Review – High Voltage – Unplugged – March 26, 2017

By Dick Franztreb

I never want to miss a High Voltage show. Why? After all, they’re always the same format: about 30 songs or scenes from Broadway musicals. But each show is so different, so fresh. For one thing, the make-up of the troupe — 20 teenagers — changes from year to year. Past performers age out (turn 20) or opt out, and new talent emerges. But the content of the shows is fresh, too. This show, for example, included 11 or 12 out of the 29 numbers that I don’t recall having seen before. And then there are the repeated songs that are like old friends, welcomed and even cherished. One of these was “The New World” from Songs for a New World. High Voltage introduced me to that song a few years ago, and this may have been the fourth time I’ve seen them perform it, but for me, it’s somewhere between comforting and thrilling, and I could see them stage it over and over and over.

High Voltage performs at Harris Center four times a year, but there’s something about this early spring show, “Unplugged,” that makes it really special. Their other shows are take place in Stage 1 at Harris Center, and they’re always dazzling. This show, on the other hand, is presented in Harris Center’s mid-size, 200-seat theater, with the stage beginning right at the first row of seats. The feeling is one of intimacy, with the performers very close to the audience. On this occasion, I was in the second row, and there were times when a singer or dancer was within just a few feet of me. I could see their facial expressions clearly — and they could see individual members of the audience and even make eye contact. For them, it was a lot different than being in Stage 1, where I presume they could look out and see nothing but blackness. Then there were numbers where performers seemed to interact with the audience or where they sang (and danced) from the stairs that separated the sections of seats.

There were some other differences between “Unplugged” and other High Voltage shows. A live piano accompanied a half-dozen or so of the numbers, and pianist Chris Schlagel was great. There were occasional audio problems in this theater, but even when the sound system was working perfectly, what you heard most clearly was the natural sound of the singer, rather than their voice electronically processed by microphones, amplifiers, and speakers.

A lot of the group singing was in unison, but when they were singing in parts, I heard good harmony (with maybe one exception). And the ensemble sound was strong and clear. As for individual singing, naturally one might expect big differences among the voices. And indeed, there were light voices and strong voices. Some were undeveloped because of the young age of the singer. Some were strong enough that to me they seemed ready for the “big time.” But all had good pitch and were obviously well-coached. But what made some performances really stand out was the acting that went along with the singing. These kids are total performers, and I saw such good acting in the delivery of many of the songs. For example, both of the solos of songs from from The Last Five Years were not just well acted: they were riveting. And the [over]acting in “Agony” from Into the Woods was perfect for that quirky piece. It was especially interesting to see the obvious potential, in both singing and acting, among some of the youngest members of the troupe.

The dancing is always a highlight of El Dorado Musical Theatre productions. And in this show there was especially fun choreography in “Hernando’s Hideaway,” “New York, New York,” “Gee, Officer Krupke,” and the Hair medley. But the choreography in “Somewhere” from West Side Story was something else — interesting, elaborate, and elegant.

All these young people have some dance training, and on stage they move like dancers and demonstrate a great mastery of complex routines. But there are a few that are truly exceptional dancers. We got a sample of their work in the brilliantly choreographed, “All That Jazz” from Chicago. And then there was a rare demonstration of tap dance virtuosity in “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” from Nice Work If You Can Get It from the one troupe member who is surely bound for a career as a professional dancer.

There were moments of engrossing drama, delightful comedy and sheer beauty. But some of the most memorable highlights were when you got the sense that these young performers were just lost in the fun they were having. I felt this when the two EDMT veterans gave a relaxed, cute performance of “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.” And the stage overflowed with fun when the boys gave us “New York, New York” and “Gee, Officer Krupke” — or when the whole company was performing the Alabama Stomp as part of “Be the Hero” from Big Fish or kidding around in “Be My [Facebook] Friend” from Edges. But the lid came off this intimate little theater in the medley from Hamilton that closed the show. Introduced as “our tribute to this phenomenon [the musical, Hamilton],” it was a medley that told the whole Hamilton story in 8 or 10(?) minutes. The choreography was unbelievably complex, with a lot of seemingly independent, and sometimes aggressive movements by the performers. The music was varied, often with fast-paced, rap lyrics. Taken as a whole, it was a high-energy, heart-pounding masterpiece of performing that brought all of us in this intimate little theater to our feet in a show of appreciation that I haven’t seen — even for this fine group. This is a number that should be performed for other audiences because watching it unfold was a unique experience. But that’s what every High Voltage show is: a unique experience, brilliantly conceived and performed.

