Curtain Call - Issue 16 by Curtain Call

curtaincall ISSUE 16

A MAGAZINE FOR THEATRE FANS WRITTEN BY THEATRE FANS THE TEAM EDITORS IN CHIEF: CONSTANCE DRUGEOT AND LENAELLE FONTAINE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: LENAELLE FONTAINE EDITORS: CONSTANCE DRUGEOT, CLELIA GESSNER CONTRIBUTORS: CLELIA GESSNER, DOROTHY GRACE FRANKLIN, CLEMENTINE PRUVOST, HELLEN SULLIVAN, ALICIA SOLORZANO, KAT MOKRYNSKI, MAYA PATT

Letter from our team Dear CurtainCall readers, Why don’t we have more dignity for theatre workers? In the span of a month, several incident happened and led to widespread outrage. After a troubled run of less than a year, it has been announced that Cinderella was to close on June 12th in the West End. A sad tale for workers and audiences who had to find out over the week-end via socia media that they were out of a job. In the meantime, on Broadway, an illegal video recording of a nude scene featuring actor Jesse Williams and the cast of Take Me Out was posted online and shared to millions. And finally, Patti LuPone had to take it on herself to call out a Company audience member for not wearing their mask properly when it was mandatory and the actress was just returning to the show after testing positive for Covid-19. A shame when actors, singers and performers are the heart and soul of the shows, giving their everything on stage every night. This is why the industry needs to do better. Take care of your artist, protect them, show them that they would be safe working with you. Don’t let them down because those kinds of situation cannot happen again. Love, always,

call

curtain 3

content Life Of Pi p. 6-11

OPINION Leaving At Intermission p. 42-43

Ku’damm’ 56 p. 12-15

OPINION Tony Prediction p. 44-45

COVER STORY But, I’m A Cheerleader! p. 16-21 French musicals vs Braodway and the West End p. 22-25 Broken Wings p. 26-31

Flora Leo’s showcase p. 46-47 OPINION Lin-Manuel Miranda, ‘‘The Oscars’’ has its eyes on you p. 48-49

American Utopia p. 32-37

OPINION Bringing A Stage to Light p. 50-51

Persuasion p. 38-41

Star Of Theatre p. 52-53

More content on curtaincallbway.com

Je Dors Sur des Roses Mozart l’Opera Rock La Rue Nous Appartient 1789, Les Amants de la Bastille Vérone Roméo et Juliette

Playlist of the month french musicals

S.O.S d’un terrien en détresse Starmania Belle Notre Dame de Paris On S’Aimera Quand Même Cléôpatre, la Dernière Reine d’Egypte L’Envie d’Aimer Les 10 Commandements Être à la hauteur Le Roi Soleil Le Jour Qui se Rêve Robin des Bois

6 Hiran Abeysekera (Pi) Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) Nicholas Khan (Pi’s Father) - © Johan Persson

SHOW REVIEW

LIFE OF PI AT THE WYNDHAM’S THEATRE 7

LIFE OF PI IN THE WEST END EMBARK ON A JOURNEY ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN

Life of Pi is a breathtaking exploration of human strength and faith in a frightful time and the extraordinary power of storytelling - it is no wonder why the play received nine Olivier Awards nominations and won 5 Olivier Awards!

acquainted with his family and the animals he cares for. Different coloured lights are reflected on the stage and sometimes on the walls, to portray the various environments Pi finds himself in.

Similarly, when he is stranded in the ocean, the lights The show, currently playing at the Wyndham become blue and dark, reflecting the unpredictable Theatre in London and directed by Max Webster, is movement of waves and the rocking of the boat. a stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s famous novel The room feels colder and less animated, mirroring of the same name and tells the exceptional story of Pi’s solitude and fear. The ocean does have its Pi Patel (Hiran Abeysekera) who is the sole survivor beauty though as, from time to time, creatures of of a shipwreck in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - the sea will roam freely among the waves, creating and makes his way to land on a canoe with none a beautiful scene despite the conditions of our main other than a Royal Bengal tiger! Not only is this character. play a beautiful piece of theatre, transporting you completely into another time and place, but it also I have the utmost respect for the incredible ensemble shows the astounding power of imagination in the that make all of these puppets come alive during the most dreadful of times. show. They not only make us live the story alongside Pi, but they also create a feeling of absolute reality. First and foremost, everything in the theatre was Each animal requires at least two people to bring it made to immerse the audience completely into to life, and each one of them felt so real that I was the atmosphere of the show. The stage has been completely mesmerised. The ensemble became the extended into the first few seats and shaped like a soul and spirit of these animals, and the audience as boat. The set is rather bare, featuring only a hospital a whole either loved them or feared them - that is bed, a table, and a sink, as well as a few props such as the mark of true storytelling, acting, and craft. And cages for the animals and other items to represent I wasn’t the only one to recognise that, as the seven Pi’s home, the market, the boat, and of course, the actors who play the tiger have been nominated canoe. All of this simplicity yet clever ability makes for, and won, an Olivier Awards for best supporting you feel like you’re a part of the story, no matter actors in a play: Fred Davis, Daisy Franks, Romina where you are sitting in the auditorium. Hytten, Tom Larkin, Habib Nasib Nader, Tom Stacy, and Scarlet Wilderink. It is also only fair to mention What’s even more brilliant is the way in which the the geniuses behind the puppets: Finn Caldwell and visual and sound effects, designed by Tim Lutkin Nick Barnes. and Carolyn Downing, were used. When Pi starts telling us about his adventure, the scene changes The thin line between reality and story also means quite suddenly to give way to warm colours, buzzing that the dark and violent themes of the story feel nature sounds, and the spectacular entrance of the genuine. Although I knew that it was only a piece animals, puppeteered by members of the ensemble. of theatre, every time an animal was killed or hurt, I In a matter of seconds, we are transported into had the reflex to look away. The show can become Pi’s life in India, in his father’s zoo, and we are really graphic, especially as one animal is shown

Habib Nasib Nader (Cook), Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) Scarlet Wilderink (Tiger Heart) © Johan Persson

eating or attacking another - with strings of red fabrics thrown around the stage to represent the blood and organs. You could also feel their pain as they were close to death, the puppets shaking and suffocating until they lay still. Some moments, due to the brutality of the story, are really hard to watch and I wouldn’t suggest a young child or a sensitive person to come see it. It is a stunning and skilful show but some warnings should be issued around the dark themes that are displayed. Finally, it would be a crime not to mention the amazing performance of Hiran Abeysekera as Pi Patel. Hiran was not only able to portray a youthful and witty Pi, who completely charmed us from the very first minutes, but also to convey the trauma he experiences on the ocean. Hiran’s acting was up and beyond and it is no wonder he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play. Hiran is the heart and soul of the show and he leads the story perfectly through his caring and lively personality. Despite the horrible situations he goes through, Pi never loses his faith, his hope, or his heart. His strength is represented by the stamina and determination of the Tiger. The Tiger never gives up, so neither does he. Pi’s strength is also shown through his imagination as he creates this mesmerising story to free himself from the horrible reality. At the end, when he asks the lawyer which story he prefers, he chooses the one with the animals. This shows that sometimes the truth is not what matters and that, sometimes, imagination is what should prevail. Life of Pi is a truly bewitching story that takes you on a fantastic journey across the Pacific Ocean alongside a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger, and transports you, body and soul, into a tale of human strength, belief, and compassion.

