BWW Blog: Parker Hughes - Something a Little Different

Many may not be familiar with the musical Ghost. Ghost is the musical adaption of the 1990 movie by the same name, written by Bruce Joel Rubin. The musical garnered incredible attention over on Britain's West End. The show's music and overall structure is very different from most classic musicals, with much of the music shouldering away from the typical "show tune" genre. What audiences hear will sound more like Christian Rock, Gospel, and even Disco. "[The music] is definitely more demanding," says music director Kyle Carozza, "the vocal ranges necessary are higher, and there gets to be well over eight parts at some points. I don't dislike it (the style of music), but I like the big, belty, vibrato type of musical theatre better." When I prompted Kyle about whether or not teaching this genre was harder, he surprised me by saying, "No, I think it's somewhat easier. It's more choir-like and isn't as intricate as some musical theatre."

Leading lady Karyn Devito didn't land on the same wavelength as Kyle, however. Karyn is one of two girls playing Molly Jenson. When I asked her about her opinion on Ghost's pop/rock sound, she said it was difficult, and that it "sat on my break for a few songs, which has brought about the challenge of figuring that out... The style for this show is so different because it's so hard to name it as one style of music. You have Molly and Sam's music, which is extremely Christian Pop, and then you have the jazzy Hospital Ghost, and a rapping Subway Ghost. It has so many different styles, which is so awesome to me." Cole Ferguson, the rapping Subway Ghost himself, agreed that the different styles of music contributes to the overall feel and wonder that Ghost delivers. "The music is imaginative in the sense that it finds a medium (no pun intended) between cinematic orchestrations and musical theatre."

Perhaps the more accessible sound that Ghost provides contributes to its popularity, in the same way that Broadway's Hamilton has garnered huge audiences with its employment of rap and pop to tell a theatrical story. One could argue that expanding the definition of what we consider "musical theatre" makes the stage a more accessible medium for casual theatre-goers who find difficulty in connecting with the typical "bright lights and chorus lines" that musicals have historically offered. While it's important to remember that flashy outfits and tap routines have been a trademark staple of the Broadway stage, the modern audience may be looking for something with a bold twist, or perhaps something that simply mixes better into their every day life. The trend has not sprung out of nowhere, Rent starting with Rock Opera, and Spring Awakening following as a Pop Opera. Lin Manuel Miranda blew minds with a show told almost exclusively through rap, and then he did it again some ten years later. Shows in the midst made use of rock, punk, rap, and pop stylings, too. But each has held onto the roots of the stage, including long, belting solos and tenors singing into the heavens, and driving dance beats accompanied by an energetic ensemble. Maybe the music is not as different as I originally thought...

And then there was acting, and the overall structure of the show. Ghost is definitely more intimate and less extravagant than other shows high schools typically perform. Kirk Grizzle, my school director, said, "Pace is going to be the challenge. The fast pace of the show is similar to that of a movie," when asked if directing was any different with the "realness" of the production. Many agree that the focus of the show is very much on the four main characters, Carl, Sam, Molly, and Oda Mae. When usually the ensemble is something of its own main character, Ghost gives the company a different role, being rather support than a necessity (in the nicest way possible). An ensemble is generally a collection of individual characters who react differently based on personality and the actor's personal whims, but ensemble member Rayna Gordon feels that in Ghost, the ensemble acts as a controlled collective. "In this show we don't react, act, and dance the way we individually want to look, but the way we collectively want to look." Hannah Love, another ensemble member, reminds us that, still, "The ensemble is a very important part of the show like always, but we're there to add just something that the audience wouldn't get with just Molly, Sam, Carl, and Oda Mae."

The truth behind it is that it is a new experience for many ensemble members to be so in sync with their leads, as funny as that sounds. Sometimes they are a creation of that character's imagination, and have to act how that character would want them to act. For any high schooler, as well, the serious, intimate mood of the show is a big 180-degree turn from the typical campy shows that high schools tend to put on. For sure, Ghost is no Grease or Hairspray. Take one Sebastian Cadiz, playing Willie Lopez, the man who murders our protagonist Sam Wheat. Sebastian is an all around funny man, an absolute go-to when you need a goofy character who can deliver a solid punch line. I asked him if the brutal Lopez was a challenge for him, seeing as Sebastian was known for outlandish characters. "Being Willie Lopez is both a change and a challenge for me as an actor. My method of entertaining the audience has to change from one where I make them laugh through my character to one where I might make people disgusted or horrified with who I am playing as. It is also a challenge because of that change, I can't look at a set of lines and see where I can make the punchline for this role. I have to be very realistic in general and see how Willie would react to certain events in a believable manner. I also have to show a different side of me, I have to be unafraid to be mean and to be aggressive."

And even the technical side of the show is seeing drastic changes to what we're used to. Where painted backgrounds and carefully placed platforms can satisfy the needs of most high school productions, not Ghost. The show calls for projections, and for constant blue spotlights following the dead. Our tech department has to figure out how to make Sam walk through a door on stage. That's a bit of a tall order! "For the first time were using a ton of projections, we have to make objects "float" and "jump." So that's all really new," says techie Olivia Incorvia. Costuming is even entering a slightly new territory. Costume director Alexandra Patterson finds herself at the crossroads of impressively original and "not campy, not goofy" when it comes to dressing citizens of New York, adoring imaginary fans, blessed Gospel dancers, and an ensemble of ghosts! "I personally see it as a lot more challenging! It's kind of weird to sit down and sketch a costume of something "normal people" wear. It's the hard balance between being imaginative and different while still maintaining the relatable feel that Ghost requires!" she says. "With costuming, there is always this push to try and create a story with each costume piece. I'm really trying to incorporate that idea into our show. This is especially true in our Ghost Ensemble costumes! You almost want to paint a picture of when and how they died with the clothing they are wearing!"

With all the new territory we have to cover with this unique and beautiful show, I began to wonder how and why my director had chosen it. We had not once before dabbled with projections of this grandeur, or done any special effects. For the longest time, our niche was comedy. Our shows were filled with bright colors and explosive dance numbers filled with time steps and charlestons. We were the school that put on Shrek, The Drowsy Chaperone, Urinetown, and Elf. How did Ghost come from all of that, I couldn't help but wonder. I asked my director, "Mr. Grizzle, how did you know your program was able or ready to take on Ghost?"

"I didn't," he replied. "Taking a chance, really."

And I think that is what this show is, really. A chance. It was a chance that theatre-goers would enjoy the pop and the gospel. It was a chance that the intimacy and the reality of the show would hit home emotionally with an audience who were watching the story of a ghost talking to his fiancée. It was a chance that the somewhat outlandish plot could be controlled and turned into something genuine and emotional. That's what happens when you take a chance. You get something... different.

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