by Tony Annicone
High school hijinks abound in “Bring It On” which is the Hendricken Summer Stage’s 20th Anniversary show. It has music by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, with lyrics by Miranda and Amanda Green and a script by Jeff Whitty and is loosely based on the 2000 movie version. It premiered in Atlanta, Georgia in January, 2011 and it concerns Campbell, a cheerleader at Truman High School who becomes president of the cheerleaders. Her greatest wish is to become president of the cheerleaders and win the championship. However there is a redistricting plan that forces her to go to Jackson High School which doesn’t have a cheerleading squad. Whatever will Campbell do at her new school? Will she win the new street wise kids over or be shunned her senior year? A leprechaun outfit figures heavily in her future at Jackson High School in “That’s My Girl” song and as she hits some bumps along the road at her new school, this show teaches us to play fair with people, treat them decently and how to finally and most importantly get along with each other with all our differences. It also examines bullying, depression, stress and peer pressure and how twenty years in the future these blips from high school won’t matter at all. Hendricken’s Summer Stage show is directed flawlessly by Peter Mancuso Class of 2015 who recently graduated from NYU with a degree in film study. His blocking of this musical is meticulous and well thought out. It is musically directed by Ryan Cox class of 2014. Choreographers Danielle Grilli and Teresa Pearson create some terrific cheer leading routines, hip hop dances and tumbling that leave the audience cheering in the aisles. It is not only high energy but teaches everyone how they should behave towards each other.
Mancuso brings out the best in this young cast which proves he has a definite future in show business. Giving a stunning performance is Hayley Gasbarro as Campbell. She commands the stage in this role. She starts off with “What I Was Born to Do” about her love for cheerleading and later contemplates “One Perfect Moment” about the good things ahead of her in the following year. Later after the redistricting, she and Bridget end up “Doing Your Own Thing” as they try to survive the new school. Bridget becomes accepted by the popular kids but Campbell makes a faux pas by insulting the head girl, Danielle. Campbell ends up making amends by becoming the mascot and later convinces them to form a cheerleading squad in the show stopping “Bring It On” which closes the first act. Campbell learns that what you think is of extreme importance in high school, won’t matter much later on in life.
Campbell’s sidekicks at Truman are the malapropism queen,Skylar and her follower Kylar. They are wonderfully played by Lily Brewster and Farah Kinsella. They win many laughs along the way. Molly Donovan plays Bridget who is shunned at Truman but becomes very popular at Jackson. She is afraid to go on a date with Twig who is madly in love with her. “It Ain’t No Thing” cheers Bridget up to date Twig played wonderfully by David Santana who gets to rap in “It’s All Happening” with Sean Ryan as Cameron who also does a great job as the basketball player. Madeline Morin as Nautica and Alex LeBlanc as La Cienega sing it with her. Their antics are priceless and their dancing ability is fabulous. Another scene stealer with her powerful voice and strong acting chops is Marie Balemian as Danielle. Her voice soars in “We Ain’t No Cheerleaders” and in the poignant “We’re Not Done” with Campbell when they reach an understanding at last.
Jackson Morin does a great job as Randall who becomes enamored of Campbell when she arrives at Jackson. He finally convinces her to relax and “Enjoy the Trip” when he explains to not let high school destroy her life because it won’t matter much in the future. Brad Hutchison plays the heartthrob Steven who is first Campbell’s boyfriend but becomes entangled with the duplicitous Eva, the sophomore cheerleader. Liz Barrett does a great job as this fawning two-faced gal. Kudos to the energetic chorus and their strong dancing prowess. So a musical that teaches us to be learn how to get along with each other but it also leaves you in stitches with their comic antics, be sure to catch “Bring It On” at Summer Stage’s 20th Anniversary show.
BRING IT ON, THE MUSICAL (1 to 4 August)
Summer Stage, Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick Ave., Warwick, RI
1(401)737-3495 ext. 147 or www.hendricken.com
