A musical that makes fun of musicals is few and far between. Most shows take themselves very seriously with flash dance numbers and sweeping ballads. With “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)” you get the best of both worlds, a show with flash that is fully aware of how silly it is.
The set for this tongue-in-cheek Broadway bonanza was simplistic, but to be fair, it had to be. The show flowed from genre to genre and any big set changes would have slowed it down the break neck speed of the production. The simplicity made it possible to transform the stage into whatever it needed to be. The giant projector that served as a background was a stroke of genius as it served as not only an important set piece but also as a way to rouse audience participation.
The show had a fairly small cast. Haley Mizelle served as our leading lady across the ages, June. Mizelle successfully mocked every stereotype to ever grace a Broadway stage. Her comedic timing was sometimes perfectly on point and other times seemed to miss the mark. However, what she lacked in comedic prowess she made up for in vocal range. Mizelle has a beautiful voice, which did not go unnoticed by the lively crowd.
Playing Willie, June’s ever-present love interest, was Garrett Reese. Reese did his best to not be over shadowed by Mizelle, which he succeeded in doing about half the time. It must be said that Reese did succeed in having the best physicality in the cast. His stance and gate changed from character to character, and it was truly a treat to watch.
Gabrielle Klatt played Abby, a sassy, sometimes boozy gal who had the challenge of playing the widest range of personalities. Klatt truly stood out because of her undeniable stage presence. She always seemed to b the most comfortable person on the stage no matter who she as playing. Klatt’s time as the illustrious star vehicle character was truly the highlight of the entire production.
Jitter was the villain no matter what show he found himself in, who was played by Elton Bradley. Bradley played a very funny nemesis with an impressive set of pipes to boot. His portrayal of a knock-off Sweeny Todd was equal parts angst and heart. Bradley had some of the funniest bits of the show and he pulled them all off with panache.
While the humor of this show requires some insider knowledge, it manages to still have something for a broader audience. “The Musical of Musicals: (The Musical!)” gave viewers all of the flash with none of the pretention. There are four more chances to catch this unique show, April 21st- 23rd at 7pm and April 24th at 3pm. For ticketing information visit http://www.longwood.edu/tag/18642.htm
