Riverside Youth Theatre Equals Quality Youth Theatre

By Darcie Flansburg
The Real Critics Editor/Publisher

Broadway reviews are great for youth theatre because it gives many young thespians a chance to shine and grow rather than just a few leads. Riverside Youth Theatre’s “On Broadway Now!” production was not only an obvious thrill for the performers, but also for the audience.
The show featured various musical numbers from productions that were on Broadway in 2009. Shows included “Jersey Boys,” “Hair,” “Legally Blonde,” “Grease,” “Spamalot,” “Mary Poppins,” “Next to Normal,” “Shrek the Musical,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Young Frankenstein.” But the shows that I was really thrilled to see on the docket were “13” and “Spring Awakening.”
I was privileged to see the world premiere of “13” at the Mark Taper Forum in 2007 and the RYT “tween” cast looked to be having as much fun as that Broadway bound cast. This is important; the “fun” element really drives most musical theatre numbers, especially when they are about adolescents. And right from the start of “On Broadway Now!” the ensemble was loving every minute of their time on stage and the audience could feel it.
The show made me excited not only for the fabulous musical choices, but also the quantity of truly talented teens. It is companies like this that keep theatre alive by putting on quality shows that interest the youth and showcase their talent.
A few future stars to note include Anyssa Navarro, Melissa Smith, Hannah Wolgemuth, Eryn Moore and Maddison Rickard.
Navarro has a fabulous voice, and a clear passion for musical theatre. Her performance of “Hopelessly Devoted to You” was right on key and on emotion.
Smith has potential in both dance and leading lady work. She was precise in her movement and emotion even when she was merely part of the ensemble. But her performance of “Whispering” from Spring Awakening was truly moving.
Wolgemuth performed with great heart and verve. Every move that she made was done to the fullest. Moore was spunky and perfectly timed as the ditsy, yet somewhat witty El Woods. And Rickard is a small girl with a huge voice that was sadly undermined by bad head mics. I wish that I could have heard more of her song because what I did hear was so right on and full of so much soul.
But just because I am pointing out these individuals does not mean that no one else from the production deserves recognition. Actually, there are just far too many to point out. To quote one of my favorite shows, Nigel Lithgow on So You Think You Can Dance has often said that if a dancer doesn’t stick out in a bad way, it’s a good thing. I may point out a few, in my mind, stars, in the hopes that they recognize their own star quality and never give up on their art, but this is not to say that anyone else should give up because I did not mention them. As a young actress, I was not mentionable. In fact, I stuck out in a bad way. But that never stopped me from doing what I love.
On a slightly negative note, I wish that the “tween” ensemble had done “The Age of Aquarius” rather than just “Let the Sun Shine In” because they had the talent to do so. I also wish that the show had gone on longer. The ensemble could have sung “Summer Lovin’” from Grease and some more songs from “Next to Normal.”
But hey, you know it’s a great show when the critic wants more. I truly look forward to seeing more work from this company and all of these young stars.

For more information on RYT check out www.riversideyouththeatre.org