Review: SHRIEK at The Gaslight Theatre

The Gaslight Theatre has been entertaining Tucson for 47 years! That's quite an accomplishment. I had the pleasure of seeing the latest production with my family: SHRIEK. If you're familiar with the source material that this melodrama spoofs, you'll enjoy the show. If you're not...you'll still enjoy the show! 

Here is a description of SHRIEK from The Gaslight Theatre: "Join the Gaslight Theatre for an exciting new musical spoof, SHRIEK! Embark on an enchanting adventure as we reimagine this fractured fairy tale in true Gaslight style! Will Shriek discover true love with Princess Sharona? Will the nefarious Lord Kumquat wed her before she is rescued? Will it be fun for the entire family?! Join the Gaslight gang on this whimsical journey and find out!"

SHRIEK stars Gaslight favorite David Fanning as the titular ogre. Fanning has a commanding stage presence and performing chops to match. I first saw Fanning in a production of THE VAMPIRE at Gaslight and was very impressed. Fanning captures the warmth and grumpiness of the character and is a perfect fit. He carries the show and the title role very well.

Heather Stricker is equal parts heartwarming and hilarious as Princess Sharona. Stricker can change her facial expressions on a dime and her voice is by far one of the strongest onstage. We could guess instantly what song a name like "Sharona" might inspire. The song choices in this show were perfect. Stricker's voice fills the hall with a warm resonance and ring. She is a delight to listen to. It is clear that Stricker is a master of her craft, and we enjoy every performance she leaves on the Gaslight stage.

The cast is filled with talent. Jake Chapman is Donkey, Todd Thompson is Prince Charming, and Jacob Brown is Lord Kumquat. Janée Page and Mike Yarema play multiple roles. Erin Thompson is the Magic Mirror and Christina Colombo is Draven. The key takeaway here is that every actor on the stage was clearly having a blast, and the audience fed off that energy. Gaslight shows are by definition high energy. Doing a melodrama and an Olio is a very different kind of theatre, requiring Energizer Bunny level energy, and it never ceases to amaze me how consistently entertaining these productions are.

Musically the show is a delight. Josh Lamoreaux is a musical wizard and a talented vocalist in his own right. The show is well-structured musically and theatrically. I will say that not all of the vocalists were equally strong, but this was made up for with the comedic timing and sharp acting choices, which every performer excelled at. One of the standouts was Jacob Brown as Lord Kumquat. His character was faithful to the source material while also being strikingly original. Brown's rendition of "My Sharona" was a highlight of the show musically.

Katherine Byrnes and Mike Yarema's direction for the show is excellent and fast-paced. The choreography by Katherine Byrnes is delightful and jives perfectly with each song. Erin Thompson and Todd Thompson's movement and singing are top-notch and were particularly fun to watch. Noticeably, the cast was at its strongest during the ensemble numbers, particularly during the climatic final battle and the closing musical number. It was also wonderful to see additional strong performances during the "Viva Las Vegas" Olio. I wanted to hear more vocals in that style. The "Viva Las Vegas" Olio left me wanting even more!

SHRIEK is a beautiful production with hilarious gags. The entire family, as always, will enjoy this one. I highly recommend you see SHRIEK. Tickets can be purchased at thegaslighttheatre.com. Tickets do sell quickly, so don't be left out in the swamp and get tickets to your "happily ever after" today!

Photo by Brian Gawne.

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