The one night only production of Miscast by the UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2016 was entertaining. Coming to this production, I had no idea what to expect, but what I found was a compilation of musical performances from various popular musicals. Sophie Geerdes, the director, intentionally cast actors in roles that they might not typically be expected to fill. This made for nothing short of an entertaining hour.
Since Stage 2 is currently producing another play, it was clear that this one night only feature was lower on their priority list, which is understandable. That being said, the actors were for the most part, prepared for their parts, only one slip up with some forgotten lyrics. The costumes were nothing special, but they did the job, and allowed more focus on the actor(s). There were two group, choreographed numbers, one of which stuck out more to me. There were also a few actors who really stuck out from the others, with their energy and body language especially.
The only number that had issues with the performer being fully prepared, which was in “Nothing Short of Wonderful.” Besides the momentary lapse in memory, Derek Ronding did very well, taking on the personality of the character and enjoyably portrayed that to the audience.
As I mentioned, the costumes used were not spectacular, but that didn’t actually hurt the show. The two group performances that started of the show had all matching outfits, which worked very well. Other than that it appeared that each actor was able to construct their own costume, allowing them more creativity to portray the character fully. I especially enjoyed the boy’s leotards in the first number, and the costume in “Sweet Transvestite”, both helped portray the characters as well as some background of the context.
I thought Kevin Dustrude did a very good job of choreographing the guys for “Don’t Tell Mama”. It was funny and clearly well rehearsed. It was the perfect introductory number to catch the audiences’ attention, and set the tone for the rest of the production. The performers of this number appeared to be enjoying themselves, and a few really embraced their feminine characters, which was evidence in facial expressions and body movements, many of which were exaggerated to reach the back of the audience, which is were I was.
Although it was apparent all actors worked hard, a few shone brighter than others in my opinion. The first actor who really intrigued me was Rachel Williams in her performance of “Me”. She used the stage and her partner well to entertain, and embraced the masculinity of the role at hand. Luke Minske stole the show in his performance of “Sweet Transvestite” in my opinion. The costume, use of stage and other performers, body language, and facial expressions were hysterical and painted a clear picture of the character. The closing performer, Amelia Barr, beautifully belted out “Listen” from Dreamgirls that resulted in a standing ovation, which was the perfect closing number. Her strong voice reached past the last row of the audience, and captivated everyone in the theater. It was obvious she was singing her heart out to fulfill the difficult role.
Even though there was room for improvement on a few things, overall the production was thorough and entertaining. My expectations were exceeded, and I enjoyed myself. Considering the circumstances of producing One River simultaneously, Miscast was a light, fun, and entertaining production that allowed actors to show their flexibility of roles.
Miscast UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company Review by: Christa Stimson
UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company put on a one night only performance that was both humorous and unexpected. They set a relaxed tone by keeping the house lights on for the entirety of the show. This most definitely made the actors and actresses more comfortable doing types that were not their own, and it helped the audience to engage and relate to the actors.
One of the most humorous numbers was the opening act: “Don’t Tell Mama,” which resembled an almost “Magic Mike” replica. The dancers seemed apprehensive at the beginning, but once the crowd started to engage they owned it and gave their best performance possible. This set the tone for the entire show because the audience was excited to see more.
Derek Ronding sang “Nothing Short of Wonderful” and had a minor slip with the lyrics. Nonetheless, he redeemed himself quickly and kept the show going. He kept his composure and the audience found it humorous, which kept him comfortable and encouraged him to keep going.
“Hey, Good Lookin’,” performed by Chenoa DePoppe, April Roeder, and Carys Jeffrey, featuring Reese Britts, Derek Ronding, and Bud Gibson, kept the energy high in the theatre with the fun and innocent personalities of the actors. The act took an unexpected twist when Britts exposed that he was not the “man” that the ladies thought he was.
Reese Britts gave the most unexpected performance of the night when he sang “Maybe This Time.” The audience was blown away with his talent which isn’t deemed his “type.” He seemed to be the most prepared with his incredible stage presence and poise. This was easily one of the most surprising acts of the night.
The show was entertaining and full of personality, but there was more singing acts than necessary. The experience is intended for the audience to see known actors playing roles that they usually wouldn’t, but that intention was drawn out with so much singing because it made the mood feel less theatrical and more of a talent show. However, it was entertaining to see actors come out of their comfort zone and do something that they had never done before.
Miscast Stage 2 Theatre Company Review by: Casi Matelski
Miscast, “ a safe and creative environment to branch out of this thing called ‘type’ and play roles that the professional world has deemed that we can’t.” This quote by director Sophie Geerdes explains the idea of the show perfectly. Miscast is a compilation of performances that star 17 musical acts with their own twist that allows for everyday people to become someone else for a period of time. Like reading a book, the escape from reality is a haven from everyday troubles and it was visible on the actors faces that there momentary escape from everyday life allowed for a time of expression and laughter. Director Sophie Geerdes of Stage 2 Theater at the University of Minnesota Duluth definitely constructed a show in a form that allowed the audience and the actors to be expressive and have a breathable experience. To highlight the performers, the stage was empty apart from a few props that the actors brought to aid to their act. This was a smart idea as the empty set allowed for the audience to focus primarily at the actors and the beauty of raw acting. A golden star goes out to the performers that made the audience interactive. By creating an atmosphere where the audience can laugh openly and cheer is a strategy that captivated the house. First and foremost, it was an incredibly wise and a strategic move to place a real life “Magic Mike” performance of “Don’t Tell Mama” as the opening act. A hand of applause should be awarded to Geerdes for placing the choreographed dance by a team of men to set the tone for the night. Who doesn’t like a throng of men to dance in tank tops and jeans to a classic piece of music? Surely the audience understood the humor that the performers were trying to create and how their performance was meant to break the ice for the rest of the show. Second in place to “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Turn it off” by the musical the Book of Mormon had a great comedic approach. Not to mention the tap dancing was very well put together and had been altogether well rehearsed. The downside of placing two dance numbers together was that it separated the show from dance and singing. Vocal performances are great, but a mixture of dance and vocals ensures that the audience will not get bored and holds the attention. On another note, as expressed by the audience, the presentations most reacted to were “Nothing Short of Wonderful” performed by Derek Ronding and “Sweet Transvestite” performed by Luke Minsk. A common theme of the night was humor. For instance, the actors switching gender roles such as the act, “Nothing Short of Wonderful” and “Me” from Beauty and the Beast where ironic and humorous. As apart from the other acts, the vocal performers switched everyday roles by lending their heart out to their music. Altogether, Miscast was a success and an experimentation that will only get better if Stage 2 decides to hold another showing in the years to come.