Words by Constance Drugeot

Hiran Abeysekera (Pi) Tom Larkin (Tiger He

ead) - © Johan Persson

SHOW REVIEW

KU’DAMM’ 56 IN BERLIN

12© Jörn Hartmann / Dominic Ernst

© Jörn Hartmann / Dominic Ernst “In the same league as New York and London!” Many German newspapers reported great experiences from Berlin’s new hit musical Ku’damm’ 56. So I obviously had to go see it!

KU’DAMM’ 56 BERLIN’S NEW HIT MUSICAL! 14

The musical focuses on a “classic” dance school based in West Berlin during the 50s. We meet Monika Schöllack, the worst daughter in the world. She is unmarried, hated by her mother, and can’t do anything right (‘Liebes Universum’ [‘Dear Universe’]). In the show we see Monika and her sisters go on a mission to find self-love, their missing father, and a more modern Berlin. The musical is based on a popular ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen) series with the same plot. Ku’damm’ 56 is playing in a gorgeous theatre right at the location itself! Right at Kudamm! The theatre is decked out with chandeliers and paintings reminding us of old Berlin. The music is incredible! While being toe-tappers, they give the actors so many opportunities to show off their voices, acting skills, and dancing skills. It’s a nice balance of rock n’ roll numbers, Ballads, and modern Pop-Theatre

songs. The show has a fantastic band that plays grad’ mit mir passiert. Ich brauch keinen Ring am on stage with the cast and it’s even incorporated Finger nur weil ich die Liebe mag. Fängt alles erst an, into the show. alles beginnt, jetzt fängt mein Leben an.” The set is also beautiful. While being simplistic, it does a great job of showing 1950s Berlin and the different locations within the musical. Whether it’s the Schöllack dance school, a church, or another place. The simple set and set pieces do an amazing job.

“Stars above, I just fell in love with myself. You are the witness to what’s happening to me. I don’t need a ring just to show that I like love. When everything starts, everything begins, my life is starting now.“

At the end of the show, the audience gets to film, dance, and sing. The actors do such an amazing When I saw Sandra Leitner (Amelie das Musical, job of making this an experience for and with the Fack ju Goethe, Bibi und Tina, etc..) play Monika, I audience. By far, my favourite part of the show! was more than impressed. She has an incredible belt that blew the whole theatre away. In my All in all, Ku’damm’ 56 is a true piece of art. I hope it opinion, she’s one of the best and most talented gets translated into English, more people should musical theatre actresses in all of Germany. see this show and experience 1950s Berlin. This showstopper is clearly in the same league as My favourite song off the album is called “Ich Tanz Broadway and the West End. A must-see if you’re Allein” (I’ll dance on my own). The lyrics show a in Berlin! strong message of self-love:

Words by Maya Patt

“Ihr Sterne da oben, Ich habe mich grad’ in mich selbst verliebt. Ihr seid die Zeugen von dem, was

16Alice Croft (Megan) and Evie Rose Lane (Graham) - © Mark Senior

COVER STORY

BUT, I’M A CHEERLEADER AT THE TURBINE THEATRE 17

BUT, I’M A CHEERLEADER! A CELEBRATION OF QUEERNESS

The Turbine Theatre is acclaimed for always bringing new, bold, and reinvented work on the stage and this time around, I was lucky to catch their brandnew and colourful stage adaptation of But, I’m a Cheerleader!

all the cast members wearing the cheerleading uniform as a symbol of acceptance and the liberty to be oneself.

But, I’m a Cheerleader also features fun, catchy, and moving songs and dance numbers, directed Based on the iconic 1999 movie starring Natasha by Musical Director Josh Sood! From Megan and Lyonne as the protagonist and directed by Graham singing their hearts out to each other to Tania Azevedo (she/her), the show follows Megan, the director of the camp singing about Blues and a high school cheerleader, who is sent by her Pinks, it is a show full of joy, energy, and love. I really parents and friends to a rehabilitation camp, called hope the production will release a cast recording so ‘True Directions’ to set her straight. Megan, played I can enjoy them all over again! brilliantly by Alice Croft (she/her), doesn’t believe that she is a lesbian until she meets Graham - Evie Alice Croft shines as the kind and innocent Megan, Rose Lane (she/her) - at the camp and a whirlwind bringing both candour and vitality to the character. romance starts between the two in the unlikeliest I was particularly impressed with her acting and of places. Hilarious and heartwarming, But, I’m a how she was able to take us with her on this journey Cheerleader is a beautiful celebration of queerness of self-discovery and awakening. As someone who and of accepting your true colour. belongs to a rather conservative and religious family and didn’t realise until quite late that I was queer, I Speaking of colours, the production plays really connected with Megan and saw myself in her significantly on the use of pink and blue as the head character and journey. It was a very heartwarming of ‘True Directions’, Mary Brown - Tiffany Graves (she/ and particularly moving - experience to witness her her) - believes that boys should wear blue and girls, coming to terms with her sexuality and identity and pink. Cleverly staged by Designer David Shields embracing it fully - but also to see her friends and (he/him) and Lighting Designer Martha Godfrey family accepting her for who she is. And I certainly (they/them), the set is then built in the same way wasn’t the only one! This is why I truly believe that with pink and blue sets and lighting throughout this kind of story and representation should be put the show, even the props are painted with these more on stage so that everyone can feel welcome, bright colours. Similarly, within the camps, the girls accepted, and most of all, seen. are wearing pink skirts and the boys, blue shorts. On the contrary, Megan’s parents are wearing very I was also blown away by Jodie Steele (she/her), plain and bare brown outfits, probably representing who was playing both Megan’s cheerleading friend their lack of originality. Kimberly and ‘True Directions’ attendee Hilary. Not only did she make us all laugh with her witty acting On the other hand, the show starts with Megan and quick changes - sometimes even winking at the cheerleading with her friends wearing a bright audience when she managed it quite rapidly - but she orange uniform - a uniform that she has to remove also never missed an opportunity to make us laugh as she is forced to enter the camp. However, in the and smile in whatever role she is playing! She had end, she is seen wearing it again as she is reclaiming amazing chemistry with her scene partner Edward her identity and her true ‘colour’ - orange being the Chitticks (he/him), who plays Megan’s boyfriend colour of sexuality, freedom, and expression. And Jared, and they both owned the stage during their she is not the only one! The show concludes with scenes together. Edward was particularly great and

Alice Croft (Megan) and Evie Rose Lane (Graham) - © Mark Senior

20Alice Croft (Megan) and Evie Rose Lane (Graham) - © Mark Senior

hilarious as Rock, the son of the director of ‘True Directions’, who is clearly gay despite his mother’s attempts to make him straight. Evie Rose Lane brought determination and charm to the tomboy Graham and it is no wonder that Megan falls for the young girl. Alice and her had beautiful chemistry and their love scene was both sensual and graceful. Evie’s voice was alluring and I was really moved by the heart-wrenching song she sings in Act 2, although I wasn’t completely convinced by her acting in some scenes. The entire cast was honestly incredible and they all gave everything they had into the show. From making us laugh until we were crying as Mary Brown was making the students of the camp perform “gender-appropriate” tasks and even, a ridiculouslyfunny “sex exercise”; to making us love the dazzling duo of Jodie Jacobs (she/they) and Oliver Brooks (he/him) as Megan’s parents and the gay couple Lloyd and Larry. Every performer got a moment to shine as their characters got to accept and embrace who they are and who they love. The show ends in an explosion of joy, heart, and queerness! But, I’m a Cheerleader is a faithful adaptation of the beloved movie that triumphantly brings to a wellknown London stage a show celebrating love and people in all of its shapes and shades. I left the theatre full of hope knowing that stories like mine were told and seen and I felt proud.