Review – High Voltage – The Best of Broadway – June 21, 2017

By Dick Franztreb

I’m waiting for the latest High Voltage show to begin, and from my seat in the parterre section of Harris Center’s Stage 1, I felt a spirit around me, as I observed audience members entering and taking their seats. It wasn’t everyone, of course, but I saw a lot of joyful anticipation as kids of all ages greeted their friends, families connected with families, people who hadn’t seen each other in a while excitedly shared news, and regulars like me just soaked in the love. I could imagine first-timers thinking that a High Voltage show must be a special occasion. Well, it is.

The lights went down, the cell phone/fire exit announcement was given, the curtain went up — and just like that, we all were in Oz for “One Short Day.” The whole High Voltage company was on stage in dazzling green-accented costumes and green sunglasses — under green stage lighting, as I recall. I was instantly reminded about one of the things I enjoy most about these performances. It was the choreography: always interesting, never repetitive — exciting, flawlessly executed, and often with mind-boggling complexity. You can’t help yourself: you don’t want to look away, you don’t want to miss a detail.

So many of the 29 Broadway numbers in this show were also highly choreographed. When appropriate, the dancing reflected a certain style: 1920s moves for “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” 1960s moves for the medley from “Hair,” the distinctive youth gang feel in West Side Story’s “Cool.” But with all the brilliant choreography in a High Voltage production, it’s the execution by the dancers that brings it to life. For example, I’m always impressed with the synchronization of ensemble moves. In a less professional production, you’d see people who haven’t mastered a move and stand out in a group number. Not with EDMT. Although no one’s perfect, and a director’s eye will pick out things that an audience member like me will miss, what I see is every performer moving in perfect sync with the others. This caught my eye especially in “Zero to Hero,” and then it went up a notch in “One.” In that number, the dancers had many beautifully synchronized moves, and then there was a point where they linked arms in a rapidly rotating circle — facing out. At that point, we in the audience couldn’t hold back: we broke out in spontaneous applause and cheers. Then that impressive feat was topped by a 20-person kick line that got more spontaneous applause.

The second number, “Lily’s Eyes” reminded me of another excellent feature of these programs: the projections. They are the work of cast member Zach Wilson. I remember seeing his early efforts 5 years ago, and his art has come very, very far since that time, now even incorporating animations and other special effects. The projections are each completely fresh, and so effective in creating a setting or a mood for each song.

“Lily’s Eyes” also marked the first exhibition of the many excellent solo voices highlighted in this show. Because I respect the integrity of this troupe of 20 talented people, I won’t mention the names behind these solo or duet performances, but “Not for the Life of Me,” “Amayzing Mayzie,” “I Am Adolpho,” “Memory,” “They Don’t Know,” “You’re Nothing Without Me,” and “Be the Hero of Your Story” all showcased some of High Voltage’s truly outstanding singers — and in a couple of cases I felt like I was watching break-out performances of emerging talent. And it’s not just the voices that made these performances so memorable, so engaging. These young people are actors, and their expressive delivery brought each song to life as part of a story.

Every once in a while, I focus on a familiar face on stage, but the voice really surprises me. I forget that these are young people. Sure, they’re talented and hard-working — and brilliantly directed and coached. But their skills are constantly developing. So maybe my surprise is the result of maturity and refinement of talent — or maybe the experienced eye and instincts of Director Debbie Wilson has given them the perfect song for this point in their growth.

The influence of Vocal Director Jennifer Wittmayer is apparent in these solo performances, but it also has ensured excellent ensemble singing. Through this 2016-2017 season I’ve noticed the ensemble singing improve steadily. Most often, there is a single melody line. But tonight I heard a lot of part singing. I don’t expect SATB arrangements in a show like this, but the many times when the ensemble broke into 2-part singing it really added a dimension to the number in question. This was especially well done in “No One Is Alone,” and in “Seasons of Love,” which had the extra dimension of a bit of improvisation and a sustained high note at the end that evoked cheers from the audience.

