“So how can I deny? I’ve got a monster, I’ve got a monster inside”
Are you in the mood for love? How about giant kaijus smashing the city while rocking out to some stellar music… and in the mood for love? Well, with the Baltimore Rock Opera Society’s Love & ROAR! you get all this and more! Playing through November 19th at the old (previously vacant) bank building at 1 E. Baltimore Street, this kaiju romantic comedy rock musical has everything audience goers have come to love in a BROS show– a fun premise, on-point costumes, outstanding puppets, and a killer live rock band! Directed by Kateri Pelton with music and lyrics by John Alexander Roman, with Eileen Heady, and Jared Boze, audiences are bound to roar along with this rockin ‘good time!
Set in the by-gone era of 1959 in the idyllic Bay City: “City of the Future”, Love & ROAR! sets the scene for a tale that dives into the subversion and exploration of the traditional rom-com and kaiju genres. For you see, this is not just the story of how our human heroine, Dr. Mary Eckhart (Marela Kay Minosa), can learn to be single for the first time in her adult life, Bay City just also happens to be the ancient mating grounds of the Ancient Ones. And wouldn’t you know it? The same day Mary’s boyfriend, Capt. Cliff Roberts (Maxim Sobchenko), breaks up with her just happens to be the same day the Ancient Ones’ once-every-seven-thousand-years mating event begins!
That’s right, it’s not just Mary’s heart that gets smashed in the early moments of the show, it’s also Bay City! As we meet our ensemble of rambunctious (and horny) Ancient Ones, we are also introduced to the youngest kaiju, Kentaro (Mel Tillery) who doesn’t quite seem to fit in with our other giant monsters and their desires to simply smash (and “smash”) on their ancestral mating grounds.
The story of this kaiju rom-com centers around our main protagonists Mary and Kentaro, played by Marela Kay Minosa and Mel Tillery respectively. Minosa and Tillery both do a tremendous job at portraying young, intelligent, if somewhat naive, “outsider” characters that work together to help each other learn the meaning of love in its many different forms. While portraying characters of vastly different sizes, the two are well in sync to depict the illusion of size between them as one of them is meant to be towering over the cityscape while they converse.
Minosa certainly has the most opportunities to play with size framing within the production as she depicts changing her form throughout. Without giving too much away, this transformation and representation of change was enacted beautifully and the syncing between Minosa and Gabe Duque as Colossa was seamless and spot-on.
But it is not just our protagonists that get their time to shine. The Common Ancestor played by Tevis Tsai not only shines (literally) in a holo and glitter ensemble with a fabulous luminous trilobite puppet that steals your attention, but also exudes the powerful voice and presence of the mystical being in a way that could not be more perfect. Similarly, the Mayor, played by Jason Aoraha, knows his character’s potential well and does not hesitate to lean into his comedic side that will have the audience chanting “four more years!”
Our other ensemble of kaiju members show they also know how to chew the scenery (only sometimes literally). Led by the charismatic Baliog, played by Rob Bradley, our motley crew of Maelstrom (Sarah Maerten), Tecton (Lindsey Landolfi), Claudra (Tatiana Nya Ford), and Dactyl (Sam Brunner) stomp and smash their way through Bay City in their efforts to attract and choose a mate for the next seven thousand years. While each monster is given a chance to showcase their monstrosity, it is clear that Bradley’s Baliog is the standout as the head of the monsters. Bradley not only encompasses the frightening monstrous ferocity of the lead kaiju but does so while oozing rock-n-roll charisma.
But I’ve really only told you about half of the kaijus. One of the really interesting creative aspects of this production is the dual portrayal of the Ancient Ones as both human actors and their puppet counterparts (Stephanie Warren, Autumn Obreman, Sarah Miller, Sean Sellards, & Merry Carver) that act as the more literal visual representations as they simultaneously act out the actions and emotions of their human equivalents on the main stage. I felt this was a really genius premise.
In a way to try and grasp the best of both worlds, you have the human actors on the main stage acting and reacting as a way for the audience to suspend disbelief that these humans ranging somewhere between 5-6 1/2’ feet are really creatures taller than skyscrapers, and then the literal visual representations of what these ancient monsters truly look like, scales and all, as they smash small cardboard buildings and hold aloft tiny human dolls in their claws. The costumes designed by Mace Mehring and creature designs led by Chris Reuther beautifully go hand in hand as they complement each other’s human depiction of the kaiju and puppet iterations.
My only critique with this premise was that it was too far off to the side, both with the side stage designated for the puppets and the side projection screens portraying their black and white televised broadcast above the stage. It was difficult to watch the human-actor actions and puppet portrayals and fully enjoy the full-effect. In many instances, it came across as over stimulating and it was frequently confusing where the audience’s attention was meant to focus.
That being said, overall the atmosphere of the production created by the set (Max Sobolik), lights (Chris Allen), sound (Justin McAllister), and video design (Greg Bowen & Chris Uehlinger) were well done and did create an immersive environment that complimented the 1959 era portrayed on stage. Scene changes were overlaid with quick TV cuts of various black and white news reports and back-and-forth debates of the nature of the monsters and what they mean for Bay City, as well as well-wishes from the President. These TV cuts are quippy and entertaining and serve as a comedic highlight of the production while functionally serving to fill the time of the scene changes ongoing on stage.
As with any BROS production, they are sure to rock the house with their tubular tunes and far out beats. The house band, Thrillkiller (with Robbie Whiplash on drums and programming, Daniel Webb on bass, Sebastian Ochoa Arguijo and Adam Caruso on guitar, Kelly Jentis on keys & synth, and Jacob Deaven on aerophone), will get your heart pumping and your head banging. While the new venue certainly comes with its challenges of vast empty space and (gasp!) marble accents (an acoustic nightmare), the BROS team did well to accommodate the space and balance the band with the actors singing. While sadly this means the band is not visible to the audience, I will say that this show has the best sound leveling I have experienced to-date with a BROS production. Giving credit to the challenges of the space, this deserves commendation and applause!
The sheer amount of love and dedication of the artistic team of the BROS company is always apparent in the creative design and execution of all their productions. When you attend a BROS production, you are certain to experience art, unique vision, glorious puppetry, and out-of-this-world rock music. While this particular production could use a little tightening up here and there, it is otherwise a shining example of the unique flair and love of the theatrical arts that continues to leave its well-deserved mark on Charm City. November is roaring by quickly! Do not miss your chance to see the behemoth production that is: Love & ROAR!
Running Time: Just over 3 hours, including one fifteen-minute intermission.
Love & ROAR! plays through November 19th with The Baltimore Rock Opera Society at 1 E. Baltimore Street in downtown Baltimore, MD. Tickets can be purchased in advance online.
