What I liked
John Tucker hands down has some of the absolute best comedic timing that I’ve ever seen in a show- Fringe or not. Every line that he spoke was a riot. He completely embodies his character with such natural ease. My friends and I were raving about him. This man is incredible and I really hope I have the chance to see him into future productions.
Domonique Brown as Michael gives the show an excellent moral centerpoint and grounding. He immediately makes the audience fall in love with not only his extremely natural charm- but also his passionate and fiery talent. His rapping is insanely good and you feel for him and his struggle the entire show. Such an excellent choice for a leading man.
Spencer Harte delivers a side-splittingly funny performance as Ciara- especially during her big number. She had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand.
The Angels, consisting of Caley Versfelt, Callie Ott, and Alexa Russo are all wonderful vocalists who bring such a fun component to the show. Their physicality, charm, and extremely fun choreography leaves a very lasting impression.
Shaun Fisher as the beatboxer was masterful and made me so jealous that I don’t have that incredible set of skills. His scene as “God” had me cracking up.
Connor Hanney, Brendan McCay, and Stanson Chung each get a super fun moment to shine- with each of their raps fighting for domination over which encounter is the funniest. They’re all extremely talented people, and it’s very apparent here. How Hanney manages to rap all of those words is a feat in itself.
Kelsey Goeres’s direction was very well done, allowing the actors to shine in a way that feels so fun and colorful, while also knowing when to pull it back in the intense rapping sections that Mr. Brown delivers. This show is staged very well.
What I didn't like
I left the show feeling elated. It’s the exact feeling that I want to have when I leave a great show. Ride or Die achieved that- and so I see no reason to point out anything that could be improved because it really hit the mark for me. And also because I can’t think of anything I’d have improved.
My overall impression
I absolutely loved this show. I was on my feet giving a standing ovation from the moment that the cast sang their final line. If you see any show at Fringe this year, it should be this one.
What Connor Hanney has put together here is inspirational, immensely fun, and dripping with incredible talent. To write is hard. To write rap, I assume is even harder. To ambitiously produce a ton of shows while also maintaining this sort of level of excellence is a trait that’s fully to be admired. I applaud his efforts, his talent, and his passionate for providing opportunities. Wonderful work.
Full of catchy songs, hilarious one liners (did I mention how funny John Tucker is?), passionate performances, and a feel good message that will leave you elated, this show is a must see.