Words by Constance Drugeot Want to know what’s happening backstage? Alice Croft took over our instagram during a two show day! Head over there in case you missed it: @curtaincallbway

OPINION

FRENCH MUSICAL VS BROADWAY AND THE WEST END

BEING A FRENCH PERSON WHO HAS GROWN UP IN FRANCE, MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH MUSICALS WAS WITH WHAT THE FRENCH CALL “COMÉDIE MUSICALE”. Literally a musical comedy, even if it is not meant to be funny. It is probably the reason why in the early 2000’s the term “spectacle musical” (musical show) was preferred, even though most people keep referring to these shows as musical comedies. There are a lot of differences between French “comédies musicales” and musicals originating on Broadway or in the West End. The first one is the venue and the target audience. Whilst French musicals perform in huge concert venues, most English-speaking shows are meant for theatres. Furthermore, French musicals’ target audience is quite young and few are the people over 30 who enjoy those musicals in France. On the contrary, I have seen people of all ages going to London theatres. If most Broadway/West End musicals are part of a culture, a heritage above all Anglo-Saxon where songs, dances and dialogues mingle, those produced in France in recent years, are often only shows stringing together an impressive suite of songs. Due to this French specificity, they find it very difficult to move abroad and especially to AngloSaxon countries. Only Quebec, because of the language community, finds an echo in their success. However, the arrival of the English adaptation of the French musical Les 10 Commandements OffBroadway might open doors to more adaptations of French shows. I am really excited about this, Les 10 Commandements was one of the best French musicals in the early 2000’s! In the United States as in the UK, the taste for the spectacle, for its excessiveness, with its flamboyant decorations and its versatile artists (the “triplethreats”), is perhaps not the top priority in France. The British, like the Americans, do not hesitate to use drastic measures to ensure that the show succeeds, such as heavy work on the decoration, the creation

of trapdoors or secret passages, even the facade of the theatre is repainted to match the subject of the show. Small theatres don’t escape that rule. If we look at the Criterion Theatre in London (less than 600 seats), the theatre fronts and the stages for Amelie and Pride & Prejudice (sort of ) looked nothing alike. Whereas French musical artists sing on a prerecorded soundtrack, on the other side of the Channel/the Atlantic, musicians are in the orchestra pit. Sometimes, they even take part in the show by playing on the stage, mingling with the singers and dancers. Though, there was a desire to recreate such a thing during the second Parisian run of Le Roi Soleil (the Sun King) where some musicians were on stage, fully dressed in costume and got to interact with the singers.

AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, A LOT OF PERFORMERS IN THE WEST END OR ON BROADWAY ARE TRIPLE-THREATS (THEY CAN ACT, SING, AND DANCE). However, this is not the case for the majority of French musical performers. They are mainly cast for their singing abilities and the acting comes second. When it comes to filling in the huge stages of Parisian concert venues, they have background dancers. Sometimes those dancers will sing along to the pre-recorded soundtrack but as they are not mic’d, one can notice quickly that it is all for show (see the cover picture). As a result, we don’t get these breath-taking ensemble songs that I am particularly fond of in West End/Broadway musicals. Furthermore, since the mid-2000’s French musicals have had the tendency of having a character whose job was to be the butt of the joke, the comic relief: the Count of Rosenberg in Mozart l’Opéra Rock, Monsieur, the King’s brother, in Le Roi Soleil, Ptolémé, Cleopatra’s brother, in Cléopatre... Sometimes, those comic reliefs were also the villain of the story. To me, that says that the writers don’t know how to create a balance between funny and just plain stupid. Another major difference between the two types

of musicals is the cast recording. In France, the design follows the rules of the recording industry: an album, made up of a certain number of potential «hits», is released first, in order to familiarise the public with the music of the show and to attract it when the time comes to come and see it (the show being then already partly profitable), while Broadway or West End musicals wait for the start of the performances to release - if possible - an album.

WHEN ONE SPEAKS NOTHING BUT FRENCH, IT’S HARD TO REALISE THERE IS SOMETHING BETTER - OUT THERE. In 2010, I started to speak and understand English a bit more and I randomly discovered Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary, I immediately fell in love with the show. The music, the costumes, the performers, the ambience… Everything was so different from what I knew from French musicals, so I decided to dive into this world of Broadway musicals. After Les Mis, I saw the filmed concert of the 25th anniversary filmed production of Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall with the amazing, the talented, the brilliant, the wonderful Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess. This is a side note to say that more productions should be filmed, I enjoy

the occasional film adaptation but nothing beats a pro-shot! Plus it allows many people outside of the UK/the US to have access to something they would have never been able to otherwise. Broadway and West End shows are meant to last while French musicals get staged in Paris for about a year, and if they’re lucky they’ll go on tour across France. The previously mentioned Le Roi Soleil got an unprecedented - and unfollowed - success between 2005 and 2007: not only did it get a Parisian run and a tour but also a second Parisian run and a second tour across France. Others, such as Adam et Eve: la seconde chance, had their tours cancelled before they even began. Of course, these kinds of problems also happen with English-speaking shows such as, most recently, The Addams Family or Bring It On, whose UK tours got cut short due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Finally, I would like to point out that it is quite ironic that two of the West End’s biggest shows - Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables - are originally novels written by French authors, respectively Gaston Leroux and Victor Hugo.