Miscast Stage 2 Theatre Company Reviewer: Ndina Minga
Stage 2 Theatre did an excellent job of producing a play that was only showing for one night. Throughout the play, the audience's emotions were scattered all over the room, people were laughing, jumping, clapping, yelling, hooting because that was the greatness of the play. Sophie Geerdes, the director picked a great group of performers to produce the show. The way the performers each individually performed but as a group was what made the show well thrown together and enjoyable to watch. By how they performed, the actors perfectly represented the name of the play well because of how the roles are not originally meant for them. With each performance, the actors were doing something that they would not particularly do and because they were out of their bubble this made the performance even more great and kept the audience wanting for more. Throughout the entire show, people were just amazed with everything and how the actors managed to do their parts without a problem. Other than producing a great show, one thing that lacked were their movements and costumes. In some of the performances, as they were moving around some of the performers were not in synch or were mispositioned and seemed offsides so it seemed as if they were trying to catch with the other performers. Another thing were their costumes, it seemed as if they did not put much thought into what they would look like during the final production. Also, with the stage area most of the stage was empty unless they brought props themselves or helped bring for other performers.
Starting the show with some “Magic Mikes” was a great start because it immediately captivated the audience and somewhat foreshadowed of what to expect for upcoming scenes throughout the production. Each one of the guys that were apart of it did excellent job individually doing their part with each different but doing the same thing.
Another great performance that seemed to interesting to the audience and most engageable was when Luke Menski did his number. As he walking out and his personality of what was portrayed, it was seen that his scene would be something interesting and unique. The way he rhythmically strutted around the empty stage while performing made it seem like as if the stage was not empty but filled with people and things and the entire room lighten up and cheered and wanted more. His final action made everyone even more hectic when he stepped off the stage and into one of the audience members. The director did a great job casting Luke Menski, because most people who went to see it would have this scene stuck in their heads.
Even though this was showing for one night only, if other people knew or heard about it from the people that went to see it, more and more people and would have attended. The style of this play and individual actor’s choices was what made the play even more enjoyable and leaving the audience to want for more. From beginning to end, there were applauses and cheers and Sophie Geerdes did a great production because everyone loved everything so much and always wanted more. After the show being over and having the audience speak so highly of it rather than something else shows how great the production was and its casting.
Stage 2’s production of Miscast was a night of entertainment. The show itself had funny moments and performances that stood out as exemplary, however that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few hiccups. Throughout the performance it was clear that some actors were more prepared than others and some concepts were more thought out. Because of these issues the show did drag on in a few areas, but overall it made for an entertaining night of theater.
Miscast was made with the purpose of casting actors in roles that they wouldn’t usually play, and although this has the potential to create hilarious scenes and interesting portrayals of characters, there is still a reason people are chosen for certain roles. In a few of the gender bent numbers such as “Me” by Rachael Williams and “Dancing through Life” by Hannah Smart it was difficult to hit the range of notes needed for the songs. Williams had notes that were much too low for her range, while Smart went up the octave making the part very high. This affected the performances of both songs, however each song was very enjoyable to watch and each actress did a marvelous job at engaging the audience.
The choreography for some songs seemed to be more thought out than others as well. As previously mentioned “Me” by Williams did a very good job with the choreography in the scene making the song interesting to watch and it added to the comedy of the performance. This is also true for “Hey Good Lookin’” by Chenoa DePoppe, April Roeder, and Carys Jeffrey, Featuring Reese Britts, Derek Ronding, and Bud Gibson. These actors used heightened facial expressions, well thought out choreography and interesting character interaction to create an all-together wonderful performance. However a few of the other numbers seemed to have less choreography making them less engaging to watch. This was especially true for the dramatic numbers in the show. Although each song was good in its own way, it is much more interesting to watch a song with dynamic movement instead of motionless singing.
The show began with two dance numbers of “Don’t Tell Mama” choreographed by Kevin Dustrude and “Turn It Off” by Mary Myers. This was a very strong beginning to the show, it introduced the theme of the show because each number was performed by the opposite gender intended, and had the audience in stitches. Both of the choreographers for these numbers did an excellent job with portraying the comedic moments of both songs and the strengths of the actors.
The costuming for the show was based off of the color blue; each actor wore all black except for a blue accent. This idea created a connecting theme for each song and made the show seem to flow comfortably. If each performer wore whatever they wanted the show would’ve seemed disjointed and awkward for the audience. It was a good idea to have a common theme for the cast while also keeping it simple and professional looking.
Two performances stood out above the rest. Both “Maybe This Time” by Reese Britts and “Listen” by Amelia Barr were spectacular performances. Britts use of facial expressions sold the emotional level of the song, making the audience lost in the performance. Although this song had limited movement, Britts engaging facial expressions and emotional appeal were all that was needed to create a moving and dynamic number. The closing number by Barr was also stunning. Barr’s beautiful voice and musical talent entranced the audience. She had wonderful control of her vocal range making each note important and perfectly pitched. Barr’s performance left the audience speechless, she did an excellent job of creating emotion and depth to the song making her performance one of the most impressive in the show.
Miscast was an overall enjoyable show, even though there were moments that could have been more engaging. It was a night of fun for the audience as they got to see the actors portray characters that were much different than they would usually be.
Miscast was a unique one night performance that was truly different and captivating. This show was directed by UMD student Sophie Geerdes and was put on the night of October third. The objective of the show was to take different acts and have the performers in each one to do a number that would not typically be performed by them. Basically, take stereotypes for different people and throw it out the window.
Although a majority of the show was vocal acts there were two choreographed dances at the beginning of the show. One was an impressive tap-dance number that was done to “Turn it Off” from The Book of Mormon and choreographed by Mary Myers. This dance was well choreographed and performed. All the members of the dance were female and this song is usually performed by all males, which then made it even more entertaining. Also, this was the number with the best costumes! They wore white shirts, suspenders, and some had glasses!
One of the best truly miscast act was Rachel Williams (feat. Brendan Finn) performing “Me” from Beauty & the Beast. This song is typically performed by a extremely handsome and egotistical young adult male who is proposing to the most beautiful girl in the village who wants nothing to do with him and despises him. But, in this performance Rachel Williams, who is female, portrayed the extremely handsome and egotistical young adult male and Brendan Finn,who is male, portrayed the most beautiful girl in the village. This act was one of the most hilarious acts of the night. Williams and Finn sang in this number wonderfully and gripped the audience with their dramatic and comedic acting.
One of the best vocal performances of the night was done by Amanda Hennen. She sang “Hold Me In Your Heart” from Kinky Boots. Miss Hennen sang with passion and caused goosebumps throughout the entire theatre. This song was well performed, however because this is a lesser well known song it is not an obvious miscast song.
“Sweet Transvestite” from Rocky Horror Show was amusingly performed by Luke Minske. He really got into character not only with his black short shorts and black vest he also used provoking and priceless dance moves along with extraordinary acting and good vocals! This was definitely a miscast that was memorable.
