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The freshmen provided the bright, fresh spirit of a brand new group of excited performers in their performance of a Disney medley entitled the “Silly Symphony.”  Lauren Chapman’s choreography was executed cleanly and brought the joy of musical theatre onto the Cutler Majestic Theatre. Senior performers were also invited to display the work they have done here in the musical theatre program at Emerson, and how they have applied it to be able to perform more emotionally vulnerable songs. The set design was perfectly minimal, using only two collapsible staircases, to highlight the performances of these students and show each commanding solo presence on stage. The relationships that were developed in between songs made for seamless transitions and a cohesive vision of what the showcase wanted to portray.

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After senior Lanea Ritrovato sang “I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance” in response to her previous scene partner leaving her for another woman, senior Melody Madarasz, wearing sweatpants, brings her a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and transitions into her song “Knowing When To Leave” about when its the right time to leave the relationship. The humor that this moment brought and the sense of reality it gave to the performance showed how invested the performers were but also how relaxed they were in the work they were doing in front of 1200 people. The maturity displayed in these solo and duet songs performed by the upperclassmen showed the growth which they have experienced in the BFA Musical Theatre Program at Emerson, providing those freshmen performing alongside them the motivation of where they can be when they are ending this program. This showcase, directed by Scott Lafeber, while not afraid to show a more serious side with the heartbreaking jazz ballads of the 30’s and 40’s, also showed the cohesion and evolution of the musical theatre department here at Emerson.

 

The Family Weekend Showcase ran on October 20th, 2012 in the Cutler Majestic Theater.