She’s your friend. She’s your lover. She’s your sister. She’s the Queen of Disco! She is Donna Summer. And though it’s still cold and snowy and unpleasant outside in Charm City— Summer has come to town! Summer: The Donna Summer Musical has landed at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre through February 20, 2022 and will have you tapping your toes, clapping along to the beat, and singing & dancing in the aisles by the end of the show. Directed by Lauren L. Sobon and Choreographed by Natalie Caruncho, this jukebox biopic-stage musical brings both song catalogue and life-story of Donna Summer to the masses in a musically uplifting and euphoric fashion.
Framed up as the ‘concert of a lifetime’ the 90-minute jukebox musical (presented without an intermission) features over 20 of Donna Summer’s iconic musical hits— including some lesser known gems that only true fanatics will recognize— all woven together and used as the backdrop to narrate some of the more poignant parts of the Queen of Disco’s life. While there isn’t necessarily a true linearity to the tale, as there is a bit of jumping in and out of the recent past, the childhood past, and the distant-past-in-between, the way the story is strung together is fitting. It reads not unlike the way a person at the end of their days might remember their life— it doesn’t all come in order from beginning to end. This unique presentation of Donna Summer’s life story and musical catalogue offers a great deal of insight to who Donna Summer was— beyond the music.
Director Lauren L. Sobon (based on the original direction of Des McAnuff) crafts some beautiful moments— particularly when flashing back on traumatic instances in Summer’s life. (As a person who recognizes the more iconic hits but knows little else about the Disco Diva, the show was a learning opportunity to see Donna as a mother, as a wife and daughter, as a survivor of sexual abuse at a young age, as a survivor of domestic abuse, and so much more than just the sexual icon of her musical era.) Donna is presented three-ways in the production— Diva Donna, Disco Donna, and Duckling Donna. The three phases of her life, who do occasionally come together to sing in trio, and who do occasionally interact with one another— often with Diva Donna, who serves as the show’s through-line Donna, asking questions of her younger self, the types of questions that in hindsight we’d all love to ask our younger selves. These profound moments give the show a layer of depth that is often missing from jukebox musicals.
Choreographer Natalie Caruncho (based on the original choreography of Sergio Trujjllo) has her thumbprint on the disco-era vibe. The moves are there, the feel is there, but the choreography is inconsistently sloppy. There are moments— particularly during “Hot Stuff” where the dance routines are executed almost flawlessly and the grooving disco energy of that number is bursting into every move that the ensemble is busting out. But there are other numbers which lack the polish and crispness one expects from a touring quality show. Costume Designer Paul Tazewell (with touring coordinator John C. White) is able to hide some of the less-than-clean-and-stellar dance moments with the dazzling sequins and reflective surfaces of all the disco-era costumes.
Tazewell’s costume design does more than just cover choreographic chaos, it presents a spectacle for the audience to enjoy, inviting them back to the time when disco was truly alive and thriving. The show’s through-line narrating protagonist is Diva Donna; the show’s through-line color is blue. