On Thursday, August 4th, I drove about an hour to Syracuse so I could see one of my favorite musicals on stage for the first time. Happily, I was not disappointed!
In respect of their request, I did not take photos of the show.
The Red House Arts Center currently is running "Bring It On" the Musical by Jeff Whitty (book), Lin-Manuel Miranda (lyrics and music), Tom Kitt (music) and Amanda Green (lyrics) at the same time as The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (book), Harold Arlen (music and lyrics) and E. Y. Hardburg (music and lyrics) with background music by Herbert Slothart. Unfortunately, I will be unable to see “The Wizard of Oz”, but you can see both shows still, with performances ending on August 13th. These performances are the summation of the annual summer theatre camp put on by Red House, although the shows were quite professional despite the fact they come from a camp.
As you walk in the theatre, you realize it is a small, tight fit! The stage gives almost a black-box theatre feel, although all the action is in front of you. It was a unique way to see a performance, as the actors/actresses were so close you could touch them!
"Bring It On" is inspired by the motion picture "Bring it On" written by Jessica Bendingere. If you loved any of the "Bring It On" movies, you need to see this show. The lead character, Campbell, is redistricted after being named cheer captain of a team headed to Nationals. Her “mini-me” Eva then takes everything Campbell once had. In her new school, Jackson High, she makes an effort to join the dance crew, befriending Danielle and Bridget along the way. Through treachery, hard work, promises, and lies, the new Jackson Cheer Squad makes it to Nationals and they “cross the line” in more ways than one.
Campbell, the optimistic, kind main character of this show, is played by Amelia Millar. Millar is a professional actress from the Saratoga Springs area, and she really lights up the stage as a both a solid dancer and singer. “One Perfect Moment”, one of the most recognizable songs from the show, came out clear and beautiful from a nervous Campbell.
Skylar and Kylar, played by Sadie Fridley and Louisa Schramm respectively, make a great pair of friends. Fridley and Schramm did an excellent job with the tight harmonies in “Something Isn’t Right Here”, and they are not actually professional actors! Fridley, as Skylar, stood out as an outstanding actress who took the role and really made it work. Not only was her acting excellent, but she had one of the best voices in the entire cast. It blew me away when I found out that she is only going into 8th grade!
Morgan Robinson played the self-conscious Bridget who gets transferred to Jackson High along with Campbell. Robinson sounds just like the Bridget from the soundtrack, which could be negative in some cases, but here it was particularly enjoyable. She dropped character a few times with her acting, but otherwise made a very convincing Bridget.
Noelle Miller was lucky enough to have the role of Eva, the psychotic sophomore who ruins Campbell’s life and creates trouble for Skylar and Kylar. Miller’s emotional range really shows the craziness Eva has locked inside, and her full voice and acting display was one of the most convincing of the cast.
Rachel Leotta, Levonne Owens and Joanie Anderson played the three main characters from Jackson High, and they did an excellent job with their roles. All three were excellent dancers, actresses, and singers, so any part of the show with these three stars in it was full of life. Anderson, who played sassy Danielle, pulled off an amazing performance and some crazy stunts!
The whole ensemble did an excellent job performing together. Every person was involved and worked hard for an excellent performance. The group numbers sounded amazing, with good blend and a good bass from the male part of the ensemble.
Music Director Patrick Burns, Assistant Director Max Smith, Sound Designer Anthony Vadala and Conductor Bridget Moriarty were in charge of the music, sound quality, and the voices singing the music. Most songs had a full sound that left nothing to be desired with the exception of “Killer Instinct”. Eva’s solo song where she reveals her secret is far too empty in the opening, leaving Miler exposed in a soft and somewhat difficult vocal part. The band's overall performance was splendid, making for an enjoyable performance altogether.
Choreographer LaRon Grant and Assistant Choreographer Kasie Patlove had the most important job in this show; get normal actors and actresses dancing like cheerleaders. The stunts were “crazy sauce”, as said in the show, as there were more difficult cheer stunts mixed in with some moderate cheer dancing. The actors and actresses never stopped moving, and that attests to just how quickly senior year goes by and how busy everyone is.
The Stage Manager John Fortunato, Prop Mistress Maggie Allardice, Costume Designer Christopher Simanton and Set and Lighting Designer Marie Yokoyama all provided key elements to the show that really brought it full circle. No mistakes were made, as far as I could see, and that means these people are doing their jobs.
All in all, "Bring It On" was a fantastic showing of talent in the local area. I suggest that everyone take a shot at seeing the show, as it was one of the best overall performances I have ever seen. Tickets should be bought ahead of time, as the performance I attended was sold out with extra seats. Tickets can be bought at redhouse.org. Performances happen at 201 S. West Street, Syracuse, NY 13202.
