On November 15th I attended The Addams Family musical at the Kirkland Fine Arts Center in Decatur. When I was walking in I was sure that this musical would be just like all of the others I have seen, full of catchy show tunes and over exaggerated stage makeup. Overall, I was.very excited to see a college preform a show that my high school shall preform later in the year. We were even directed to a room for a pre-show meeting with the director! Originally the musical was produced on Broadway by Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt and others. With all of the different musical numbers, three songs stood out to me the most. The first song that I wish to talk about is the song “Pulled.” The song was sung mainly by Wednesday, however the
The choreography kept things interesting and the dances in a musical can make or break the performance. Overall, Cherie and Abby did an amazing job directing each person to have a place among a crowded stage. Last but not least, the costumes! This play was set in the 1890s, meaning it is very important to have correlating costumes so the audience can be aware of what time period they are in.
The production had many elements which for the most part formed a coalition to further the plot. The characters, the three part scenery and costumes represented well the period of time these people were going through. As far as the performers entering and exiting the stage, it could have been more organized. There were a few times when the performers exited at the wrong times or it seemed so due to the echo of the music. At certain moments the music was slightly loud and drowned the performers. Many of the songs dragged on, so the pacing could have been more effectively executed. Though the music was off at times, the director's decision to have most of the songs performed center sage was a wise one. Also the implementation of actual white characters that were competent in their roles came as a great surprise to the audience and heightened the realism.
Looking at this musical brought me back to the first musical I ever saw when I was young, which is Jelly’s Last Jam starring Gregory Hines. Like that musical, Love Jones had a similar effect immersing me in the music and acting and tied these feelings into my senses. Both musical are compartmentalized in a special place in my brain for the rest of my life. To say I enjoyed this play is an understatement, and I would recommend this to anyone who can catch this show touring in their
Southern, Eileen. The Music of Black Americans. 2nd ed. 1971. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1986. 367, 404-5, 407, 430, 437. Print.
In conclusion, this production was one of my favorites that I had ever seen. The storyline was interesting and intense throughout. The designers and actors brought the message across perfectly, which made the play a great success. There were a lot of messages portrayed in this play; however, I believe the most important would be the need for justice. It is important to give the people a fair trial and that it is dangerous to be stereotypical in life.
Overall the production had a positive effect on me because it made me look at life in a whole different approach. I learned morals and life lessons that I believed I had already lost. In Finian’s rainbow, I took out that love can emerge from all sorts of places and race. In Flahooley, I took out that even the most self centered man can be changed if the right woman is placed in his life. After my amazing experience, I will most certainly recommend this musical to others.
One of its numerous strengths was the costuming and set. This musical would not have been the same had these elements not come together to transport the viewer. In addition to the costuming and the set, the actors were very well cast. Each actor was in a role that fit them and they portrayed their characters very well. For example, the man who played Glen really seemed like a greedy Wall Street worker. The choreography was also well done. It fit true to the style of dance in the 1980s and added to the immersion experience. The only thing that could have made this experience better would be to add more music. This may just be a personal preference, but when I see a musical I like for the music to be central like it is in Hamilton or Les Miserables. However, this musical was very good and not much could be added to enhance the
The sound design and choreography intensified the overall musical. They created the time, place, and mood through rhythm and great energy. The actors had wireless, behind the ear mikes, that attached to the mike pack which amplified the sound, making it very clear. I could easily understand what they were talking about or singing.
...attracted more audiences. There were different features in this musical like stereotype on teenagers and racial issues, they appeared in some of the scenes and they were important to the story plot. The other big feature in the production was the tradition of cast in Edna Turnblad’s role, every production of this musical used actor to take the role instead of actress. It became one of the reasons that made audience went to cinemas to watch this film and this role received quite a number of positive comments. There were also symbols in the production as well, they signified different meanings towards to plot and the character traits for example fame and the growth. Finally the themes were positive in the musical and made the audience learn from most of the characters, the settings were also good and it was a good piece of production either in stage and film version.
Every performance was presented with charm. The flashing, changing colors seem to go along with the performances. The director was humorous. The performers outfits were on point too. I liked the color coding of the vocalists, Jeremy, Jordan, and Rowan. Also, Julie wore a pretty suede dress and had a great voice. It was nice to see her come out for the 2nd time to sing. When Spencer kept playing his saxophone in some of the performances, it was just amazing. Some of my favorite performances were Sittin on the Dock of the Bay, Ain’t too Proud to Beg, In a Sentimental Mood, and more. It really made me feel like I was in New Orleans all over again. I absolutely love Otis Redding and The Temptations music, so I wasn’t new to these songs they played. I was sitting in the back (R-125) where I felt comfortable to bob my head to the music. If I ever come back to see another concert, I will make sure to get a seat in the back again. I adore Jordan that did sung the Temptations song. I thought it was exciting to see his enthusiasm while on stage keeping us engaged, but everyone did great in their own way. The song by Duke Ellington made me feel melancholy, the piece was soft. I just couldn’t believe how well everyone contributed and gave an outstanding
On my sixteenth birthday, my friends--we call ourselves The Crew--gave me the best gift ever. They combined two of my favorite things--the TV show, Law and Order, and Taylor Swift--and created a mini movie. The first time I watched it, and every time since, I crack up laughing. It is the funniest, quirkiest creation I have ever seen and it’s a fantastic representation of how thoughtful and loving my friends truly are.
In this magical experience, the volunteers that put on the enactment were extremely resourceful. The sets were a little intricate to acquire, especially when the donations, and fundraising, were few. The cast and volunteers were impressive on their improvisation for sets they couldn’t buy, like using a projector to set the atmosphere. However, some sets weren’t so great. They could have improved on some sets and the complications like the microphones being sometimes on and off. Overall, the sets were improvised skillfully, and the show was exceptionally concluded.
This was the first time I really had to act on stage and it was a challenge. Let me tell you that saying the word “so” to Kira Maddel’s standards is not easy, Sam, Lizzy, and Callen feel me on that. As for Maddy Cox’s Musical Island of Misfit Fairytales, I was upgraded from ensemble to pesant and was pumped about it.
As the dark stadium filled with fire, with the sounds of guns and bombs exploding everywhere, the crazed fans yelled at the top of their lungs. The enormous stage was rumbling with the sound of a single guitar as the band slowly started their next encore performance. Soon after I realized that I was actually at the Sanitarium concert listening to Metallica play "One", I thought to my self, "Is this real, am I actually here right now?" I had a weird feeling the entire time because I had worked all summer to simply listen to music with a bunch of strangers.
Ever since I was a small child, I have loved music. The strong, steady beats, the