2009 Orlando Fringe Festival
A New World
Winter Springs Performing Arts, Fl
Every once in a great while, you witness something truly inspiring. Something you won't ever forget, something you will be talking about for years to come and comparing everything else against. That something are these kids from Winter Springs. Alas however, that "thing" was Batboy at Fringe two years ago. But the SAME kids were in this show and the same kids could sing EVEN better this time around, I'm guessing because they were two years older and much more experienced.
Never in all my years of watching theatre have I been as impressed with a bunch of local kids. Not even on Broadway where kids play in roles all the time, have I seen such talent. I'm speaking mostly of the superstars from this troupe, Sage Starkey and Alex Hardwig. These powerhouses could belt out a show tune like they were singing for a Tony award. Not once did they falter, not once did they hit a bad note, not once did the miss a step or seem in anyway ameatureish. No, these kids and others in the show, have some serious talent. Unfortunetely this was not the play to showcase that talent.
We had the opportunity to speak with a family member before the show, and learned that company director and actor, Michelle Boroughs wrote and directed this play from a set of songs written by someone else. The concept was similar to Rent, A Me Nobody Knows and Chicago sort of rolled together. Set in a local prison, we get to know stories and backgrounds from inmates in both the men's and women's facilities. Sage starred as Marcus our inmate/narrator and the ONLY character we really have a chance to get to know. We had such a superficial view of the inmates that the audience was left without an emotional connection to anyone. Which brings me to my main complaint about this script, NO character development, or plot development and practically no narrative of ANY kind. Such a sadly missed opportunity. After we left, Mark and I felt thoroughly cheated. He commented that this was the BEST performed, worst play he had ever seen. The irony is that we will be back to see many more of their shows, because we loved the kids.
Winter Springs Performing Arts, Fl
Every once in a great while, you witness something truly inspiring. Something you won't ever forget, something you will be talking about for years to come and comparing everything else against. That something are these kids from Winter Springs. Alas however, that "thing" was Batboy at Fringe two years ago. But the SAME kids were in this show and the same kids could sing EVEN better this time around, I'm guessing because they were two years older and much more experienced.
Never in all my years of watching theatre have I been as impressed with a bunch of local kids. Not even on Broadway where kids play in roles all the time, have I seen such talent. I'm speaking mostly of the superstars from this troupe, Sage Starkey and Alex Hardwig. These powerhouses could belt out a show tune like they were singing for a Tony award. Not once did they falter, not once did they hit a bad note, not once did the miss a step or seem in anyway ameatureish. No, these kids and others in the show, have some serious talent. Unfortunetely this was not the play to showcase that talent.
We had the opportunity to speak with a family member before the show, and learned that company director and actor, Michelle Boroughs wrote and directed this play from a set of songs written by someone else. The concept was similar to Rent, A Me Nobody Knows and Chicago sort of rolled together. Set in a local prison, we get to know stories and backgrounds from inmates in both the men's and women's facilities. Sage starred as Marcus our inmate/narrator and the ONLY character we really have a chance to get to know. We had such a superficial view of the inmates that the audience was left without an emotional connection to anyone. Which brings me to my main complaint about this script, NO character development, or plot development and practically no narrative of ANY kind. Such a sadly missed opportunity. After we left, Mark and I felt thoroughly cheated. He commented that this was the BEST performed, worst play he had ever seen. The irony is that we will be back to see many more of their shows, because we loved the kids.
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