The last two numbers of this show were the strongest vocal performances of the night. Reese Britts performed “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret and Amelia Barr performed “Listen” from Dreamgirls. These two acts were wonderful, however they were not obvious miscast performances, which is supposed to be the main point of the show. Regardless of the entire concept of the show, the two last acts were a wonderful way to end the show because of the high quality of them.
Miscast was overall an excellent show. Each act was unique and different making it more entertaining.With multiple acs, from funny to heartwarming, the performance was full of variety and it being only one night it was definitely worth seeing!
On October 3rd, 2016, director Sophie Geerdes took Stage 2 Theater Company all the way with their production of Miscast. Miscast was a performance meant for re-creating the face and style of Stage 2’s actors and actresses by having them perform works they never would have dreamed of performing in! A few works that stood out were “Hey Good Lookin,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” and “Neverland.” These three performances represent three of seventeen astounding works prepared for that night and are definitely worth shedding some light on:
Hey good Lookin, a work out of the main playwright Dogfight was reenacted by three built men and three shorter, but determined, young women. For a few college students, Hey Good Lookin was a professional reenactment with much enthusiasm and continuity a performance calls for. The actors played the unattractive women, while the actresses played the sketchy marines.
Many of the female actresses were able to use impersonation as their weapon in creating three very disgusting, male, marines with the mindset of treating women like everyday items. The actresses were not afraid to get physical by throwing an arm around the shoulder or simply by breaking the personal space barrier of the women they were after by getting up in their faces and using psychological techniques and motivation for just one date.
In response, the idea of a date seemed to arouse the women from what would have been a dull night. It was hard to imagine the men being any better at emitting embarrassed and flattered expressions when confronted by the smile’s of cold hearted individuals in disguise; the wide eyes, hands meeting at the back, and the feminine like gasps were enough to trigger the inner laughs of audience members.
The only element that could have been further improved were the costumes. Just as the females were not wearing marine uniforms, the men were not wearing dresses or wigs. As a result, the performance was not as spiced up as it could have been. Costumes are just one element though, and the fact that these individuals were able to pull it off without them was astounding! Something even more astounding was seeing three marines pull disgusting stunts right under their mother's noses, something the next group of men were paranoid about.
Don’t Tell Mama, choreographed by Kevin Dustrude was one of the few dancing numbers, put on by nine of Stage 2’s finest young actors. All nine of these men blew the roof off the theater by impersonating what would have been naughty young women. Their actions ranging from a sassy shush to spreading out their legs to mistakenly flash their viewers (not literally) made them more convincing. While the dancing could have been more synchronized throughout, professional dancing is not an easy task, and after reviewing the amount of time these men had for perfecting their performance, consider it well accomplished!
The costumes were a fair pick for the act as well! The black outfits helped in making the facial expressions during the performance all the more noticeable, with an emphasis on the mischievous and dirty smiles. As for the handkerchiefs, they really brought out the actors feminine side.
Rachael Ronding performed the third type of performance within Miscast, and that was a singing number known as Neverland. The dominating element of this work was the voice of Ronding, a fun and beautiful voice to listen to! Although, acting and/or dancing could have really added diversity to the piece. It is easy to forget though that Miscast was designed for actors and actresses who did not originally perform certain works. If Rounding was indeed new to the idea of singing, then kudos to her for sharing her voice with the audience. Her voice never left pitch and contained diction!
Miscast was unique, and most importantly, admiring. Many things could have gone wrong on performing night, but the performers did not let a fear of failure prevail! It takes spunk to get up on stage and perform something beyond one's comfort zone, a quality that built Miscast’s foundation for success!
The one night only showing of the Stage two production of Miscast directed by Sophie Geerdes took the whole idea of “type” acting and threw it out the window allowing actors to do parts that they would otherwise be questioned for doing. The whole hour consisted of popular music from all different fields all the way from the all Broadway musical “The Book Mormon” all the way to the all male dance number “Don’t Tell Mama”. The main idea of this production is to take the idea type, which is assigning actors to specific roles, based on how they look or even what gender they are and to totally disregard it. By doing this, actors are able to expand their reach and do roles that they never thought they could. This idea coupled with some of the most flamboyant acting I have seen on a college stage makes for a very entertaining hour of theater.
At the end of the performance, my expectations for a play made by a student run organization had been met and exceeded, but there were a few small issues with the performance. Due to the play being student run and having a more limited budget than other plays, the costumes were very plain and barely related to the overall skit that was being performed at the time. However, this way there was more attention placed on the acting and singing ability of the students because there was no flashy costume or fancy background to distract the audience it was all focused on the actor.
Having all the pressure being solely focused on the actor themselves is an extremely gutsy thing to do, but that gamble worked out very well for Miscast. The acting portrayed on stage of men doing female parts and female’s doing male parts was both entertaining and surprising to see how easily characters could change genders. The singing in Miscast varied slightly, there were times where there were slight errors in harmonizing and there was a song where they forgot lines to a song. However, the majority of the singing was phenomenal with students demonstrating their incredible range, and their amazing ability to change their singing voice in order to better fit the character they are trying to portray. The dancing ability of the students is just as great as their singing, they actors were totally in synch through the entire performance, the all male dance performance of the song “Don’t Tell Momma” was especially good with the men really getting in touch with their feminine side.
There was one performance in particular that stood out from all the others in the play and that was “Sweet Transvestite” by Luke Minske. Minske embodied everything that Miscast was supposed to be; Minske was able to embody the character of Frank N. Furtner of “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. Minske was flamboyant, expressive, and especially inviting to the audience, this really showed that even without costume, background, or much practice they can still put on a great show just with singing, dancing, and great acting. The only drawback to Minske performance is that he may actually be ok for the part of Frank N. Furtner when the whole point of the show was to take people that didn't fit the type. In conclusion, the play Miscast had a few problems with low quality background and costumes, as well as a few singing errors that included forgetting words and voice cracks. Overall though I thought it was an extremely entertaining night of theater with entertaining skits of gender swap characters, bodacious male dancing, and one of the best renditions of the song “Sweet Transvestite” from the movie “Rocky Horror Picture Show”.
Miscast Stage 2 Theatre Company Review by: Kavya Bhatnagar
Stage 2's one-night performance of Miscast directed by Sophie Geerdes was an entertainer. The main idea was to take the stereotype and give it to the completely opposite actor. The whole show had different parts which includes some famous musicals like "hey good looking" , "don't tell mama" and "Neverland". These performances were appreciated and enjoyed by audience.
The main purpose of this play was to challenge the actors for playing the roles they never imagined playing. The play had the majority of musicals and the first performance, which was a tap-dance number that was done to “Turn it Off” from The Book of Mormon and choreographed by Mary Myers and was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. They created some hilarious scenes and unexpected portal of characters.
