What I liked
“I can’t go to Irvine…I’m allergic to beige” will forever be a(n accurate) line to remember! In fact, I’ve told it to several people now who will now be attending future shows on the basis of this line alone.
Joel Stevens’ voice as the Governor was like music to my ears and for every appearance on stage I was gripped. Fellow ‘villain’ Milo Bruschke as Miller was also superb in his slimy persona with great body movements that gave off the air of villainy (the finger articulations made my skin crawl) in all of his scenes that made me start rooting for him instead of the good guys! In her roles as student and reporter, Andromeda Bruschke also showed great talent in her dancing and singing!
The integration of real-life news stories was also interesting and interwoven throughout the performance in a great manner.
What I didn't like
It felt a little too long and my interest wained a little at some points. Additionally, some lines were dropped by multiple actors that, whilst rescued in the moment, did take me out of the immersion of the show.
My overall impression
As somebody in the realm of academia with a love of theater I was really drawn to this show’s interweaving of Freire’s work as well as the highlighting of the power of both students’ passion and the impact of community-driven campaigning. Although a little rough around the edges, there were some really stand out performances by actors in the show, and some great catchy tunes!
