My overall impression
“You’ve got a song you’re singing from your gut, you want the audience to feel it in their gut. And you’ve got to make them think that you’re one of them sitting out there.”
-Johnny Cash
The music in this production of WE CAN BE ONE can be described in one word…SOULFUL. From the moment Devin S. Norris (pianist) and Owen Clapp (string bass) placed their hands on the instruments to the clever use of props as percussion, I was captivated. The music and lyrics written by Producer/Director Jaeger Christian requires a strong soulful vocal cast.
Nora Rothman, playing Geordie Kieffer’s boyfriend and the leading lady’s best friend, has such a great range. She can give you a power house performance where it is not over powering-like how some musicals are-and then skillfully showing her skills without overwhelming the audience with a “we know you can sing” feel.
Geordie Kieffer, playing the role of the soldiers friend and Nora Rothman’s boyfriend, is also another natural born singer. His voice is very different and unique from the rest of his fellow cast members. I like to describe his voice as “If Michael Buble was a country singer.” It’s so different that it is refreshing to hear.
The golden award had to go to Malynda Hale who plays the leading lady. Hale is a natural born soulful singer. Her voice IS “the caramel to his honey.” From the moment she opened her mouth, she won our hearts. You can feel the song coming from her gut, which made us relate to the character with just the sound of her voice. That is what music is suppose to do.
If you want to hear good music, catch this show. It is brilliantly written and performed. Job well done to the cast and crew of this production.
