toe-tapping, gun-toting fun with criminals you’ll adore.
Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Starts: March 13. Continues through April 5, 2009