The show began on high note and was successful in introducing the theme. The choreographers did an excellent job and the actors portrayed them beautifully. The only performance which was least prepared was “Nothing short o wonderful”. Derek rounding performed very well and did justice to the performance but there was just a slight memory lapse which didn’t make it perfect.
The costumes used were not very attractive and made the stage look dull but the boy’s leotards costume in “sweet transvestite” was the perfect choice as it properly portrayed the character and the theme. If each performer wore whatever they wanted the show would’ve seemed weird for the audience. It was a good idea to have a common theme for the cast while also keeping it simple and systematic but at the same time it would have been something colorful which should match with the fun and happy theme.
“Don’t tell mama” was one of the best example of choreography by Kevin Dustrude. Boys performing feminine movements and imitating them was a complete star of the night. One of the best vocal performances of the night was by Amanda Hennen. She sang “Hold Me In Your Heart” from Kinky Boots. She sang that with passion and caused goosebumps throughout the entire theatre. This song was well performed and appreciated.
Reese Britts gave the most unexpected performance of the night when he performed “Maybe This Time.” It was an amazing act which grabbed the attention of all the people
Even though this was just a one-night production and was produced in a very limited frame of time, It was an experience on its own to witness such a wonderful idea. it was entertaining to see actors come out of their comfort zone and do something that they had never done before. Overall it was an enjoyable show and the night was entertaining and unique.
Miscast was a one-day showcase by UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company, performed at MPAC main stage on Monday Oct. 3rd at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Going in after a long day of classes, most of the students didn’t know what they were walking into but were hopeful for the best. Director Sophie Geerdes really got creative with this play. Geerdes really wanted to focus on the creativity of the artists for Miscast. The play focuses on throwing away the concept of type and having the actors play parts that usually wouldn’t fit in with their characteristics. There were several choreographed dance performances accompanied by singers.
The performers that stood out were Amelia Barr and the two opening dances “Don’t Tell Mama” and “Turn it Off”. Barr blew the roof off the place with her vocal skills singing Dreamgirls’ Listen. She wore a simple black dress to accentuate the mood and sang every note with passion that can clearly be heard in her voice. Her singing skills really sent chills down everyone’s back. But singing isn’t the only thing these actors can do pretty well; they can also dance. Don’t Tell Mama and Turn It Off had a great choreographed dance that kept the audience bumping their heads and sometimes even clapping their hands to the beat.
The actors throughout the play were very consumed into their characters they were playing. Rachel Williams who sang “Me” from Beauty and the Beast was very into her character like many of the singers were. She used great impersonations of a “beast” given her little, not so intimidating height. Williams used her space well by constantly moving around throughout the song and even getting up on one of the boxes for a fierce finish.
The stage was not very big but was used very wisely. For the opening act “Don’t Tell Mama”, the dancers were risen mid-stage as they began their dance which gave it a serene effect. Others came from either sides of the stage, from center stage and even from amongst the crowd, actors popped out. Lighting wasn’t overly used in different variety but there was a pianist by the side of the stage accompanying most of the performers with music. The props used were simple like the black boxes and different outfits. In terms of costumes, really exaggerating the theme of Miscast would’ve made the play stand out more. The actresses could’ve stressed their role by wearing a more masculine costume like more facial hair, baggier pants and shorter hair and vice versa for the males.
The play in general was very enjoyable though, especially after a long day of classes or work. It differs slightly from a typical theatric play as it is very abstract and out of the ordinary. A mixture of comedy and creativity all in one extravagant play, it was definitely worth the watch.
The production of Miscast at the UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company was a one night performance on Monday, October 3rd, 2016. While attending this production be ready to be engaged. Artistic Director, Sophie Geerdes definitely hit her goal and branched out of the thing that we call type and showed roles that the professional world has deemed that we can’t. Which left this play nothing but amusing and a little tedious in some spots.
In this production, it was clear that it was mostly for fun and entertainment. The choreographed performances, “Don’t Tell Mama” and “Turn It Off’ definitely was a kick off to the show. It seemed to grab attention and strike a little humor out of it. The costumes for these performances seemed to fit well with the theme, and created a little togetherness between the performers. The other performances did not have costumes that were coordinated with their music. Most of the performers that did not have coordinated costumes seemed to wear blue and black, which fit well because it was not too extravagant but yet, casual.
Some performers definitely out shined the others while some seemed to just kind of be there. One performance, ‘Nothing Short of Wonderful’ that the actor Derek Ronding had a little memory lapse but did not let it defeat him and came out with a strong ending leaving it nothing but well performed and seem to make the audience forget it even happened in the first place. Reese Britts, the performer of Maybe This Time also had a little line slip and let out a little chuckle instead but had no effect on the audience besides leaving them laughing.
Two performances really caught an eye and stood out, “Sweet Transvestite” and “Listen”. These two are complete opposites from each other but both have a zinge to them. “Sweet Transvestite” performed by Luke Minske featuring Rachael Ronding and Amanda Hennen created bolts of laughter throughout the whole thing. Minske’s involvement with the characters personality hit a homerun, the way he played the role of the transvestite, using facial expressions, his physical movement and the involvement with the audience made this performance stand out over any other part of this show. “Listen” on the other hand was not much of a comedy perspective but it caught my attention quick as performer Amelia Barr hit the notes perfectly to the music. Barr took pride in her performance and sang her lungs out as if she was the only one in the theatre.
There was also individual performers that shined brighter than the others. Brendan Finn that performed in the choreography “Don’t Tell Mama” and his own performance “Last Midnight” didn't quite steal the show with these but definitely stole the light from everyone else on stage. He created a more lively and outgoing performance in both of these. His personality fits well with theatre because he uses his facial expressions to the max and moves greatly around the stage. Finn’s vocals carried throughout the theatre and took over almost as must as Barrs. Finn was more enthusiastic than the other performers but he was not the only one. Hannah Smart, was another performer that stole the light as well. Smart performed in the choreography “Turn It Off” and also her solo performance “Dancing Through Life”. Her vocals just like Barrs and Finns carried throughout the whole theatre and left awh in some audiences faces. She was also enthusiastic just like Finn, she expressed facial expression more than any other, even with her movement as well. She created attention to the stage with her big bright smile and loud lungs.
Overall, this performance may not have been what was expected but it turned out just fine. A little slip up here and there but nothing to overcome the whole show. For this show to not be the performer's first priority and a one night thing, the performers definitely held up their part and gave a satisfying show for the audience to enjoy.
Morgan Butler-Fluth 10-4-16
ReplyDeleteThe one night only production of Miscast by the UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2016 was entertaining. Coming to this production, I had no idea what to expect, but what I found was a compilation of musical performances from various popular musicals. Sophie Geerdes, the director, intentionally cast actors in roles that they might not typically be expected to fill. This made for nothing short of an entertaining hour.
