Book, Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
After a rough night with her abusive boyfriend Burrs, vaudeville dancer Queenie decides to throw a huge party where she plans to get Burrs back for the horrific abuse he has inflicted upon her.
This production is tight from its the scene transitions to the vocal performances. Every member of this production made strong choices and knew where they were going with each step yet the performance was organic from the top of the show through the end. I could have done without the over sexual choreography. Though I understood the use of this direction, one number did make me feel uncomfortable.
Terrence J. Jamison as Black. This actor seemed to fall into this character with ease. With a voice like the lost member of Boyz II Men, Terrence was more than capable of not only thrilling the audience with his vocal runs, he told a strong story of a gentle man with this performance.
Michelle Knight as Kate - Michelle came onto the stage ready to play. This actress knew her character down to her marrow. Michelle understands that being a powerhouse means dialing a performance down to take the audience on the journey through her story. Michelle was in control of her performance but never once overshadowed the other players, only assisting them in creating more depth of the show and the other players.
Kristen Sheola as Queenie. Kristen told a beautiful story with her portrayal of this woman. This actress created a romantic sadness for Queenie which reminded me of a Rembrandt painting, a multidimensional and mysterious character that can never be fully understood. Not an ounce of Kristen’s Queenie felt like a reproduction of any other character I’ve seen. She was genuine, lovely and broken throughout her performance. I also applaud this performer for her ability to allow the other performers to take center stage, which created a more dynamic world for these characters to live.
Preston Ellis as Burrs. Preston was easily my favorite performer of the night. Our leading man honors this character with intensity. An undeniable mark of a truly gifted actor is when the performer portrays the humanity of an antagonist. All too often the “bad guy” in a show can be portrayed as one dimensional. In these cases, the struggle between good an bad is clearly identified as superficial. Preston is a master of manipulation as Burrs. When we find ourselves identifying with the core of an antagonist, in this case his need to control, a common desire for an abusive person, the audience is left questioning their own motives and moral standing. I was truly fascinated by Preston’s performance.
Honorable mentions go to Joshua Oliveras for his brash tenor at the top of the show, Casey Sweeney for the oddly lovable Eddie, Bernadette Siudock for being honest and connected as Mae and Cody McNeeley and his lovely dance solo. Also I appreciate that he didn’t spit on me again. (Full disclosure, I DID sit in the splash zone during West Side Story.)
You should all be very proud of your incredible work.
Theater West End continues to set the standard for live musical theater in Central Florida. What a lovely breath of fresh air they have become for those of us who are tired of mediocre productions of the same 10 shows. Bravo, kids. Looking forward to If/Then. I’m sure I’ll be bawling my eyes out for that one.
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