Words by Clémentine Pruvost Pictures by Constance Drugeot

SHOW REVIEW

BROKEN WINGS AT THE CHARING CROSS THEATRE

FOR WEEKS, I KEPT SEEING A FRIEND OF MINE POSTING LAUDATORY TWEETS ABOUT A MUSICAL CALLED BROKEN WINGS. So when I planned my latest London trip, I thought it might be nice to see it as I had not seen something new in a long time. Spoiler alert, it was a really good decision! Broken Wings was written by Nadim Naaman and Dana Al Fardan (the duo also behind the recent success Rumi: The Musical). Adapted from Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran’s autobiographical novel of the same name, it finally got a fully staged run at the Charing Cross Theatre in London in FebruaryMarch 2022. The musical was directed by Bronagh Lagan, with orchestrations by Joe Davison, set and costumes by Gregor Donnelly and movement direction by Philip Michael Thomas. The piece follows a young Khalil Gibran (played by Lucca Chadwick-Patel) as he returns to his native city of Beirut in Lebanon, and falls in love with the beautiful Selma Karamy (Noah Sinigaglia), the daughter of a rich and kind but naive man, Farris Karamy (Stephen Rahman-Hughes). The two young lovers are kept apart because of the greed of a powerful bishop (Johan Munir) and of the laws and mores of early 1900s Lebanon. The story is narrated by an older Gibran (Nadim Naaman). He is virtually present on stage for the entire length of the show, either actively telling the story or watching it unfold again in front of his eyes. He is shown seemingly writing the story on paper, which will later become his novel Broken Wings. The stage of the Charing Cross Theatre is in the middle of the space, with audience seating on either side and two balconies which are punctually used by the actors and hold the amazing 6-piece band. The set is simple but efficient. The floor and walls depict an old washed-out map of Lebanon, with a few set pieces cleverly used in different ways throughout the show, and a revolve, complete with a gorgeous fake tree with roots stemming from the band’s balcony and branches spreading across the ceiling. I thought the tree was a good addition,

which actually made me feel like I was in the MiddleEast, in a nice shaded garden. In Act 2, long pieces of white fabric are drawn like kites to transform the set into an abandoned temple, which again works really well with the tree hanging on top of it all. Because of the seating situation, the actors have to move constantly so that they are not turning their back on half of the audience for too long. I have to say that time is well shared and both sides of the audience seem to get an equal, although different, experience of the show. The revolve is also made good use of, especially in the ensemble scenes and songs, adding movement and shifting perspectives in a smooth way. That being said, in solo songs especially, it inevitably feels a little awkward or at least artificial when the actors come sing a verse in your direction and then run to the other side to sing the next verse in the other direction. I would have loved a little more movement in the instrumental opening sequence, where older Gibran is slowly walking to his desk – the music is delightful but I thought it fell a little flat without any movement on stage.

TALKING ABOUT OLDER GIBRAN, I THOUGHT THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN HIM AND HIS YOUNGER SELF WAS VERY INTERESTING. Naaman’s acting is nuanced and all the more impressive because, as I mentioned before, he is constantly on stage, reacting to his own story as it replays in front of him, even when he is not the focus of the scene. There is a great commitment on his part in that way. I thought the moments where he does intervene to narrate the story or sing – solo or with other characters, sometimes even himself –were well chosen and added depth to the story, where it might have been less exciting without his presence and hindsight. There were some very strong performances; I have already mentioned Nadim Naaman’s but I absolutely have to talk about Lucca ChadwickPatel’s: his young Gibran is extremely touching, quite naturalistic and this might sound somewhat random but I thought his facial expressions were very believable, quite striking while staying subtle

© Danny Kaan and, again, naturalistic. Noah Sinigaglia plays an endearing Selma, once again quite nuanced and balanced between sweetness and despair. The relationship between Selma and her father is also very touching. Ayesha Patel, who plays Gibran’s friend Dima, is also really talented, although her acting sometimes feels a little too much for the space – it would have been much better suited to a big production in a big West End theatre. Yasmeen Audi, who plays Dima’s mother and other ensemble parts, has many comic lines and moments and she plays them perfectly, but is also great with her more serious lines. Something else I love about the casting is that the actors who play the young characters (Lucca Chadwick-Patel as young Gibran, Noah Sinigaglia as Selma, Ayesha Patel as Dima, Haroun Al Jeddal as the bishop’s nephew, Mansour) really look young and make the whole story very believable, which is quite refreshing.

I HAVE TO SAY EVERYONE’S VOCAL PERFORMANCES ARE QUITE OUTSTANDING AS WELL. I particularly enjoyed Ayesha Patel’s rendition of the song ‘Farris Effandy Karamy’ which, on the concept

album, is sung by a man. Soophia Foroughi, who plays (the memory of ) Gibran’s mother, (the ghost of ) Selma’s mother and various ensemble parts, is another vocal highlight with her outstanding performance of the song ‘Spirit of the Earth’, which I personally think is the best song in the score and instantly became one of my favourite musical theatre songs ever. She sings it exactly like on the album but with the extra thrill of live performance, feeding from the audience. The song is a great vessel for the entire cast to shine as they sing backup vocals on the revolve and, although it arguably does not do much to advance plot or character, it is a beautiful homage to Lebanon and, in my opinion, it really helps the audience stay connected to the story. I would absolutely not cut it from the show! Another show-stopping moment for me was the end of Act 1, where things start to unfold – no spoilers! The song ‘Til Death Reunites Us’ gets quite intense, with a very emotional soliloquy by Sinigaglia’s Selma and a stunning and raw duet between Naaman’s old Gibran and Chadwick-Patel’s young Gibran. I spent the last couple minutes unable to detach my eyes from the actors and had quite literal chills! My friend who was discovering the show with me seems to have felt the same way and we spent the interval

raving about the first act! I have to spend a little more time on the music in this show because I truly think it is incredible. As mentioned briefly in a previous paragraph, the band is small (six musicians, some of them switching instruments back and forth throughout the show) but really great and making the best of the beautiful orchestrations despite their small size. I really hope the show gets another run in a bigger theatre in the future for the sole reason of hearing this score with a bigger orchestra to give it the scope it was clearly meant to have! Although, this tiny band makes it sound great already! I love the few recurring themes that occur throughout the show. I love the fact that the music sounds like a balanced mix of western musical theatre and middle-eastern melodies (I read a review that complained about the lack of middle-eastern sound and I respectfully disagree). I love the rich harmonies that we get in songs such as ‘That Was The Day’ or in ensemble songs like ‘Spirit of the Earth’ and ‘Holy Matrimony’, really creating a full, rich sound with quite a small cast. I also thoroughly enjoy the three-beat song ‘Here In This Garden’ which really makes you care about the two young lovers and their budding love story.

The story in itself is overall not revolutionary, it dates back a full century after all. The music and actors’ performances, however, still made it really touching and interesting, and it still has some resonance in today’s world in terms of women’s rights and the problems of a patriarchal society. I would definitely have gone back to see the show again had I had the opportunity – alas, my first and only visit happened to be just one week before the end of this run.

I TRULY HOPE THERE WILL BE A FUTURE FOR BROKEN WINGS THE MUSICAL. Not only is it a very enjoyable show with gorgeous music, but it is also a classic Lebanese story that made it to the West End, hiring and representing middle-eastern people in the process, which we definitely need more of. In the meantime, the 2018 concept album is available on streaming platforms. I have been playing it a lot since seeing the show and it has already become a staple in my collection!