Since Stage 2 is currently producing another play, it was clear that this one night only feature was lower on their priority list, which is understandable. That being said, the actors were for the most part, prepared for their parts, only one slip up with some forgotten lyrics. The costumes were nothing special, but they did the job, and allowed more focus on the actor(s). There were two group, choreographed numbers, one of which stuck out more to me. There were also a few actors who really stuck out from the others, with their energy and body language especially.
The only number that had issues with the performer being fully prepared, which was in “Nothing Short of Wonderful.” Besides the momentary lapse in memory, Derek Ronding did very well, taking on the personality of the character and enjoyably portrayed that to the audience.
As I mentioned, the costumes used were not spectacular, but that didn’t actually hurt the show. The two group performances that started of the show had all matching outfits, which worked very well. Other than that it appeared that each actor was able to construct their own costume, allowing them more creativity to portray the character fully. I especially enjoyed the boy’s leotards in the first number, and the costume in “Sweet Transvestite”, both helped portray the characters as well as some background of the context.
I thought Kevin Dustrude did a very good job of choreographing the guys for “Don’t Tell Mama”. It was funny and clearly well rehearsed. It was the perfect introductory number to catch the audiences’ attention, and set the tone for the rest of the production. The performers of this number appeared to be enjoying themselves, and a few really embraced their feminine characters, which was evidence in facial expressions and body movements, many of which were exaggerated to reach the back of the audience, which is were I was.
Although it was apparent all actors worked hard, a few shone brighter than others in my opinion. The first actor who really intrigued me was Rachel Williams in her performance of “Me”. She used the stage and her partner well to entertain, and embraced the masculinity of the role at hand. Luke Minske stole the show in his performance of “Sweet Transvestite” in my opinion. The costume, use of stage and other performers, body language, and facial expressions were hysterical and painted a clear picture of the character. The closing performer, Amelia Barr, beautifully belted out “Listen” from Dreamgirls that resulted in a standing ovation, which was the perfect closing number. Her strong voice reached past the last row of the audience, and captivated everyone in the theater. It was obvious she was singing her heart out to fulfill the difficult role.
Even though there was room for improvement on a few things, overall the production was thorough and entertaining. My expectations were exceeded, and I enjoyed myself. Considering the circumstances of producing One River simultaneously, Miscast was a light, fun, and entertaining production that allowed actors to show their flexibility of roles.
Miscast
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Review by: Christa Stimson
UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company put on a one night only performance that was both humorous and unexpected. They set a relaxed tone by keeping the house lights on for the entirety of the show. This most definitely made the actors and actresses more comfortable doing types that were not their own, and it helped the audience to engage and relate to the actors.
One of the most humorous numbers was the opening act: “Don’t Tell Mama,” which resembled an almost “Magic Mike” replica. The dancers seemed apprehensive at the beginning, but once the crowd started to engage they owned it and gave their best performance possible. This set the tone for the entire show because the audience was excited to see more.
Derek Ronding sang “Nothing Short of Wonderful” and had a minor slip with the lyrics. Nonetheless, he redeemed himself quickly and kept the show going. He kept his composure and the audience found it humorous, which kept him comfortable and encouraged him to keep going.
“Hey, Good Lookin’,” performed by Chenoa DePoppe, April Roeder, and Carys Jeffrey, featuring Reese Britts, Derek Ronding, and Bud Gibson, kept the energy high in the theatre with the fun and innocent personalities of the actors. The act took an unexpected twist when Britts exposed that he was not the “man” that the ladies thought he was.
“Sweet Transvestite, performed by Luke Minske, was undoubtedly the crowd favorite. The mood was set the tone for the number right as he walked out from behind the curtain in his full face of makeup and extremely feminine outfit. He kept the audience laughing with his quirky dance moves and risqué singing, which indeed made this act the most entertaining of the entire show.
Reese Britts gave the most unexpected performance of the night when he sang “Maybe This Time.” The audience was blown away with his talent which isn’t deemed his “type.” He seemed to be the most prepared with his incredible stage presence and poise. This was easily one of the most surprising acts of the night.
The show was entertaining and full of personality, but there was more singing acts than necessary. The experience is intended for the audience to see known actors playing roles that they usually wouldn’t, but that intention was drawn out with so much singing because it made the mood feel less theatrical and more of a talent show. However, it was entertaining to see actors come out of their comfort zone and do something that they had never done before.
Miscast
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Review by: Casi Matelski
Miscast, “ a safe and creative environment to branch out of this thing called ‘type’ and play roles that the professional world has deemed that we can’t.” This quote by director Sophie Geerdes explains the idea of the show perfectly. Miscast is a compilation of performances that star 17 musical acts with their own twist that allows for everyday people to become someone else for a period of time. Like reading a book, the escape from reality is a haven from everyday troubles and it was visible on the actors faces that there momentary escape from everyday life allowed for a time of expression and laughter. Director Sophie Geerdes of Stage 2 Theater at the University of Minnesota Duluth definitely constructed a show in a form that allowed the audience and the actors to be expressive and have a breathable experience. To highlight the performers, the stage was empty apart from a few props that the actors brought to aid to their act. This was a smart idea as the empty set allowed for the audience to focus primarily at the actors and the beauty of raw acting. A golden star goes out to the performers that made the audience interactive. By creating an atmosphere where the audience can laugh openly and cheer is a strategy that captivated the house.
First and foremost, it was an incredibly wise and a strategic move to place a real life “Magic Mike” performance of “Don’t Tell Mama” as the opening act. A hand of applause should be awarded to Geerdes for placing the choreographed dance by a team of men to set the tone for the night. Who doesn’t like a throng of men to dance in tank tops and jeans to a classic piece of music? Surely the audience understood the humor that the performers were trying to create and how their performance was meant to break the ice for the rest of the show. Second in place to “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Turn it off” by the musical the Book of Mormon had a great comedic approach. Not to mention the tap dancing was very well put together and had been altogether well rehearsed. The downside of placing two dance numbers together was that it separated the show from dance and singing. Vocal performances are great, but a mixture of dance and vocals ensures that the audience will not get bored and holds the attention.
On another note, as expressed by the audience, the presentations most reacted to were “Nothing Short of Wonderful” performed by Derek Ronding and “Sweet Transvestite” performed by Luke Minsk. A common theme of the night was humor. For instance, the actors switching gender roles such as the act, “Nothing Short of Wonderful” and “Me” from Beauty and the Beast where ironic and humorous. As apart from the other acts, the vocal performers switched everyday roles by lending their heart out to their music. Altogether, Miscast was a success and an experimentation that will only get better if Stage 2 decides to hold another showing in the years to come.
