The Colby Echo

Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: courtesy of courtney yeager

Before Lady Gaga encouraged people to "just dance," musicals inspired people to dance and sing. Broadway Musical Review, a student-run musical group more commonly known as BMR, upheld this tradition in its spring show last week, performing original interpretations of numerous Broadway hits. The performance featured songs from classic musicals like Bye, Bye Birdie, alongside those from newer productions such as Legally Blonde.

The show was overflowing with energy and enthusiasm, as students embodied the upbeat attitude of musical theater. Cheery smiles and exaggerated dance moves seemed to almost mock those of Broadway stars, and the humor that resulted from the unique staging of different numbers and changes to classic song lyrics gave the show a comical, almost satirical feel.

This humorous approach was evident in a funny rendition of "Kiss the Girl," from The Little Mermaid, in which a group of boys encouraged their nerdy friend to solicit the affection of a rather aloof blow-up doll that then proceeded to fall off her chair during Saturday night's performance.

Keeping with a comedic theme, the song "Be My Friend," from the new musical, Edges, had the audience laughing out loud, as students sang, "be my friend on Facebook… help me feel alive, be friend five-hundred-and-five," spoofing today's forms of social-networking in a way that their fellow classmates could identify with all too well.

Some acts changed the lyrics to well-known songs, such as "It's a Hard Knock Life," from the musical Annie, to relate specifically to students at the College. In BMR's rendition of the orphans' ballad, students complained about having to clean up messes after Doghead.

The students' rendition of "Seize the Day," from the musical, Newsies, was the epitome of inspirational Broadway spirit and served as the perfect finale to an intentionally cheesy yet fun performance, as students linked arms in a long line across the stage, joining together in perfect harmony (pun intended).

The song "I Won't Grow Up," from Peter Pan, was performed in honor of the graduating seniors, and the poignancy of this dedication in combination with the familiarity of the song made it one of the more heartfelt numbers. The message of the song seemed to represent the production as a whole, as the playfulness of the performances seemed to resist the idea of growing up. They demonstrated that, no matter how old you are, you can still laugh, sing and try not to take life too seriously.

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