Let’s talk costumes. These are always a highlight of High Voltage shows, but it seemed that there was even more attention to them than usual this time. I’ve already mentioned the Oz costumes in “One Short Day.” The 60s costumes in the Hair medley were fun, and the ladies’ costumes in “Zero to Hero” were simply dazzling. And the costume for Mayzie the bird in “Amayzing Mayzie,” with it’s outrageous tail, was a work of art.

And speaking of costumes, I think there should be some recognition for the costume assistants offstage, who help the performers through some lightning-fast costume changes. That reminds me of one of the things that I especially admire about High Voltage: its ethos. There are no stars — it’s all about the troupe. When a number is over, the lights go out on the applause, and the performer or performers run offstage in the dark: no bows. The music ends and the next song begins. On this night I saw a brilliant solo performance end in darkness, and in 30 seconds that performer ran out, costume changed, to join the ensemble number that was already underway — and deliver the third short solo line of the song. Show business isn’t for sissies.

I’ve pointed out how the acting skills of these young people can really sell a serious song. But a High Voltage show is full of comedy, as well. A lot of the humor is staged by Director Debbie Wilson. For example, there were cute walk-ons in “Be the Hero of Your Story” that illustrated the lyrics of the song. Then at the end, fish were thrown onstage from the wings, making a sight gag of the “teach a man to fish” maxim.

But the comedic skills of the performers stood out so often:  in the French-accented overacting in “Canaan Days,” the cane-twirling arrogance in “Adolpho,” the high-energy dancing and acting of “Positive.” Many more highlights came in ways that seemed less scripted to me. Let me explain. There are lots of times where it seems like Director Debbie Wilson is turning these performers loose to ad lib gestures in a number. On this night there were several possible examples of this: the Hair medley, “Gee, Officer Krupke,” “New York, New York,” “Canaan Days,” etc. I must say these moments of apparently unscripted chaos are among my favorites; they seem so genuine and uninhibited.

Of all the seriously acted pieces, I’d have to single out “Façade” as a work of art. This was the darkest piece on the program, and the lighting, projection, choreography and body language really emphasized the song’s anger, irony and cynicism. Sweetness and light were out the window, and this scene was extraordinarily well done. Perhaps I should mention here something else I observed throughout the evening. There were times when I’d force myself, watching a stage full of performers, to look away from the soloist or center of the action to the others in the group. The spotlight wasn’t on them, but I saw people who were always acting, supporting the story. That’s commitment to the group, and that’s professionalism.

And speaking of professionalism, what could have demonstrated that better than tonight’s finale, the medley of music from Hamilton. This was a tour de force, a group of songs from the show and a bit of dialog that effectively told the whole Hamilton story. I don’t know how they put it together from their own resources, but it was a masterpiece of performing artistry. For a start, the energy was over the top. The music seemed impossibly difficult to sing, especially with the frequent machine-gun, rap lyrics. The choreography was full of what I would have to call contemporary or hip-hop dance moves, and the effect was mesmerizing. The performance seemed suspended in time; the audience was intensely attentive, and there were many points where they wanted to interrupt with applause. When it was over, I’ve never seen people rise so quickly from their seats, not just with applause, but with sustained cheers.

I spoke to a few of the performers afterwards, and they were dripping with sweat. I looked down the line of these 20 young people, and the thought occurred to me that I loved each of them. I know a few of them very casually, but the rest of them not at all. But what I felt was love. And how could you not love them? They have each spent years in training of one kind or another, months in learning — perfectly — intensely difficult songs and choreography. And then they put themselves up for your critical attention, pouring out their emotion, energy and talent to keep you entertained for 2 hours. Why do they do it? They don’t get paid. They do it for love, for love of the art, for love of their fellow performers and mentors, for love of the opportunity to be truly alive on that stage and under the lights. Yes, love is what it’s about, and it’s love that keeps me coming to every show. Catch the next High Voltage performance, and you’ll feel the love, too.