MUSICAL THEATRE/ONLINE CONCERT
Produced by Lincoln Center Theater (sic) - Songwriting in the Schools
Online Lincoln Center Theater via Broadway on Demand until 20 June 2021
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: 3.5
This review published only on this blog. KH
Songwriting in the Schools is part of Lincoln Center Theater’s Open Stages Education program during which students from High Schools write music and lyrics for their songs, ably assisted by their teachers.
This hour-long performance is usually performed on stage at Lincoln Center. However, for this year’s Pandemic performance, participants recorded video introductions to their songs and the singers performed them to a camera, probably from their own homes.
The songs cover issues ranging from the Pandemic to racial justice, gun control, LBGQT rights, love and pets.
My favourite song, A Killer Cannot Mingle with an Angel, is a musical theatre style with sung dialogue between two men. It has a rising energy and angst that has echoes of Javert and Valjean from Le Miserables.
Running a close second is A Little Louder, a song inspired by Malala Yousafzai, the young winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The song is about women’s rights to education – and more – and is sung by four voices, two male and two female.
Everything is Shutting Down (but nothing’s gonna bring me down) is a poignant ballad about being locked down for weeks, months, a year during the Pandemic while Sorrowful Skies, is a sweet, pretty and soulful song for a solo female singer.
Funky, rap piece, The Moon Dog, is inspired by a photo of a lonely dog on a street, while The Way That You Do is a simple, perky trio about pets.
Inspired by two self-portraits, How Do We Love is a love duet, while Coulda Been/For Love is inspired by a painful, teenage break up.
Kill The Silence urges people to fight for Racial Rights and equality, while The Fight Isn’t Over, sung by four voices, passionately expresses the fears experienced when living as a black person in US.
This performance is a joyful and heartfelt celebration of the musical talent, aspirations and concerns of young people.
By Kate Herbert
Cast: Vincent Jamal Hooper, Ashley D. Kelley, Zachary Noah Piser and Courtney Reed, hosted by Miguel Cervantes | Musical Theater Artists – Brandon Anderson, Laura Dadap, Mariana Elder, Timothy Huang, Khiyon Hursey, Daniel Lazour, Patrick Lazour, Mike Pettry, Matt Sherwin, Ben Wexler, and Sam Willmott | Music Director – Mike Pettry | Director – Tyler Thomas | Audio Supervisor and Mixer – Matt Craig | Video Supervisor – ASL Productions | Casting – Telsey + Co./Craig Burns, CSA and Rebecca Scholl, CSA | Stage Manager – Saori “Cel” Yokoo
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