Black Theater Ensemble Parodies The Olivia Rodrigo Love Triangle

Upper West Side NY

14 October, 2021

3:55 PM

Description

Columbia Daily Spectator BY JANE LOUGHMAN OCTOBER 11, 2021 Curtain call is in an hour, and the cast of Black Theatre Ensemble's production of "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Musical" is rehearsing its scenes. Nobody is off-book tonight; the script was only finalized this morning. As directors Madison Hatchett, BC '22, and Fiona Galinsky, BC '25, call lighting cues and cut scenes to make it in time for the audience's arrival, the energy in the Glicker-Milstein Theatre is nervous, hectic, and electric—exactly what to expect for a musical created in 22 hours. "Just so you all know, this was made in a day," Hatchett said to the audience as she introduced the show, "so lower your expectations." This year, BTE was the first student theater group to run a show with a live audience in Glicker-Milstein since March 2020. For the previous rendition of spoofing Disney classics, BTE put on "Puma Girls" in 23 hours over Zoom. This year, back in the physical theater, BTE produced this show with one less hour to prepare. Kay Kemp, CC '22, and Zain Murdock, CC '21, began writing the script at 10 p.m. the previous night. The next day, some actors dropped out, so Hatchett and the crew had to assemble some more actors just hours before showtime. The set, costumes, and props were all juggled by Lauren Calvin, CC '23; the production was assisted by crew member Tess Abraham, BC '25, and the staff at Glicker-Milstein, as well as some supportive friends. After a frantic 22 hours, the cast and crew gathered before the house opened to warm up. All that mattered in the end is that the cast and crew did it, all while prioritizing fun over perfection. Before the show started, the cast lined up, and the directors gave the in-person audience (and virtual livestream viewers) a low-down of who was playing who. The "Gossip Girl-esque all-knowing Greek Chorus" consisting of Dara and Roman were played by Gabi Arredondo, BC '22, and Mia Flowers, BC '23. Next, the directors introduced Larry, played by Alethea Harnish, CC '23. Larry was inspired by both Chad Danforth from the "High School Musical" film series and Big Red from the more recent TV series. The audience was then introduced to one of the most famous celebrity love triangles of 2021: Joshua Bassett, played by Kemp; Olivia Rodrigo, played by Sophie Sandler, BC '25; and Sabrina "Carpet," also played by Harnish. Julia Van Riel, BC '22, and Martha Laramore-Josey, BC '25, starred as the producer duo: the "definitely gay" Julia and Sofia, the "bare minimum bisexual." The cast opened the show with a rendition of "What Time Is It" from "High School Musical 2," but instead of asking, "What time is it?" they asked, "What line is it?" They fittingly answered the question with "I don't know the lines. It's our big breakthrough." Kemp's performance as Joshua bolstered the comedy of the show, especially in his exchange with Sandler's Olivia. In a romantic scene, the two characters shared ingenuine chemistry and then awkwardness when Joshua suggested Olivia needed more "self-confidence." This scene aptly hinted at the forthcoming disintegration of their relationship. Sabrina caused a rift between Joshua and Olivia when she flirted with him over text in a grocery store. Joshua was very into it—so much so that he sang a risqué rewrite of "Bet On It" from "High School Musical 2," called "Get On It." Dara and Roman provided backup vocals and improvised choreography to the impassioned number. Julia and Sofia's power-hungry rendition of "I Want It All" from "High School Musical 3" is a difficult song to sing, especially without musical accompaniment, but the pair gave it their all while subtly building the romantic tension between their characters. The script was sharp and funny, and the writing excelled most when delivered cleverly by the cast, such as when Joshua and Larry discussed the love triangle drama. Joshua attempted to be a good friend by giving mediocre advice to resolve Larry's troubles. "See! Problem solved," Joshua said. "I mean," replied Larry, "I wouldn't say the problem is solved per se—" but Joshua interrupted, quipping, "Anyways, back to me!" In one of the funniest scenes of the show, Julia and Sofia encouraged Olivia to sing about her feelings. After a pause, Olivia shouted, "Are you out of your minds?" Olivia angrily but timidly pushed over chairs and threw her pink duvet to the side. The audience exploded in laughter throughout the show, but it especially erupted when the cast got its comedic timing and movements right. Olivia performed a slightly rushed but passionate performance of "good 4 u" before Sofia and Julia closed the show with a bang in an energetic rendition of "I Don't Dance." There was a variety of choreography in this performance, from whips and nae naes to jumps off the benches. The highlight of the number, though, was the "silent dance break," where the spins and split jumps emanated high energy. Sofia realized that Julia should be the lead, not only in their show but also in her romantic life. They shared a dip and (masked) kiss, concluding the musical with a happy ending for the loved-up pair. Considering the difficulty of putting a show together in such little time, BTE pulled together a hilarious performance that made the audience's Friday night one to remember. The show was a lively, fun comeback for the Columbia theater community, reminding us that the best of theater is in the camaraderie of the audience and the community formed between cast and crew—even in a short 22 hours. Staff writer Jane Loughman can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @queenofquirk. 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