BWW Previews: First Stage Explores Glories of Middle School in BIG NATE: THE MUSICAL

Oh, the glories of being 11 and going to middle school! An age and time between childhood and young adulthood where the classroom represents an entire, eternal lifetime in one day. Cartoonist Lincoln Peirce invented a comic strip in 1991 around the adventures of 11-year-old Nate Wright, his father, family and friends that soared to popularity over the last 20 years. First Stage brings these comic book characters to Milwaukee's Todd Wehr Theatre when BIG NATE: THE MUSICAL opens on February 27.

"Super high energy and excitement," defines how Director Jeff Schaetzke describes this musical reveling in middle school. "An age when bodies, minds, and emotions are all exploding at one time." This rather explosive combination of themes inspired a complete score created by Jason Loewith, and Chris Youstra in collaboration with Pierce. Ballads, pop and rock tunes titled "Rock Star," "I Like Boys (Except for You)," and "Love is a Four Letter Word," already explore that roller coaster world of middle school touch with humor and tinged with a sarcasm without any dialogue necessary.

In middle school, when the latest crush (Jenny) smiles at a boy (Nate) while she passes him in the school hallway, studying for the social studies test may fall by the wayside. This often happens to Nate, who detests social studies and who he views as an arch enemy, the Social Studies teacher. Although Nate happens to be the king of detentions for seeking attention, any attention, which usually disturbs the class and hallways.

A full cast of young performers inhabits the cartoon world created by Scenic Designer Kristen Ehllert who incorporates videos onto the stage to embody Peirce's imaginary world. Costume Designer Jason Orlenko allows these cartoon characters to be seen as human, yet the designs will imply these fantasy beginnings. As the production's choreographer, First Stage Theater Academy alumnae and now Associate Artistic Director of Northern Sky Theater (Door County), Molly Rhode returns to add her unique energy to the musical numbers.

Rhode also joins the adult cast, which includes Rich Pendzich, Rana Roman, Alex Campea, Elyse Edelman and Chris Gilbert, all who play minimal roles in Big Nate. Young performers carry the production using two casts headed by Ben Kindler (Rainbow Cast) and Darius Gaskin (Mollusk Cast) along with about a dozen other young performers. Featured as the girl next door crush Jenny, Ellie Kumer and Claire Holtebeck come to haunt Nate at middle school, never giving him a second look or thought.

"Trying to impress your latest crush in Nate's case, Jenny, or your best buddies, is what middle school is all about--classroom shenanigans, detentions, feat of failing tests, and first loves relate to the middle school lifestyle," Schaetzke says. "BIg Nate celebrates these characters sharing their talents instead of buying gifts for each other, the characters celebrate each each other's unique abilities."

Nate struggles to impress both Jenny and his friends in a great battle of the bands in the final scenes of BIG NATE. In the contest where Nate and his band, Enslave the Mollusk, competes against Calvin and the Galvinators, dressed in bedazzled lab coats. The girl band named Rainbows and Ponies, which features Jenny and two other young ladies, gives Nate a run for his money by playing a recorder, tambourine, triangle and ukelele as opposed to the sound of heavy metal. Exactly which middle schooler will impress who and take home the prize? Exactly which middle schooler will impress who and win the prize?

In Big Nate's stage world traversing the technology middle schoolers face day to day on cell phones and Ipads, which includes pinball games, rock concerts and video games, Nate and friends challenge this crossroads to growing up, trying to navigate love, peers, teachers, studies and social media. In an entertaining musical which reinforces what First Stage tries to accomplish through their Theater Academy and every production, Big Nate: The Musical once again celebrates the creative potential and talents of every youth--whether standing on stage as a fictional character or as a young performer striving to be their professional best through a Pop-Rock Fun production. What could be more exciting or impressive, yes, First Stage impresses their audience as well, for an family afternoon or evening of theater?

First Stage presents BIG NATE: THE MUSICAL at the Todd Wehr Theater in the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts beginning February 27 through March 29. For information or tickets, please call 414.273.7206 or www.firststage.org.

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