They are forced to unanimously choose one student to be revived. In it, five chamber-choir teens (and maybe a sixth) who lose their lives on a roller coaster, awaken in a fortune-telling machine’s purgatory. Made in 2008 by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, Ride the Cyclone is a show about self-reflection and what it means to live. Make your life one never-ending carnival come watch The Hill School’s Ride the Cyclone! Review submitted by Colette Egan of Upper Merion Area High School This isn’t an easy show to pull off, and the Hill School’s Ellis Theatre Guild made it seem easy. While there were some volume balancing issues, as well as some blocking difficulties due to the setting of a small black-box theatre, the production still shined bright. The lighting, design by Payton Jobson was quirky and colorful, adding so much to the eerie yet comical vibe of the production. ![]() The director, Tofe Akinyanmi, helped the actors truly embody teenagers, in a way that an adult director is typically unable. The student-led direction, technical direction, and costume design were impressive, especially for a production this size. In addition to the acting on stage, the work off stage was admirable. Emma Herzog’s performance of “Sugar Cloud” was emotional and beautifully belted. “The Ballad of Jane Doe” is a difficult number to master due to the demands of a high operatic range and growly lower register, but Joy Booth-Genthe stunned the audience. Francisco Halvey’s ability to merge Soundcloud rapper with Ukranian folksinger in “This Song is Awesome” and “Talia” was brilliant. Devon Smith’s energy seeped into “Noel’s Lament” and made the audience feel for the fictional character Noel Gruber wished to embody. The vocal performances of each actor were captivating. Even when another character was taking the spotlight for their specific number, it was fun to glance behind them to see Karnak (Luke Gerdeman) staring blankly or Constance Blackwood (Emma Herzog) being frightened by Jane Doe. Francisco Halvey’s Ukranian accent as Mischa Bachinski stayed consistent along with Joy Booth-Genthe’s doll-like movements as Jane Doe. Speaking of the cast, every actor was fully tapped into their character for the entire one-act show. The cast looked at the audience and fed off of the audience’s energy in the close environment. The audience was not only witness to the tragic death of these teens and the aftermath - they were involved. Taking place in a small black-box theatre, this production was incredibly intimate and meaningful. While in limbo, they compete for the chance to return to life. They are summoned into limbo by Karnak, a fortune-telling machine with the ability to know when people are going to die. ![]() The musical follows the tale of six teenagers, from Uranium, Saskatchewan, who meet an unfortunate end on the faulty Cyclone rollercoaster. The musical originally premiered in 2008 but has been through numerous productions since, notably with an Off-Broadway run in 2016 and a world premiere cast recording that came out in 2021. ![]() Ride the Cyclone is a Canadian musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. Be sure to ride the Cyclone.” The Hill School’s Ellis Theatre Guild’s production of Ride the Cyclone definitely soared to new heights. Review submitted by Dorothy Danbury of Upper Darby High School ![]() Ride the Cyclone by The Hill School in Pottstown, PA Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic – Marple Newtown High School.Little Shop of Horrors – Penn Wood High School.The Addams Family – Bordentown Regional High School.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |