PREVIEW
Showtime on Broadway
Broadway Bound Production
Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Westbury Theatre
ATB Financial Arts Barn
10330 – 84 Ave.
Tickets: $25 Visit www.broadwaybound.net
There was a time when musical theatre attracted the stuffy crowd. Somehow, when no one was looking, it became cool. Today what was once a niche market is a staple of the Edmonton metropolitan region theatre experience.
New community groups are constantly popping into the musical game. The latest is Broadway Bound. Using Showtime on Broadway as its broadcast vehicle, it ushers in a resurgence of golden hits.
Under the leadership of director Doreen Cleverly (Curtain Up: A Broadway Musical Revue), this two-hour musical show brings back juggernauts such as Oliver, Wizard of Oz, West Side Story, Annie and Oklahoma to name a few.
“I did not want to do a book show. I wanted to choose musicals that were well-loved, and from them, I wanted to bring in songs people were not that familiar with,” said Cleverly.
Using her experience as a choreographer working with novice and semi-professionals in community theatre, she selected a cast of 25 from the age of eight to retirees.
“I wanted to have something where you could have a wide range of ages, male and female, singers and dancers, and not necessarily all triple threats,” Cleverly explained.
One of the newest members defining the cast’s overall personality is St. Albert’s Hilary Newman-Shalagan, an Alberta Health Services therapy assistant.
Responsive to theatre's wide berth of storytelling styles, Newman-Shalagan performed in about a half dozen pantos for St. George of England Society.
Her roles ranged from the nasty Baroness Black in Red Riding Hood and a pirate’s wife in Treasure Island to a Chinese washerwoman in Cinderella and Sir Cumference in King Arthur.
“I love song and I do like dancing, but usually I don’t combine the two,” said Newman-Shalagan feeding past experiences into her new role.
As part of the ensemble, the accomplished actor has cultivated an appreciation for the various songs she sings. In West Side Story’s song, Somewhere, she is moved by the song's yearning.
“It is about somebody wanting to find a place to throw their hat. It’s about finding someone to love and be loved.”
And Money to Burn from the musical Half a Sixpence is pure fun.
“We sing and get to hold a fake wooden banjo,” she laughed.
The musical launches with three memorable hits from Oliver: Food Glorious Food, Where is Love, and I’d Do Anything.
“I chose Oliver to open because it’s a heart-breaker. You feel very sorry for the pickpockets and that draws the audience in,” Cleverly said.
One of the full cast showstoppers is a trio of tunes from Wizard of Oz.
“Everyone is a munchkin and we’ve gone way, way out on costumes and headpieces.”
Rehearsals started in Sept. 2017, and Cleverly confides that the cast is itching to perform before an audience.
“The cast doesn’t just get up and sing. They take the audience on an emotional journey.”
Once onstage Newman-Shalagan hopes the revue will inspire fans.
“I want them to have incredible fun and shed a few a few tears. I want them to be wrapped up in the musical and be carried away by the characters.”
Showtime on Broadway runs Jan. 26 and 27 at Westbury Theatre.