Words by Clélia Gessner

SHOW REVIEW

AMERICAN UTOPIA FINAL PERFORMANCE

“WE’ARE ONLY TOURISTS IN THIS LIFE” DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA’S FINAL PERFORMANCE On Sunday, April 3rd, I attended the final performance of David Byrne’s American Utopia at the St. James Theatre. I’d gotten my ticket as soon as the show’s closing was announced, as I knew that I couldn’t miss the closing performance of my favourite show. For this article, I thought I’d go into a couple of highlights from the show to give everyone a feeling of what it was like to attend the final performance. One of my favourite moments from the show is at the very beginning, during the first song, “Here.” Byrne is sitting alone on the stage with a brain sitting on the table in front of him, and as he begins to sing and the music swells, the chains that form the stage’s “curtains” begin to rise. The roar of cheers from the audience was such a powerful noise that I felt it in my chest and could see Byrne grinning onstage. Then, the two vocalists/dancers/ extraordinary human beings, Chris Giarmo and Renée Albulario, join Byrne on stage, singing harmonies and accompanying Byrne’s lyrics with simple movements choreographed by Annie-B Parson. Renée had taken over for Tendayi Kuumba, who had left during the final extension of the show to perform with For Colored Girls at the Booth Theatre. I had told myself that I wouldn’t cry during the final performance but I found myself tearing up at “Here.”“I Know Sometimes a Man is Wrong”/“Don’t Worry About the Government,” the next song, brings two more performers on stage - Karl Mansfield, the keyboardist and music director, and Tim Keiper, one of the percussionists. The opening notes of “Lazy” are the introduction of the bass and guitar players on stage, smoothly making their way to the front of the stage along with Byrne. Bobby Wooten III, the original bassist, had left a few weeks ago, so Abe Nouri had taken over for him. Both gave spectacular performances.

But instead of Abe coming out with Angie Swan, the guitarist, Bobby returned for one final show, and the reaction of the crowd was insane. I wish I had gotten a video of the audience’s reaction as it was one of the highlights of the show! Throughout the song, I found myself swaying along with Byrne and the rest of the band members, letting myself go and having a great time. The seat next to me was empty so I was able to dance a bit more than I normally would have, which was perfect. “I Zimbra” is another of my favourite songs, not necessarily because of the nonsense lyrics, but because it’s the introduction song for some of the greatest percussionists of all time - Jacquelene Acevedo, Gustavo Di Dalva, Daniel Freedman, Mauro Refosco, and Stéphane San Juan (Tim Keiper is already on the stage at this point, but he deserves to be mentioned again because of the sheer number of instruments he plays throughout the show). “Slippery People” continues to highlight the percussionists as they dance around, seamlessly joining the rest of the performers on stage. “I Should Watch TV” is a highlight because of its simple yet powerful choreography and strong music, but also because it includes one of the more political moments in the show. Everyone except Tim kneels and the band members raise their fists, imitating Colin Kaepernick and his symbolic kneeling during the national anthem. The song reflects the concept of how, even though television can connect us with the world, it also desensitizes us to some of the simple aspects of humanity, leaving us feeling more robotic. On the other hand, “Everybody’s Coming to My House” and “Once in a Lifetime” share similar vibes, both being fantastic songs that almost immediately draw people out of their chairs to dance. By this point, I know I would have been completely exhausted with all of the

dancing and carrying heavy instruments, but the band members on stage are as energized as the first time I saw them perform back in November. “Glass, Concrete, and Stone” stuns with its simplicity after the chaos of “Once in a Lifetime.” Byrne and Refosco stand alone on stage as the other ten performers stand behind the chains, with only their instruments sticking out on stage as they perform. Then, it was time for my absolute favourite song from American Utopia - “Toe Jam.” The song is an absolute jam and I adore getting to see each band member shine for a few moments, each adding their own little dance to the delightful piece. “Toe Jam” is followed by a much quieter and sombre song, “Bullet.” The St. James Theatre’s ghost light is brought to the centre of the stage and Byrne holds onto it, singing the story of a man who was shot, his life ended too soon. The other performers walk around the edges of the stage, singing and playing along with Byrne as he seemingly “conducts” the show. Now, I must admit that “Every Day Is a Miracle” was not my favourite song when I first saw the show. But over the past few months, it has grown on me, bringing a smile to my face whenever I hear it on the cast album. Sure, some of the lyrics, including one about kissing chickens, may be nonsensical, but the song as a whole is meant to pass along a message of being grateful for life and all its beautiful things. The performers go around in a circle as Renée weaves in and out, waving her arms in a joyful dance. It’s truly a beautiful moment and felt even more special knowing it was the last time this group would be performing the song together. Indeed, it was truly a miracle. “Blind” has some of the best lighting in any Broadway show I’ve ever seen, and Rob Sinclair deserves all of the Tony Awards for making a single spotlight so powerful. I’d have taken several photos of this particular moment in the show but found myself entranced by the final performance of “Blind,” watching each of the performers and how they interacted throughout the song with themselves and the giant shadows behind them. “Burning Down the House” continues the powerful energy of “Blind,” but this time, the entire audience is encouraged to stand, dance and sing to one of

CurtainCall’s writer Kat at David Byrne’s American Utopia the show’s most popular songs. It is impossible to describe how powerful the energy of the final rendition of this song was. I can only compare it to the moment at a concert when the lights go dark right before the performer comes on stage. Thrilling, heart-stopping, a moment of unity. “Hell You Talmbout,” the penultimate song, is a protest song by Janelle Monae, a requiem for the black lives that have been lost over the years in acts of senseless violence. It’s a form of call and response, with the performers shouting names including “Breonna Taylor” and “Trayvon Martin” and encouraging the audience to repeat them, keeping their names and memories alive. Byrne and the band were given a standing ovation after the end of the song, a symbolic moment of respect for not only the performance but for the Black Lives Matter movement as a whole. Then, the final song begins, an acapella song, “One Fine Day.” All of the band members remove their instruments and stand together on stage, simply human bodies singing for those sitting in the audience. It’s a simple yet powerful moment, just like many other aspects of the show. It’s the perfect song to end a show like

American Utopia with - A song of hope for the future. Finally, after a few moments of silence and darkness, the lights come back on and the band returns to perform the encore song, “Road to Nowhere.” Everyone remained on their feet, dancing and singing along with the performers on stage. Once the song was finished, all of the cast and crew members came on stage, handing each other bouquets and exchanging hugs. The standbys, including Alena Ciera, Chris Eddleton, Evan Frierson, and Natalie Tennenabum were able to take bows with the rest of the cast and it was great to see them even though I hadn’t been able to watch them before. It was a truly beautiful moment and I felt honoured to have been a part of it. Ultimately, David Byrne’s American Utopia was all I could ask for in a Broadway show. It was joyful, powerful, and hilarious, showcasing the incredible talents of musicians from around the world.

Words by Kat Mokrynski

«ULTIMATELY, DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA WAS ALL I COULD ASK FOR IN A BROADWAY SHOW.»

SHOW REVIEW

PERSUASION AT THE ALEXANDRA PALACE THEATRE 38

PERSU

JANE AUSTEN G It appears to me that modern adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels are becoming the thing these days. After Pride & Prejudice (sort of), British theatre brings us Persuasion. Inspired by the last novel published by Jane Austen, this modern adaptation, set in the 21rst century, features a soundtrack by Dua Lipa, Frank Ocean, Cardi B, Robyn… It ran from 26th February to 19th March 2022 at the Rose Theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames with a limited London run at Alexandra Palace planned for 7th April to 30th April 2022.

