Kennedy Caughell (Katie) and Melissa Anderson (Mom) in Skylight Music Theatre’s world premiere developmental production of SuperYou. Photo by Mark Frohna.
It’s a story we have all heard before.
Young girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Hidden talent and a dream. Dad absent. Mom an alcoholic. Much loved Brother killed in a car accident. Falling in love. Getting dumped over the phone.
It sounds like your average soap opera but “Super You” is lifted out of the trite and into rarefied air thanks to a melding of some incredible talents that are gracing the Cabot Theatre stage at Skylight Music Festival.
This show is a world premiere as it makes its way toward an engagement in the bright and prestigious lights of London’s West End and we should all be thrilled and grateful for being a birthplace for this production.
Conceived by Lourds Lane, who wrote the book, music and lyrics, this exuberant production is absolutely thrilling and the rare musical that left me choked up with a few tears at the end.
The story is about Katie Winter, a young girl (Serena Parrish) who is bedeviled by the dreams of Super Heroes that frolic inside her head. A grown up Katie (Kennedy Caughall) has turned to art to create her battalion of Superheroes, striving to find a place in her world that will help bring some order and purpose to her uncertain life.
Her journey is fraught with highs,lows and in-betweens that gallop after each moment like horses in the stretch at the Kentucky Derby.
I nearly got whiplash following each success and failure, each joy and each sorry, each moment of confidence and moment of doubt.
One issue for new musicals is often finding ways to create characters that match the virtuosity of the music.
Ms. Lane has created characters with depth and dimension so they share equally with the music, dancing and a set that could easily dominate but that sometimes seems to carry the story all by itself.
The music ranges from funny to inspiring to touching and romantic and it is performed by a cast of powerful singers who know when to belt it and when to dial it back. The dynamics of the music are soaring and disciplined and took me on an auditory journey that brought a full-on smile.
A word must be said about Joann M. Hunter who directed the show and designed the choreography. Simplyput, the dancing is absolutely breathtaking. Swinging from sweet and emotional to demanding and threatening this talented cast twirls and swirls in a feast for the eyes.
Ms. Caughall and Ms. Parrish share gigantic roles as the two Katies. They are true to each other and to the dreams that last from childhood to adulthood. They sing, dance and act with talent and depth rarely seen on a stage in Milwaukee.
Skylight deserves immense credit for arranging to stage this world premiere. It’s a gamble for any regional company to stage something that nobody has ever heard of. This gamble is likely to pay off, certainly in reputation and hopefully in economic realities.
The overwhelming charm of Super You is just what the title says – We may all try to align ourselves with imaginary superheroes in comics and movies, but the real superhero is the one who lives inside each of us.
This is the way to kick off summer in Milwaukee. Take the money you’d spend on three beers at Summerfest and buy a ticket to see this show. You will thank yourself for your good judgment.
Production credits: Director and Choreographer,Joann M Hunter; Music Supervisor,Wendy Bobbitt Cavett; Music Director, Bryson Baumgartel; Scenic Designer, Ann Louizos; CostumeDesigner, Cynthia Nordstrom; Lighting Designer, Jamie Roderick; Sound Designer, Chad Parsley; Video Designer, Patrick W. Lord; Production State Manager, Kelly Ruth Cole.
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