The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

Musical revue features songs from Broadway

The Schuster Theatre’s last show of the 2012-2013 season exemplifies how to go out with a bang.

“And the World Goes ‘Round” showcases the talent of Gannon University students, a professor and a student from Mercyhurst University.

The show is described as a musical revue. However, don’t confuse it with a musical, because that does not describe it at all.

“And the World Goes ‘Round” is designed more like a choral concert of Fred Ebb and John Kander’s songs. The show features songs from different musicals such as “Chicago” and “Cabaret.”

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One of the biggest aspects of the show is the musical numbers. Most of the show consists of songs performed by the cast members, so the ability to sing and sing well is a key component.

The songs in the show are a mix of cute, silly and powerful. Each song is performed on par to the type of mood that it embodies.

The cast members each have a different vocal range, which affects which song and part they sing.

The cast members puts their hearts into every song they sing, even if the microphone doesn’t work well with them.

The show goes on and the actors make the songs they sing their own.

Acting can be incredibly difficult to judge in a show such as this.

“And the World Goes ‘Round” is mostly sung, so the script has very little dialogue or distinct storyline.

That being said, the cast members of this show still manage to give a distinct character to themselves while singing the songs in the show’s set list.

Each person has a specific personality without having to say what it is outright.

To make this musical revue into a triple threat, the last thing it contains is dancing.

Some of the choreography in “And the World Goes ‘Round” is very complex and can only be performed by someone who has dance training.

Other dance numbers are not quite as complex. Either way, the choreography is executed almost flawlessly by the cast members.

Some of the choreography is performed while on roller skates, which can be quite difficult.

Despite this, the cast members seemed to either know how to dance in roller skates, or made themselves look like they weren’t supposed to be able to dance in them.

With regard to the more difficult dance numbers that required more complex choreographers, the cast members not only find a way to perform these numbers well, but they also sing while remembering the dance moves.

Add character work without dialogue to the package and the show becomes quite a triple threat.

Lastly, the show would not be nearly as spectacular without the technical aspects.

One of the most notable aspects of this show is the lighting. Not only are there several spotlights to draw attention to different cast members, a variety of the lighting work gives depth and added to each performance.

As the show is a musical revue, sound also plays an incredibly large part in the show.

The pit band on stage not only adds to the authenticity of attending a musical, but the band keeps a steady tempo and does not clash at all with the cast members’ timing.

While on the subject of sound, the cast members also have microphones in order to be able to sing for two hours audibly without frying their vocal chords.

Even when technical difficulties occur and microphones don’t work well, the cast members show they understand the concept of projecting their voices.

When it’s performed well, it’s a must-see at least once, if not twice.

The Schuster Theatre more than accomplishes this.

“And the World Goes ‘Round” continues to run at the Schuster Theatre at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Admission to the show is free with a Gannon student ID and $5 for the general public. For reservations, call the Schuster Theatre’s box office at 871-7494.

For more information, check out the Schuster Theatre’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/SchusterTheatre.

 

KHADIJA DJELLOULI

[email protected]

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