Anne’s forced to confront her past and face up to her choices. Starring the brilliant Sasha Frost and Fred Fergus as Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth.

Adapted by Jeff James and James Yeatman, the play still maintains the quick spirit of Austen’s novel but switches ballrooms for nightclubs and Regency-era gowns for sparkly bikinis.

Alex Lowde’s minimalist set design allows the audience to fully get drawn into the story. The platform has many uses in the show: a catwalk, the deck of a ship, a ballroom floor, a beach… It even becomes a timeless limbo when Anne and Captain Wentworth see each other for the first time in eight years. It is also the first time that the platform splits into two and is only brought back together at the resolution of the plot - spoilers: when Anne and Captain Wentworth finally admit their true feelings for each other.

When Frederick Wentworth proposed to Anne Elliot eight years ago, he had no prospects, only able to offer his love and ambition. Persuaded to accept his proposal by her family, Anne has never quite gotten over her first love. But now Wentworth is back from the Napoleonic wars. Rich, single and handsome, the now decorated naval Captain has become a serious catch. When circumstances bring the two face to face again,

THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU GET INSIDE THE THEATRE’S AUDITORIUM IS THE HUGE PLATFORM THAT TAKES UP ALL THE SPACE ON STAGE.

The platform also allows for a comical element of the staging: when Anne is upset with people she pushes them

UASION

GOES CLUBBING off the platform so they stop talking. To be honest, I found it more awkward than funny. It is amusing at first but when the fifth person gets pushed off stage it’s just too much…

his professional debut in Persuasion after graduating from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 2021, plays Mr Elliot, the charming cousin of Anne who is set to inherit her family’s fortune as being But thankfully, it is not always the only male relative. Now this cringe. The play contains a rich widower, Mr Elliot is a lot of funny moments. I quite eager to claim the social particularly appreciated the value of the title that he will pop culture references. When someday inherit. Towering in Bath, the Elliot family talks over the rest of the cast with about the neighbourhood his 6ft something, Deary is and mentions “the Darcys” quite imposing in the role. and the “Bridgertons” and they are respectively called THIS ADAPTATION “boring” and “overrated”. I have previously mentioned that the ballrooms have been replaced by nightclubs and I think it is also important to talk about the TikTok dances and the foam party. Matilda Bailes and Caroline Moroney play teen twins Louisa and Henrietta and dance around the stage in TikTok-esque routines. The whole cast seems to be having a blast in this 21rst century adaptation, especially when a beach trip to Lyme Regis becomes a foam party (oh those poor technicians!). It takes a lot to deliver Jane Austen’s Regency-era language when covered in bubbles! It can’t be a Jane Austen’s story without a morally grey but handsome man. Adam Deary, who made

MIGHT, HOWEVER, NOT BE TO THE TASTE OF ALL AGES WITH ALL THE MODERN JOKES AND REFERENCES.

Anne Elliot is 27, practically “ancient” as her family and friends constantly tell her, that seems to me a joke that a Gen Z audience would particularly appreciate. Unfortunately, they were not the main age group in Kingston. But I really hope the show will find the right audience when it moves to London.

Words by Clémentine Pruvost

OPINION

Leaving At My Experience with Billy Crystal’s Mr. Saturday Night

intermissio n Words by Kat Mokrynski

When it comes to the world of theatre, we all have our share of “firsts.” First musical, first Broadway show, first Opening Night, first theatre crush, the list goes on. Over the past few months living in New York, I have been able to have many new theatre experiences. I’ve reviewed shows, interviewed a range of cast and crew, and attended both opening preview performances and closing shows. But a few weeks ago, I had another Broadway “first”: leaving a show at intermission.

in seeing how his performance would translate from the stage to the screen. I was lucky enough to win the ticket lottery for one of the first previews (the lottery price is still $50, which is an increase compared to the average $30 to $40 ticket price). Unfortunately, while Crystal is an absolute legend, Mr. Saturday Night fails to live up to the hype. Billy Cyrstal, Randy Graff, and David Palmer, the three leads, are great comedians, but they just don’t seem to be telling the same story. Shoshana Bean is a fantastic singer, but her role feels out of place, just a voice with no real authority.

Ever since I’d heard about it, I was looking forward to Mr. Saturday Night, Billy Crystal’s new musical. Crystal’s comedy is fantastic and I was interested

In a strange bit of foreshadowing that I would only realize after leaving the show, the women’s restrooms were all messed up, with half of the toilets

overflowing and the other half barely working or not flushing. The mezzanine lobby was filled with confused women, unsure whether the restrooms were even open or not. In a few minutes, I would see that Mr. Saturday Night was not so dissimilar to this - Confused, unfunny, and in a way, a little tragic. The book has three writers - Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz, and Babloo Mandel, the same writers who created the Mr. Saturday Night film. The jokes do not play as well as they might on the screen and the exposition becomes too much too quickly. There are also a shocking amount of potty humour jokes that failed to get laughs, bits that will hopefully get cut. Jason Robert Brown’s music is repetitive and boring, nothing like some of his better works including The Last Five Years and The Bridges of Madison County. Amanda Green’s lyrics also suffer the same fate as the music they accompany. The day after seeing the show, I found it impossible to remember a single musical phrase or standout quotes.

SO, THERE I WAS AT INTERMISSION, SITTING SILENTLY IN MY SEAT IN THE MEZZANINE. I HADN’T LAUGHED ONCE IN THE PAST TWENTY MINUTES AND FELT MYSELF GETTING DRAGGED ALONG INSTEAD OF ENJOYING THE PERFORMANCE. After that realization, I stood up and made my way out of the theatre. Why stay in a place when I wasn’t enjoying myself and could be doing much more productive things with my time?

‘‘IN THE BEGINNING, THEY WEREN’T THE BEST BUT LOOKED LIKE THEY COULD BE FIXED, BUT BY INTERMISSION, IT WAS A MESS THAT COULDN’T BE CONTAINED.’’ As I started to head down the stairs, I could barely squeeze my way through the crowd in the mezzanine’s lobby. People were struggling to even find a spot to stand and drink their overpriced alcohol. From what I overheard, the women’s restroom was now fully closed and everyone had to use the men’s bathroom, leading to a bit of chaos. It was nearly impossible to make it down the stairs without bumping into a disgruntled audience member. But as I walked through the main lobby, I felt something dripping on my head. The women’s restroom was leaking from the mezzanine down to the orchestra, with wet splotches over the ceiling and carpet. I quickly exited the Nederlander, with an usher directing me to the hotel next door to use the restroom. I thanked him, accepting the excuse to leave and not return. In the end, my Mr. Saturday Night experience followed a similar path as the Nederlander’s restrooms. In the beginning, they weren’t the best but looked like they could be fixed, but by intermission, it was a mess that couldn’t be contained. I hope that changes have been made during previews to sharpen the show, especially the disconnection between the book, songs, and choreography. Of course, there is a chance that the second act could’ve been the greatest piece of musical theatre ever witnessed, but I don’t think I’ll be spending another $50 to find out.

