Review: Audiences Run to THE BODYGUARD at Fox Cities P.A.C.

THE BODYGUARD slid into the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center on January 17. The show offers some tremendous highs, but it sometimes struggles to get its footing.

THE BODYGUARD, based on the 1992 film of the same name, follows pop superstar Rachel Marron (played by Deborah Cox) as a stalker (played by Jorge Paniagua) threatens the lives of her and her family (played by Douglas Baldeo and Jasmin Richardson). She hires bodyguard Frank Farmer (played by Judson Mills) to protect her, but she soon develops feelings for him. Much like the movie, the musical has a relatively thin plot with disappointingly little character development.

Nonetheless, the show makes up for some of the issues of the movie with a lot a great numbers. Huge numbers like "Queen of the Night," "I'm Every Woman" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" are energetic and exciting. With special effects and a lot of great dancing, these numbers feel very much like the concert of a huge pop star. Slower numbers like "Saving All My Love," "Run to You," "All the Man That I Need" and "I Will Always Love You" showcase the powerful voices of Deborah Cox and Jasmin Richardson.

Deborah Cox plays the role of pop superstar Rachel Marron. Obviously, it is impossible not to compare her voice to Whitney Houston's, which must be intimidating for any performer, but Cox's voice holds up against Whitney Houston's original vocals. Her voice is strong, and she makes even the most challenging parts sound effortless.

Additionally, Cox's voice blends beautifully with that of Jasmin Richardson, who plays Nicki Marron, her sister. Richardson also has a powerful, seemingly effortless voice, so it is easy to believe that these two could be sisters.

Judson Mills plays bodyguard Frank Farmer. He conveys the tough-guy-with-a-soft-side persona that the role warrants.

Douglas Baldeo plays the role of Fletcher, Rachel Marron's son. His singing and dancing are phenomenal and really light up the stage.

This performance struggled at times, possibly as a result of the extreme weather conditions leading up to the performance. The show started about 15 minutes late. About 30 minutes into the show, there was a 10 minute break for "technical difficulties." This interrupted the momentum of the act a bit, but it also created buzz in the audience about what was going on rather than the show itself. There were also a few missed spotlights.

The weather also led to some very slippery walkways around the theater. While most of the roads and sidewalks were decent, the median between the valet area and the roadway was tremendously slippery.

All in all, the show is enjoyable and offers some captivating and impressive moments in spite of the lackluster plot and character development. Once the show settles into the venue more, this good show is likely to just get better and better.

THE BODYGUARD plays at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center through January 22. Tickets are still available.

UPDATE: At the 1/21 matinee show, all technical issues were resolved and the flow and energy of the show improved. The role of Rachel Marron was played by Jasmin Richardson, the role of Nicki Marron was played by Emily Jenda, and the role of Fletcher was played by Kevelin B. Jones III - all were spectacular in these roles.

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy

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