Miscast
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Reviewer: Ndina Minga
Stage 2 Theatre did an excellent job of producing a play that was only showing for one night. Throughout the play, the audience's emotions were scattered all over the room, people were laughing, jumping, clapping, yelling, hooting because that was the greatness of the play. Sophie Geerdes, the director picked a great group of performers to produce the show. The way the performers each individually performed but as a group was what made the show well thrown together and enjoyable to watch. By how they performed, the actors perfectly represented the name of the play well because of how the roles are not originally meant for them. With each performance, the actors were doing something that they would not particularly do and because they were out of their bubble this made the performance even more great and kept the audience wanting for more. Throughout the entire show, people were just amazed with everything and how the actors managed to do their parts without a problem. Other than producing a great show, one thing that lacked were their movements and costumes. In some of the performances, as they were moving around some of the performers were not in synch or were mispositioned and seemed offsides so it seemed as if they were trying to catch with the other performers. Another thing were their costumes, it seemed as if they did not put much thought into what they would look like during the final production. Also, with the stage area most of the stage was empty unless they brought props themselves or helped bring for other performers.
Starting the show with some “Magic Mikes” was a great start because it immediately captivated the audience and somewhat foreshadowed of what to expect for upcoming scenes throughout the production. Each one of the guys that were apart of it did excellent job individually doing their part with each different but doing the same thing.
Another great performance that seemed to interesting to the audience and most engageable was when Luke Menski did his number. As he walking out and his personality of what was portrayed, it was seen that his scene would be something interesting and unique. The way he rhythmically strutted around the empty stage while performing made it seem like as if the stage was not empty but filled with people and things and the entire room lighten up and cheered and wanted more. His final action made everyone even more hectic when he stepped off the stage and into one of the audience members. The director did a great job casting Luke Menski, because most people who went to see it would have this scene stuck in their heads.
Even though this was showing for one night only, if other people knew or heard about it from the people that went to see it, more and more people and would have attended. The style of this play and individual actor’s choices was what made the play even more enjoyable and leaving the audience to want for more. From beginning to end, there were applauses and cheers and Sophie Geerdes did a great production because everyone loved everything so much and always wanted more. After the show being over and having the audience speak so highly of it rather than something else shows how great the production was and its casting.
Stage 2’s production of Miscast was a night of entertainment. The show itself had funny moments and performances that stood out as exemplary, however that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few hiccups. Throughout the performance it was clear that some actors were more prepared than others and some concepts were more thought out. Because of these issues the show did drag on in a few areas, but overall it made for an entertaining night of theater.
ReplyDeleteMiscast was made with the purpose of casting actors in roles that they wouldn’t usually play, and although this has the potential to create hilarious scenes and interesting portrayals of characters, there is still a reason people are chosen for certain roles. In a few of the gender bent numbers such as “Me” by Rachael Williams and “Dancing through Life” by Hannah Smart it was difficult to hit the range of notes needed for the songs. Williams had notes that were much too low for her range, while Smart went up the octave making the part very high. This affected the performances of both songs, however each song was very enjoyable to watch and each actress did a marvelous job at engaging the audience.
The choreography for some songs seemed to be more thought out than others as well. As previously mentioned “Me” by Williams did a very good job with the choreography in the scene making the song interesting to watch and it added to the comedy of the performance. This is also true for “Hey Good Lookin’” by Chenoa DePoppe, April Roeder, and Carys Jeffrey, Featuring Reese Britts, Derek Ronding, and Bud Gibson. These actors used heightened facial expressions, well thought out choreography and interesting character interaction to create an all-together wonderful performance. However a few of the other numbers seemed to have less choreography making them less engaging to watch. This was especially true for the dramatic numbers in the show. Although each song was good in its own way, it is much more interesting to watch a song with dynamic movement instead of motionless singing.
The show began with two dance numbers of “Don’t Tell Mama” choreographed by Kevin Dustrude and “Turn It Off” by Mary Myers. This was a very strong beginning to the show, it introduced the theme of the show because each number was performed by the opposite gender intended, and had the audience in stitches. Both of the choreographers for these numbers did an excellent job with portraying the comedic moments of both songs and the strengths of the actors.
The costuming for the show was based off of the color blue; each actor wore all black except for a blue accent. This idea created a connecting theme for each song and made the show seem to flow comfortably. If each performer wore whatever they wanted the show would’ve seemed disjointed and awkward for the audience. It was a good idea to have a common theme for the cast while also keeping it simple and professional looking.
Two performances stood out above the rest. Both “Maybe This Time” by Reese Britts and “Listen” by Amelia Barr were spectacular performances. Britts use of facial expressions sold the emotional level of the song, making the audience lost in the performance. Although this song had limited movement, Britts engaging facial expressions and emotional appeal were all that was needed to create a moving and dynamic number. The closing number by Barr was also stunning. Barr’s beautiful voice and musical talent entranced the audience. She had wonderful control of her vocal range making each note important and perfectly pitched. Barr’s performance left the audience speechless, she did an excellent job of creating emotion and depth to the song making her performance one of the most impressive in the show.
Miscast was an overall enjoyable show, even though there were moments that could have been more engaging. It was a night of fun for the audience as they got to see the actors portray characters that were much different than they would usually be.
Miscast was a unique one night performance that was truly different and captivating. This show was directed by UMD student Sophie Geerdes and was put on the night of October third. The objective of the show was to take different acts and have the performers in each one to do a number that would not typically be performed by them. Basically, take stereotypes for different people and throw it out the window.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a majority of the show was vocal acts there were two choreographed dances at the beginning of the show. One was an impressive tap-dance number that was done to “Turn it Off” from The Book of Mormon and choreographed by Mary Myers. This dance was well choreographed and performed. All the members of the dance were female and this song is usually performed by all males, which then made it even more entertaining. Also, this was the number with the best costumes! They wore white shirts, suspenders, and some had glasses!
One of the best truly miscast act was Rachel Williams (feat. Brendan Finn) performing “Me” from Beauty & the Beast. This song is typically performed by a extremely handsome and egotistical young adult male who is proposing to the most beautiful girl in the village who wants nothing to do with him and despises him. But, in this performance Rachel Williams, who is female, portrayed the extremely handsome and egotistical young adult male and Brendan Finn,who is male, portrayed the most beautiful girl in the village. This act was one of the most hilarious acts of the night. Williams and Finn sang in this number wonderfully and gripped the audience with their dramatic and comedic acting.
One of the best vocal performances of the night was done by Amanda Hennen. She sang “Hold Me In Your Heart” from Kinky Boots. Miss Hennen sang with passion and caused goosebumps throughout the entire theatre. This song was well performed, however because this is a lesser well known song it is not an obvious miscast song.
