Despite Illness, Revue Goes off Without a Hitch

The annual Musical Theater Revue (MTR) took place this weekend, despite a number of cast members falling prey to the H1N1 epidemic. Unfortunately, Will Yale '12 and Kat Lawlor '10 were both unable to perform in several productions, resulting in one cancellation and a last-minute redistribution of parts. However, even with such drastic obstacles, the actors were able to come together and put on a very impressive show.

This year's MTR was presented in conjunction with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of coeducation at Trinity College, and featured scenes and excerpts from musicals by women composers and lyricists. It is only one of many events put on by the Arts department to celebrate women's contributions to the arts at Trinity College. The revue highlighted works by composer Jeanine Tesori, with the second act dedicated exclusively to her work.

The show opened with a masterful solo from Katie Lou Ingraham '11, who performed "Natural High" as a nightclub performer from the show I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road. She then introduced the rest of the cast: Perin Adams '13, Joe Dinnen '13, Leo Liyeung '13, Alessandra Ambrogio '12, Elliot Faust '12, Elaine Rojas-Castillo '12, Lawlor (who had recovered in time for Saturday's shows), Ben Feldman '10, Jake Robertson '10, Brittany Price '10, and Caroline Newhall '10.

Directly following the introduction, Ambrogio led the ensemble in "Rhythm of Life," from Sweet Charity, which involved some bizarre but entertaining chanting and choreography. In keeping with the suggestive moves of the previous song, Newhall, Lawlor and Price sang "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This," a flirty number in which the dance-hall hostesses fantasize about more glamorous professions.

The show moved toward a more innocent tone, with Dinnen and Adams singing the duet "Wick" from The Secret Garden and frolicking about with a ladder. Feldman and Robertson then took the stage for the beautiful and stirring duet "In Lily's Eyes" from the same show.

Changing moods once again, Adams led a joyous "Five Forever" from Little Women with help from Ambrogio, Price, Ingraham, and a slightly overwhelmed Liyeung; the March girls were later meditated upon in a soulful lament by Marmee, their mother, played by Rojas-Castillo, entitled "Here Alone."

The next act, "Going Up," from A Man of No Importance, was definitely the most comical number in the show, as most of the cast members had to don Irish accents and dance a jig. Needless to say, some accents were more believable than others, but all were very entertaining.

Robertson stole the stage in the next two numbers, wearing what appeared to be a red shirt as a makeshift bandana, first singing in "The Riddle" from The Scarlet Pimpernel with Dinnen and Newhall, and then indulging in hip gyrations as the object of Rojas-Castillo and Price's affection in a number from The Mad Show.

The next number, "New York, New York" was cut because of Yale's absence, and the last number before intermission, "Where are the People Who Did Hair?" from Runaways, involved the whole ensemble, led by Feldman and Ingraham, a fairly graphic and confrontational number.

After returning from intermission, Lawlor, joined by Ambrogio, Adams, and Ingraham, set the pace for the second act with an energetic performance of "Forget About the Boy" from Thoroughly Modern Millie. The four women were followed by Price, who sang "They Don't Know" while wearing arguably the best costume of the show. Lawlor reappeared once again with Robertson, Newhall, and Liyeung to sing "I Turned the Corner/Falling in Love," doing an impressive job, especially considering her recent illness.

Adams made an adorable seven-year-old Shrek in "Big Bright Beautiful World I," sung by the ogre's parents, played by Feldman and Ambrogio. In perhaps the most fitting role he will ever play, Faust appeared next as the now grown-up Shrek in "Big Bright Beautiful World II," impressing the audience with the power of both his voice and with force which he slammed his lunch box down on the stage.

The whole ensemble came together onstage for the last number from Shrek the Musical, "Freak Flag," in which Liyeung as Pinocchio led the rest of the group of odd fairy-tale characters in a declaration of pride in their "otherness."

Rojas-Castillo and Adams then took the show in a more serious direction, portraying Caroline and Dotty in three selections from Caroline, or Change. Their performance together was absolutely one of the strongest in the show. Newhall joined in during the third selection, singing the part of the moon in the beautifully melodic "Moon Trio."

Dinnen kept up the eloquent vigor in "The Song About the Soldier and His Wife" from Mother Courage.

Feldman followed with an equally thoughtful "When That I Was and a Little Tiny Boy" from a musical adaptation of Twelfth Night, both singing and playing the guitar with Andrew Page '11 accompanying on the violin.

The MTR wrapped up with two songs from Violet, in which Ingraham played Violet, a girl with a horrible scar on her face, hoping to be healed by a televangelist. The whole ensemble joined her for the finale, "On My Way," in which Violet joins other passengers on a bus headed for Oklahoma, and all waved to the audience as they embarked on their journey.

All in all, the cast of the MTR deserves a great deal of credit for putting on such a well-executed show, especially in light of all the obstacles they had to overcome.