OPINION

THE TONY AWARDS SEASON IS APPROACHING! The first Tony Awards since the reopening of Broadway are approaching and it looks to be quite the competitive season. With many shows having delayed their openings due to the pandemic, theatre on the Great White Way is finally getting its chance to be celebrated. This season is full of West End Transfers, revivals, and new work. New musicals include Six and A Strange Loop and musical revivals are headlined by Caroline, or Change and The Music Man. Plays this season include The Lehman Trilogy direct from the West End and Thoughts of a Colored Man. Play Revivals has many eligible productions and includes star-studded Take Me Out and Daniel Craig-led Macbeth. Shows have been rushing to open ahead of the now extended deadline with April being a full month of openings. This is an exciting season with the return of theatre and many highly anticipated productions finally being able to open. The Musical Revival category may be small but is no less competitive. Sharon D. Clarke leads a revival of Caroline, or Change, a musical with lyrics by Tony Kushner (Angels of America) which has transferred after a successful run in the West End. Ms Clarke is reprising her Olivier- winning role and is considered a front-runner to win the Tony. The musical follows Caroline Thibodeaux

(Clarke), an African-American maid who works for a Jewish family during the Civil Rights movement. A gender-swapped Company revival, also a West-End transfer, led by Tony Award Winner Katrina Lenk (The Band’s Visit) and multi-Tony Award winner Patti LuPone, opened shortly after Stephen Sondheim’s death could very well give Ms LuPone another Tony for her Olivier-winning role as Joanne. The first-ever revival of Funny Girl, starring Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice and Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein has received much attention and is one of the most highly anticipated productions of the season. Finally, a revival of The Music Man led by Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman has been the most expensive ticket this season but opened to lacklustre reviews. There are many original musicals that could challenge for the highly anticipated Tony Awards. Six, the musical about the six wives of Henry VIII arrived from the West End and which was to open the day of the Broadway shutdown, finally got its crowning glory and has been playing to sold-out crowds. In a somewhat controversial decision, each of the six leading ladies is eligible for Leading Actress in a Musical and are all equally deserving of the honour. Pulitzer winning A Strange Loop has arrived after a successful out of town tryout

and looks to be a top contender for a Tony. Another contender is MJ: The Musical which tells the story of Michael Jackson through his music. The production is led by newcomer Myles Frost who could be a contestant for Leading Actor for his performance as the King of Pop.

follows the rise and fall of the Lehman Brothers from the firm’s original purpose of selling cotton to the bank’s eventual fall as a result of the 2008 financial crisis. This category is dominated by Black playwrights including Chicken & Biscuits, Clyde’s and Skeleton Crew and this deserves much celebration. Broadway has and continues to be dominated by white writers, producers and actors and it is refreshing to see Broadway more reflective of the diverse city in which it is located. A surprise entry this season is a comedy entitled

The Play Revival category is full of high profile productions. A revival of Macbeth, starring Daniel Craig in the title role and directed by Tony winner Sam Gold is one of the priciest tickets this season and comes after a film adaptation starring POTUS, or Behind Every Great Dumbass Denzel Washington. For colored girls who Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive have considered suicide/when the rainbow which announced its opening not long before is enuf, a set of poems by Ntozake Shange set performances started, could be an unforeseen to music and dance has been revived for the first contender. time to great reviews. Ruben Santiago- Hudson brings his autobiographical show, Lackawanna This Awards season is the first since the shutdown Blues to Broadway and has proven you don’t and that is reason enough to celebrate. This need more than one person to tell a rich story. year Tony’s will return to Radio City Music Hall A revival of Take Me Out, led by Jessie Williams and will be a celebration of the return of live (Grey’s Anatomy), Patrick J. Adams (Suits), and Jesse theatre. Theatre has been greatly impacted by Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), tells the story of the pandemic and continues to be a challenge to a top baseball player (Williams) who comes out keep productions open. I am looking forward to and deals with resistance from the league and his finding out this year’s nominees and will rejoice teammates. in the restoration of a great art form! There are twelve original plays this season which tell a variety of stories. The Lehman Trilogy

Words by Helen Sullivan

SHOW REVIEW

IRIS THEATRE’S PLATFORM: FLORA LEO SHOWCASE In March 2022, I had the pleasure of attending a concert organised by Iris Theatre as part of their ‘Platform’ programme. This programme serves to showcase the talent of up-and-coming “bold, innovative creatives who’ve built up a body of material across multiple projects, and who are looking to share their work with the world.” The concerts take place in the beautiful St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, also known as the Actors’ Church. This time around, it was musical theatre composer, lyricist and book writer Flora Leo’s turn. The concert consisted of two acts of approximately 30mn each, with a total of 14 songs with a brief explanation from Ms Leo about the show each song is from as well as a recap of what the song is here for. The songs were performed by four actresses: Roshani Abbey (& Juliet, Rumi: The Musical), Alice Merivale (Bard in the Yard), Cecily Redman (Avenue Q) and Betsy Lee Miller (Peter Pan), accompanied by a sevenpiece band with Ms Leo on the piano. The songs were taken from several musicals that Flora Leo has been working on, including Triangularity, The Lightning Road or Show & Tell as well as a standalone song written during lockdown. The particularity of Ms Leo’s work is that it includes mostly queer, specifically lesbian, main characters and plot points. Her musical Triangularity for example is a “semi-autobiographical musical about a queer cult TV fan in her 30s” and features a song called “Our Fight Is Not Over (The Ballad of Lexa)”, tackling the issue of how the few lesbian characters on popular TV shows of the recent years always end up dying. Leo strives for better, positive representation for LGBTQ+ people and this shows in her work. It was really refreshing because even though queer stories have started making their way to the big stages of Broadway and the West End, they are still so rare, especially positive ones. Besides, Triangularity in particular is also a musical about fangirls, and being unapologetically nerdy and not ashamed of what you love, which is always something that I appreciate. There are also lots of pop culture references, as you can imagine!

Another highlight for me was the song “Tiny Journalist”, which I believe is from the musical Triangularity – being the project she is working on at the moment, it is the one that was featured the most in this concert. “Tiny Journalist” is, in the words of Flora Leo, “a full season one recap” of the Canadian web series Carmilla, which I had never heard of but definitely made me want to watch it! It is also quite different from the other songs that were presented, having more of a hip-hop, sort of Hamilton vibe to it, brilliantly performed by Roshani Abbey with backup from the rest of the cast. My favourite song however was the standalone “Northern Lights”, an engaging and touching song about wanderlust which I definitely related to, albeit for different reasons than it was written: Flora Leo wrote it because she felt stuck in London during lockdown and wanted to be in bigger, open spaces while it reminded me of feeling stuck in my hometown missing my life in London. It was performed by Cecily Redman, whose voice has a gorgeous clear tone. It is available on Soundcloud and YouTube (performed by Redman too), so I’d highly recommend you to check it out! Those are my highlights but the truth is I loved all fourteen of the songs that were presented. They were all extremely well crafted and developed, with beautiful arrangements – especially incredible string arrangements! –, key changes and modulations, clever lyrics… I could really imagine them being performed on a big West End stage. I also appreciated that the material was not as ‘belty’ as a lot of show tunes have been in past years. The performers were able to use more of a head-voice-heavy mix which sounded great, quite sweet, and once again, was very refreshing. There were still belting moments but it made them stand out nicely! I was surprised that most of the songs were performed in an American accent – for an event showcasing British talent, I was expecting more British characters and stories. It doesn’t take away the fact that all these songs are absolute bangers and I left the concert wanting to hear more of Flora Leo’s work – and hopefully soon full productions of her shows on a big stage, where they belong! It was truly a pleasure getting to hear new (queer) musical theatre and I cannot wait to see what’s next for Flora Leo.