“Sweet Transvestite” from Rocky Horror Show was amusingly performed by Luke Minske. He really got into character not only with his black short shorts and black vest he also used provoking and priceless dance moves along with extraordinary acting and good vocals! This was definitely a miscast that was memorable.
The last two numbers of this show were the strongest vocal performances of the night. Reese Britts performed “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret and Amelia Barr performed “Listen” from Dreamgirls. These two acts were wonderful, however they were not obvious miscast performances, which is supposed to be the main point of the show. Regardless of the entire concept of the show, the two last acts were a wonderful way to end the show because of the high quality of them.
Miscast was overall an excellent show. Each act was unique and different making it more entertaining.With multiple acs, from funny to heartwarming, the performance was full of variety and it being only one night it was definitely worth seeing!
On October 3rd, 2016, director Sophie Geerdes took Stage 2 Theater Company all the way with their production of Miscast. Miscast was a performance meant for re-creating the face and style of Stage 2’s actors and actresses by having them perform works they never would have dreamed of performing in! A few works that stood out were “Hey Good Lookin,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” and “Neverland.” These three performances represent three of seventeen astounding works prepared for that night and are definitely worth shedding some light on:
ReplyDeleteHey good Lookin, a work out of the main playwright Dogfight was reenacted by three built men and three shorter, but determined, young women. For a few college students, Hey Good Lookin was a professional reenactment with much enthusiasm and continuity a performance calls for. The actors played the unattractive women, while the actresses played the sketchy marines.
Many of the female actresses were able to use impersonation as their weapon in creating three very disgusting, male, marines with the mindset of treating women like everyday items. The actresses were not afraid to get physical by throwing an arm around the shoulder or simply by breaking the personal space barrier of the women they were after by getting up in their faces and using psychological techniques and motivation for just one date.
In response, the idea of a date seemed to arouse the women from what would have been a dull night. It was hard to imagine the men being any better at emitting embarrassed and flattered expressions when confronted by the smile’s of cold hearted individuals in disguise; the wide eyes, hands meeting at the back, and the feminine like gasps were enough to trigger the inner laughs of audience members.
The only element that could have been further improved were the costumes. Just as the females were not wearing marine uniforms, the men were not wearing dresses or wigs. As a result, the performance was not as spiced up as it could have been. Costumes are just one element though, and the fact that these individuals were able to pull it off without them was astounding! Something even more astounding was seeing three marines pull disgusting stunts right under their mother's noses, something the next group of men were paranoid about.
Don’t Tell Mama, choreographed by Kevin Dustrude was one of the few dancing numbers, put on by nine of Stage 2’s finest young actors. All nine of these men blew the roof off the theater by impersonating what would have been naughty young women. Their actions ranging from a sassy shush to spreading out their legs to mistakenly flash their viewers (not literally) made them more convincing. While the dancing could have been more synchronized throughout, professional dancing is not an easy task, and after reviewing the amount of time these men had for perfecting their performance, consider it well accomplished!
The costumes were a fair pick for the act as well! The black outfits helped in making the facial expressions during the performance all the more noticeable, with an emphasis on the mischievous and dirty smiles. As for the handkerchiefs, they really brought out the actors feminine side.
Rachael Ronding performed the third type of performance within Miscast, and that was a singing number known as Neverland. The dominating element of this work was the voice of Ronding, a fun and beautiful voice to listen to! Although, acting and/or dancing could have really added diversity to the piece. It is easy to forget though that Miscast was designed for actors and actresses who did not originally perform certain works. If Rounding was indeed new to the idea of singing, then kudos to her for sharing her voice with the audience. Her voice never left pitch and contained diction!
Miscast was unique, and most importantly, admiring. Many things could have gone wrong on performing night, but the performers did not let a fear of failure prevail! It takes spunk to get up on stage and perform something beyond one's comfort zone, a quality that built Miscast’s foundation for success!
The one night only showing of the Stage two production of Miscast directed by Sophie Geerdes took the whole idea of “type” acting and threw it out the window allowing actors to do parts that they would otherwise be questioned for doing. The whole hour consisted of popular music from all different fields all the way from the all Broadway musical “The Book Mormon” all the way to the all male dance number “Don’t Tell Mama”. The main idea of this production is to take the idea type, which is assigning actors to specific roles, based on how they look or even what gender they are and to totally disregard it. By doing this, actors are able to expand their reach and do roles that they never thought they could. This idea coupled with some of the most flamboyant acting I have seen on a college stage makes for a very entertaining hour of theater.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the performance, my expectations for a play made by a student run organization had been met and exceeded, but there were a few small issues with the performance. Due to the play being student run and having a more limited budget than other plays, the costumes were very plain and barely related to the overall skit that was being performed at the time. However, this way there was more attention placed on the acting and singing ability of the students because there was no flashy costume or fancy background to distract the audience it was all focused on the actor.
Having all the pressure being solely focused on the actor themselves is an extremely gutsy thing to do, but that gamble worked out very well for Miscast. The acting portrayed on stage of men doing female parts and female’s doing male parts was both entertaining and surprising to see how easily characters could change genders. The singing in Miscast varied slightly, there were times where there were slight errors in harmonizing and there was a song where they forgot lines to a song. However, the majority of the singing was phenomenal with students demonstrating their incredible range, and their amazing ability to change their singing voice in order to better fit the character they are trying to portray. The dancing ability of the students is just as great as their singing, they actors were totally in synch through the entire performance, the all male dance performance of the song “Don’t Tell Momma” was especially good with the men really getting in touch with their feminine side.
There was one performance in particular that stood out from all the others in the play and that was “Sweet Transvestite” by Luke Minske. Minske embodied everything that Miscast was supposed to be; Minske was able to embody the character of Frank N. Furtner of “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. Minske was flamboyant, expressive, and especially inviting to the audience, this really showed that even without costume, background, or much practice they can still put on a great show just with singing, dancing, and great acting. The only drawback to Minske performance is that he may actually be ok for the part of Frank N. Furtner when the whole point of the show was to take people that didn't fit the type.
In conclusion, the play Miscast had a few problems with low quality background and costumes, as well as a few singing errors that included forgetting words and voice cracks. Overall though I thought it was an extremely entertaining night of theater with entertaining skits of gender swap characters, bodacious male dancing, and one of the best renditions of the song “Sweet Transvestite” from the movie “Rocky Horror Picture Show”.
Miscast
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Review by: Kavya Bhatnagar
Stage 2's one-night performance of Miscast directed by Sophie Geerdes was an entertainer. The main idea was to take the stereotype and give it to the completely opposite actor. The whole show had different parts which includes some famous musicals like "hey good looking" , "don't tell mama" and "Neverland". These performances were appreciated and enjoyed by audience.
