Review: THE WORLD GOES ROUND by New Generation Theatrical

"Somebody loses, and somebody wins, and one day it's kicks, then it's kicks in the shins. But the planet spins. And the world goes 'round and 'round." So goes the title song of the musical revue THE WORLD GOES ROUND - capturing the essence of life, love, loss and everything in between - and setting the stage for a journey through the iconic catalog of musical theatre legends John Kander and Fred Ebb (CABARET, CHICAGO, ZORBA). And in its latest offering of this rare gem of a revue, New Generation Theatrical delivers a stylish, sophisticated and thoroughly satisfying production - giving audiences a simple but thrilling musical with something for everyone.

While THE WORLD GOES ROUND is strictly a musical revue, it accomplishes the feat of expressing a narrative story through music alone, without the need for a new narrative construct or unrelated dialogue as many other retrospective revues have tried to do. The songs, some very well known ("All That Jazz", "Cabaret") and some not so much ("There Goes the Ballgame", "Colored Lights") weave a story of love, joy, loneliness and longing without changing a single lyric of these classic tunes. Plucked from over a dozen of Kander and Ebb's musicals, each consecutive piece provides a view into the lives of the characters on stage. And while these songs were originally written to further the plot of their original musicals, in THE WORLD GOES ROUND they serve as a lens into the human condition, connecting you immediately with the performers and often making you want to know more of their characters' stories.

Producing a musical revue that doesn't feel like a concert can be difficult to achieve, but in New Generation Theatrical's production of THE WORLD GOES ROUND the production feels fresh and relatable and even well-known songs feel new. Much of this success is due to Faith Boles' solid and inspired direction. She does a fabulous job keeping the audience engaged and enthralled through her creative staging, effective use (but not over-use) of the immersive space at The Mezz, and strong pacing. She should also be applauded for her casting of this amazing group of actors and singers.

Speaking of the performances - the cast of five actors in THE WORLD GOES ROUND perform almost 30 songs from the Kander and Ebb songbook - so each one has multiple opportunities to shine. And in New Generation Theatrical's production - boy, do they shine. Each actor has many moments in the spotlight, with some standing out above the rest. Caila Carter welcomes the audience and introduces the title song, setting the tone for the evening and showing off her sultry and solid vocals. Johnathan Lee Iverson's most memorable moment is his brash and bold delivery of "Kiss of the Spiderwoman" (from KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN) in the second act. Jennifer Massey has many noteworthy opportunities to show off her vocal prowess - most notably in the lyrically dense second act opener "Ring Them Bells" (from LIZA WITH A Z). The fantastically frenetic Shane Bland is a joy to watch perform - with great vocals one moment ("Sara Lee") and some fabulous dancing in another ("Shoes Dance"). Finally, Laurel Hatfield is brilliant every moment she is on stage. She has many opportunities throughout the night to show off her magnificent voice ("All that Jazz", "Arthur in the Afternoon") and her skilled dancing.

The creative design for THE WORLD GOES ROUND is simple, yet effective. Cliff Price's set design is sleek and sophisticated, Michael Citrinite's lighting provides splashes of color at just the right moments, and Casey Deiter's sound design helps ensure the audience catches every note of this fabulous score. Speaking of the score - music directors Bert Rodriguez and Maura Sitzmann do a fantastic job not just with the cast and their solid vocal performances but with the talented band of six live musicians who play this beautiful score spectacularly. James Tuuao's choreography (and Jennifer Maples' tap choreography) adds a layer of smoothness to the proceedings and Leyandra Cardoza's jewel toned and stylish costumes elevate the sophistication of the evening.

Overall, New Generation Theatrical's production of THE WORLD GOES ROUND is a wonderful, rich and extremely entertaining evening of theatre. Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Ian the run of this fantastic production had to be limited, so don't miss your chance for an evening of wonderful music, performed by a top-notch cast, in an intimate and immersive venue.

THE WORLD GOES ROUND by New Generation Theatrical runs at The Mezz at 100 S. Eola Drive, Orlando, FL 32801 through October 13. Tickets can be purchased by visiting newgentheatrical.org.

Header and Bottom Photo: Laurel Hatfield, Shane Bland, Jennifer Massey, Johnathan Lee Iverson, Caila Carter - Photo by Kayla Mraz
Top Photo: Caila Carter, Johnathan Lee Iverson, Jennifer Massey, Laurel Hatfield, Shane Bland - Photo by Kayla Mraz
Mid Photo 1: Laurel Hatfield - Photo by Kate Kelley
Mid Photo 2: Shane Bland, Jennifer Massey, Johnathan Lee Iverson, Caila Carter - Photo by Kayla Mraz
Mid Photo 3: Shane Bland, Laurel Hatfield - Photo by Kate Kelley
Mid Photo 4: Caila Carter - Photo by Kate Kelley

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