Words and pictures by Clélia Gessner

Lin Manuel miranda Words by Dorothy Grace Franklin / Art by Kelly Hayes

THE OSCARS “HAS ITS EYES ON YOU” EGOT stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, and an ‘EGOT winner’ is a term used to refer to someone who has won at least one award out of each category. With the wide variety of outstanding creatives within the industry, you would expect there to be many members of this ‘club’, but you’d be extremely wrong. With only 16 current members since 1962, including the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Richard Rodgers (of Rodgers and Hammerstein), only a few people have managed to secure themselves a place in the EGOT hall of fame.

nominations but no further wins.

Many people win multiple awards in multiple of these categories, missing a select few, or have been nominated in all of them, but no one’s relationship with this title has been as rocky as Lin’s. Let’s explore this timeline to pay tribute to the close-call at the recent Oscars.

Encanto itself was nominated for the “Best Animated Feature Film” category, and won, giving directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, and producers Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer, a shared Oscar. However, even though some could argue that Encanto would not be as amazing without Lin’s soundtrack, and even though he did contribute to the story, Lin isn’t included as one of the Oscar holders, due to the complexity that would cause (as screenplay writers and score writers would have to be included for all possible nominations).

Emmys Lin has been nominated for one Daytime Emmy, and five Primetime Emmys. In 2014, his song ‘Bigger!’, from the 67th Tony Awards celebration, won in the Outstanding Original Song category (an honour he shares with Luis Santerio). Three nominations later, he would gain another Emmy in the “Outstanding Variety Special (PreRecorded)” category for his role as a producer in Hamilton. In the same year, he was also given a nomination for his role as Alexander Hamilton himself, yet didn’t win.

Oscars The most complex category for Miranda is by far the Oscars. On a slight technicality, Lin could be considered an Oscar winner, however, when considering all factors, Lin has not yet achieved Oscar-winner status. He has been nominated twice in the category of “Best Original Song”, once for “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana in 2016, and once for “Dos Oruguitas” from the worldwide sensation that is Encanto.

Tonys

Grammys

Lin has won two Tonys for ‘Original Scores’, for In the Heights in 2008, and Hamilton in 2016. In the same two years, he received nominations in the category of “Best Actor in a Musical” but lost to Paulo Szot’s performance in South Pacific in 2008, and to fellow Hamilton actor Leslie Odom Jr. in 2016.

Seven years apart, Lin won the award “Best Musical Theater Album” twice, for two of his most well-known stage productions (In the Heights in 2009, and Hamilton in 2016.) Two years later, he was nominated for two awards for his work on Disney’s Moana, winning the “Best Song Written for Visual Media” Award with the smash-hit ‘How Far I’ll Go’, but did not win for “Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media”. 2021 and 2022 offered Lin two more

Award shows are nerve-wracking for all involved, from directors to producers, audiences to fandoms, and casts to creatives. It is safe to say that this is only the beginning of Lin’s long creative career, and an EGOT may be on the horizon soon, followed by a PEGOT win (as Lin already holds a Pulitzer Prize needed for this secondary title).

bringing bringing a stage Oftentimes in a theatrical production, behindthe-scenes elements are overlooked by audience members. Many come to a show and only acknowledge the performers and the story they are telling but don’t engage with how the technical aspects can also affect the mood and representation of a show. For example, lights in a show are extremely important in conveying different moods and setting up specific scenes. As someone who used to perform in high school shows, I admittedly never really paid attention to the lights and their importance while being on the stage. Now, after having hands-on experience working in a lighting crew, I have been able to see just how essential it is to a production. While attending Ithaca College, I have recently been able to delve more into my theatre minor and begin taking classes that pertain to the field. Part of this minor consists of me taking a theatrical practicum course. For my assignment, I am able to partake in the lighting crew for the college’s One Act Play Festival. The work is hard, to say the least. The process of hanging and focusing lights is so much more elaborate than one would think. Admittedly, I was oblivious to the process before and just thought that all of the lights were set in place and just used when needed. This is the furthest thing from the truth.

I was able to learn that we had to follow a lighting plot and I got to hang each individual light, connect and tie the cables, and now test the lights and do last-minute fix-ups. Physical labour is a big part of this job and it took quite the toll on my body so, props to you lighting professionals out there! Bringing this stage to light was a big team effort as well. There were many students and faculty members who spent many hours on this project and even lost sleep over it. It is important to acknowledge that everyone’s individual work on this show made it all possible. As the show is set to enter tech week soon and then premiere on the stage, I thought it would be important to share my experience during my small amount of time working on a lighting crew. While our college theatre program is quite professional, I can only imagine what it is like in a professional setting such as Broadway, the West End, or national tours. Another meaningful lesson I learned is, the next time you go to see a show, think about the technical aspect as well as the performance aspect. Tech crews work hard to tell the story as well. Hard work from them is how a stage is brought to light.

to light

light Words by Alecia Solorzano

stars OF

Theatre

Courtney Bowman

At the mere age of 27, Courtney Bowman has already gained several theatre credits in the West End. Her roles in shows such as Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Six have allowed her to work her way up the ladder and earn more principal roles. Courtney’s upcoming projects include the role of Princess Badroulbadour in Disney’s Disenchanted! and the lead role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde being performed at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

Beanie Feldstein

Beginning her career in 2002, Beanie Feldstein has made appearances in television, film, music videos, and on the stage. Feldstein made her Broadway debut in Hello Dolly in the role of Minnie Fay. More recently, she was cast as the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl which premieres on Broadway on April 24, 2022.

Frances Mayli McCann

Helping to revive the Bonnie and Clyde musical as Bonnie Parker in the West End, Frances Mayli McCann graces the stage again. With previous West End credits such as Evita, Heathers, and Les Misérables, McCann begins her next project in the leading female role. The show premiered in the West End on April 9th and will continue its limited run.

Ramin Karimloo

As an artist of many talents, Ramin Karimloo has performed on both the Broadway stage and the West End stage. Interestingly enough, Karimloo has played the leading male roles in both of the West End’s longest-running musicals, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. He was nominated for a Tony Award in the latter. Now, he will also join the Funny Girl cast in the role of Nick Arnstein.

Amara Okereke

Being quoted as “the new face of British theatre”, Amara Okereke is taking on the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady in the West End. Her previous credits in the West End also include Les Misérables and The Boy Friend. While the run of My Fair Lady is limited, it is premiering at the Coliseum from May 7th to August 27th.

curtaincall