The main purpose of this play was to challenge the actors for playing the roles they never imagined playing. The play had the majority of musicals and the first performance, which was a tap-dance number that was done to “Turn it Off” from The Book of Mormon and choreographed by Mary Myers and was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. They created some hilarious scenes and unexpected portal of characters.
The show began on high note and was successful in introducing the theme. The choreographers did an excellent job and the actors portrayed them beautifully.
The only performance which was least prepared was “Nothing short o wonderful”. Derek rounding performed very well and did justice to the performance but there was just a slight memory lapse which didn’t make it perfect.
The costumes used were not very attractive and made the stage look dull but the boy’s leotards costume in “sweet transvestite” was the perfect choice as it properly portrayed the character and the theme. If each performer wore whatever they wanted the show would’ve seemed weird for the audience. It was a good idea to have a common theme for the cast while also keeping it simple and systematic but at the same time it would have been something colorful which should match with the fun and happy theme.
“Don’t tell mama” was one of the best example of choreography by Kevin Dustrude. Boys performing feminine movements and imitating them was a complete star of the night.
One of the best vocal performances of the night was by Amanda Hennen. She sang “Hold Me In Your Heart” from Kinky Boots. She sang that with passion and caused goosebumps throughout the entire theatre. This song was well performed and appreciated.
Reese Britts gave the most unexpected performance of the night when he performed “Maybe This Time.” It was an amazing act which grabbed the attention of all the people
Even though this was just a one-night production and was produced in a very limited frame of time, It was an experience on its own to witness such a wonderful idea. it was entertaining to see actors come out of their comfort zone and do something that they had never done before. Overall it was an enjoyable show and the night was entertaining and unique.
Miscast was a one-day showcase by UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company, performed at MPAC main stage on Monday Oct. 3rd at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Going in after a long day of classes, most of the students didn’t know what they were walking into but were hopeful for the best. Director Sophie Geerdes really got creative with this play. Geerdes really wanted to focus on the creativity of the artists for Miscast. The play focuses on throwing away the concept of type and having the actors play parts that usually wouldn’t fit in with their characteristics. There were several choreographed dance performances accompanied by singers.
ReplyDeleteThe performers that stood out were Amelia Barr and the two opening dances “Don’t Tell Mama” and “Turn it Off”. Barr blew the roof off the place with her vocal skills singing Dreamgirls’ Listen. She wore a simple black dress to accentuate the mood and sang every note with passion that can clearly be heard in her voice. Her singing skills really sent chills down everyone’s back. But singing isn’t the only thing these actors can do pretty well; they can also dance. Don’t Tell Mama and Turn It Off had a great choreographed dance that kept the audience bumping their heads and sometimes even clapping their hands to the beat.
The actors throughout the play were very consumed into their characters they were playing. Rachel Williams who sang “Me” from Beauty and the Beast was very into her character like many of the singers were. She used great impersonations of a “beast” given her little, not so intimidating height. Williams used her space well by constantly moving around throughout the song and even getting up on one of the boxes for a fierce finish.
The stage was not very big but was used very wisely. For the opening act “Don’t Tell Mama”, the dancers were risen mid-stage as they began their dance which gave it a serene effect. Others came from either sides of the stage, from center stage and even from amongst the crowd, actors popped out. Lighting wasn’t overly used in different variety but there was a pianist by the side of the stage accompanying most of the performers with music. The props used were simple like the black boxes and different outfits. In terms of costumes, really exaggerating the theme of Miscast would’ve made the play stand out more. The actresses could’ve stressed their role by wearing a more masculine costume like more facial hair, baggier pants and shorter hair and vice versa for the males.
The play in general was very enjoyable though, especially after a long day of classes or work. It differs slightly from a typical theatric play as it is very abstract and out of the ordinary. A mixture of comedy and creativity all in one extravagant play, it was definitely worth the watch.
The production of Miscast at the UMD Stage 2 Theatre Company was a one night performance on Monday, October 3rd, 2016. While attending this production be ready to be engaged. Artistic Director, Sophie Geerdes definitely hit her goal and branched out of the thing that we call type and showed roles that the professional world has deemed that we can’t. Which left this play nothing but amusing and a little tedious in some spots.
ReplyDeleteIn this production, it was clear that it was mostly for fun and entertainment. The choreographed performances, “Don’t Tell Mama” and “Turn It Off’ definitely was a kick off to the show. It seemed to grab attention and strike a little humor out of it. The costumes for these performances seemed to fit well with the theme, and created a little togetherness between the performers. The other performances did not have costumes that were coordinated with their music. Most of the performers that did not have coordinated costumes seemed to wear blue and black, which fit well because it was not too extravagant but yet, casual.
Some performers definitely out shined the others while some seemed to just kind of be there. One performance, ‘Nothing Short of Wonderful’ that the actor Derek Ronding had a little memory lapse but did not let it defeat him and came out with a strong ending leaving it nothing but well performed and seem to make the audience forget it even happened in the first place. Reese Britts, the performer of Maybe This Time also had a little line slip and let out a little chuckle instead but had no effect on the audience besides leaving them laughing.
Two performances really caught an eye and stood out, “Sweet Transvestite” and “Listen”. These two are complete opposites from each other but both have a zinge to them. “Sweet Transvestite” performed by Luke Minske featuring Rachael Ronding and Amanda Hennen created bolts of laughter throughout the whole thing. Minske’s involvement with the characters personality hit a homerun, the way he played the role of the transvestite, using facial expressions, his physical movement and the involvement with the audience made this performance stand out over any other part of this show. “Listen” on the other hand was not much of a comedy perspective but it caught my attention quick as performer Amelia Barr hit the notes perfectly to the music. Barr took pride in her performance and sang her lungs out as if she was the only one in the theatre.
There was also individual performers that shined brighter than the others. Brendan Finn that performed in the choreography “Don’t Tell Mama” and his own performance “Last Midnight” didn't quite steal the show with these but definitely stole the light from everyone else on stage. He created a more lively and outgoing performance in both of these. His personality fits well with theatre because he uses his facial expressions to the max and moves greatly around the stage. Finn’s vocals carried throughout the theatre and took over almost as must as Barrs. Finn was more enthusiastic than the other performers but he was not the only one. Hannah Smart, was another performer that stole the light as well. Smart performed in the choreography “Turn It Off” and also her solo performance “Dancing Through Life”. Her vocals just like Barrs and Finns carried throughout the whole theatre and left awh in some audiences faces. She was also enthusiastic just like Finn, she expressed facial expression more than any other, even with her movement as well. She created attention to the stage with her big bright smile and loud lungs.
Overall, this performance may not have been what was expected but it turned out just fine. A little slip up here and there but nothing to overcome the whole show. For this show to not be the performer's first priority and a one night thing, the performers definitely held up their part and gave a satisfying show for the audience to enjoy.