BWW Blog: Review - 'Zooming In' on Broadway Workshop's EMMA: A POP MUSICAL

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending Broadway Workshop's virtual production of EMMA: A POP MUSICAL, performed by Cast A. To summarize, in a "pop," it was nothing short of fantastic.

The production, produced by Sarah Glugatch and Broadway Workshop, was rehearsed and performed entirely online by two different casts (A and B). Directed and choreographed by Taylor Louderman (MEAN GIRLS) and Hannah Kloepfer, and music directed by Nat Zegree, the show had innovative use of virtual backgrounds as "sets." Expert video editing from Josh Collopy made the ensemble numbers look as if the actors were dancing together in the same room. Sometimes the dancers were out of sync, but that is to be expected with any virtual production. The harmonies, however, were always sharp and precise - a difficult feat made to look easy by syncing each vocal track of the almost 20-person cast. The video quality was occasionally grainy but did not take away from the engagement with the show itself.

The narrative follows Emma Woodhouse, a senior at Highbury Prep, and her love of being a matchmaker. The show is a modern musical adaptation of Jane Austen's 1815 novel of the same title, script written by Eric Price. Featured songs include "Be My Baby" (The Ronettes), "Heartbreaker" (Pat Benetar), "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" (Whitney Houston), and more. The classics are skillfully placed as Emma tries to find a match for her best friend, Harriet Smith, and runs into problems along the way.

Angie Valenzuela is a joy as the titular character, with energized acting and strong vibrato. Her portrayal of Emma fondly reminds me of Elle Woods from LEGALLY BLONDE, especially with the fashionable checkered blazer and styled hair. Valenzuela's vocal power remained consistent throughout the almost hour and a half show; an impressive feat given that she is in virtually (no pun intended) every scene and song.

Addison Ward as Harriet Smith is equally fun to watch, and the sweetness that she brings to the character makes you root for her the whole way through. Her performance skills were specifically evident in "Be My Baby," which skillfully captured the excitement of a high school love. It was like a delicious ice cream sundae, with the savory vibrato as the cherry on top. So much so, in fact, that the song was stuck in my head for the rest of the weekend.

The supporting men of the cast also provide strong performances: Vincent Gerardi as Jeff Knightley, Joey Clark as Philip Elton, and Kyle Geriak as Frankie Churchill, as well as quality work from the ensemble: Rohde Costello, Emma Potts, Aniya Hollie, Juliette Molina, Ellie Smith, Hannah Evans, Ava Wallett, Caitlin Rose Foley, Noah Richmond, and Dylan Beck. Bay Goulet (as Ashley) showed strong belting and captured the mood of Sharpay Evans from HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL in her character. Momo Burns-Min is a standout as Miss Bates with her distinct and compelling character acting. If Burns-Min's performance has this much power through a screen, I can only imagine how wonderful it would be on stage.

The "show-stealer" award would have to go to Ella Hinds as Jane Fairfax. Although she didn't have much screen time, not a moment of it was wasted. Her vocals seemed effortless and at the par of a veteran professional performer. She took command of every scene she was in. In short, watch for the name Ella Hinds - she's going places!

Out of all the musical numbers, "Stay" by Lisa Loeb was the strongest. Emma (Angie Valenzuela), Jeff (Vincent Gerardi), and Frankie (Kyle Geriak) sang as a trio with impeccable harmonies. It was a tender moment in the show and acted beautifully by all involved. These three performers shone brightly at that moment.

The script itself does an excellent job of keeping the show light but also discusses an important social issue. All of the subplots in EMMA: A POP MUSICAL tie back into the central theme of money and education. For elite prep schools and colleges, high tuition fees make it so that students without the funds cannot attend. It is a social class issue and forces us to realize that these students, who are just as academically capable as the students with the ability to pay tuition money, deserve help to attend. The cast did a great job of tackling these themes with maturity and grace.

EMMA: A POP MUSICAL was just one of Broadway Workshop's amazing feats, and I cannot wait to see what's more to come. For more events and opportunities to perform or get involved, visit broadwayworkshop.com.

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