by Tony Annicone
Las Vegas glitz and glam comes to North Shore Music Theatre’s latest musical production, the Boston area premiere of “The Bodyguard, the Musical”, based on the 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. The stage version debuted in London back in 2012. A superstar is threatened by a stalker, so her manager hires a former Secret Service Agent to protect her. Both of them have a stubborn streak a mile long and both want to be in charge of any situation that arises. The music from the movie won a Grammy Award and the album was # 1 for five months. There are 15 songs in this musical version and Nick Kenkel returns in triumph to direct and choreograph another hit musical at NSMT. His past NSMT hits were “Legally Blonde”, “Chicago”, “Dreamgirls” and “Evita.” He molds his 19 cast members marvelously with their dance steps and their motivation for their characters. He is aided in his task by musical director, Wendall L. Vaughn, who conducts the superb orchestra. The musical numbers sparkle and shine with the energetic cast wowing the crowd completely. The last number of the show encourages the audience to join in the singing and dancing of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, and the already standing audience happily obliged after their thunderous standing ovation before the song “I Will Always Love You” was finished.
Nick works his magic once again as the musical, which opens with a bang as three loud gun shots show The Bodyguard taking care of a criminal before the scene shifts to a disco, where the cast sings and dances up a storm in the song, “Queen of the Nile”. The musical transitions from big numbers to the quiet pensive numbers with ease, eliciting tears in all the right places. The second act of this musical is better written than the first act which seems to jump from scene to scene without enough exposition for an audience member unfamiliar with the show to comprehend.
Commanding the stage all night long is gorgeous and statuesque, Cheaza Figueroa who is phenomenal as Rachel Marron. She displays her powerful vocal prowess in number after number in this enormous role. Cheaza, in her stage debut, captures the essence of the character who at first is haughty and headstrong with those who want to protect her. But later when she softens and follows what her heart tells her is when she holds the audience in her hand. Her vocal talent shines in the upbeat group numbers, “Queen of the Night”, “How Will I Know?”, “Mayan Medley” and the quiet, earnest numbers especially in “Greatest Love of All” which takes you on a roller coaster of emotion about not taking away your dignity and finding love inside of yourself as well as “One Moment in Time” where your dreams are only a heartbeat away and the magnificent closing number “I Will Always Love You” in which the audience leapt to their feet before she finished it. Cheaza makes the role her own and doesn’t try to imitate Whitney Houston. Brava on a job very well done.
Blond and handsome Judson Mills brings a lot more humor to the role of Frank Farmer then Kevin Costner did in the original version. He makes the role more relatable to the audience by not being a rigid martinet. His scenes with Rachel’s son are funny, especially when he tells the boy about a Mustang automobile and explains that Frank’s mother taught him all about cars when he was a little boy, and then says “My mother wasn’t a woman, she was a broad.” Judson also has scenes with the little boy and Cheaza that are touching and poignant. He and Cheaza have excellent chemistry together. Judson originated the role in the American premiere of the show in 2016 and spent 18 months in the National Tour. He also displays his singing voice in “I Will Always Love You” at Karaoke night which is very humorous when he sings it off key.
Another gorgeous and statuesque actress, Nicole Henry as Nicki Marron, brings great depth to this role which has been expanded from the movie for the musical version. She possesses a marvelous voice which is heard in four numbers in this show. Her two solos as well as a duet “Run to You” with Cheaza which brings tears to my and as well as the audience’s eyes. Nicole captures the joy of the character at the start of the show and displays the pathos later on splendidly. Her “Saving All My Love” is splendidly rendered and is delivered with a great deal of emotion as is “All at Once” when she realizes that her unrequited love will never come true because he loves Rachel. Her gut wrenching and heartbreaking scene in the cabin are breathtaking and perfectly choreographed by Nick when the Stalker appears out of the shadows. The lighting by Jose Santiago is magnificent in this scene as are all the set pieces made by Kyle Dixon.
Eight year old Joshua McKenna does a great job Rachel’s son, Fletcher. He is as cute as a button and delivers his comic lines wonderfully. He tugs on your heartstrings in “Jesus Loves Me.” It is a tender moment between the two sisters and the little boy. Joshua makes a splendid debut at NSMT. Jonathan Hadley does a great job as Sy Spector, her bad ass agent who tries to reason and cajole her several times during the show. Her manager is well played by Charles E. Wallace and the other smart ass bodyguard Tony is comically played by Jesse Sharp. Brent Thiessen is chilling, mesmerizing and frightening as The Stalker. He captures the intelligent and psychotic behavior perfectly especially in a scene with Joshua when he lets him handle his gun. Another terrific performance is given by Ashley Chasteen as Detective Rose Court who has a cigarette dangling out of her mouth when talking to Frank in one scene and also when she delivers the background on the Stalker. This is the third show Ashley has been in this season at NSMT. Kudos to the ensemble members do marvelously with their singing and especially their dancing prowess in every number they appear in. So for a strong musical entertainment that will thrill and enthrall you as well as move you emotionally, be sure to catch “The Bodyguard, The Musical” at NSMT. The multitude of glamourous costumes are by Alexander Cole Gottlieb and James Nguyen especially stunning are the light blue gown for the Academy Award scene and the last red gown for “I Will Always Love You.”
THE BODYGUARD, THE MUSICAL (29 October to 10 November)
North Shore Music Theatre, 62 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA
1(978)232-7200 or www.nsmt.org
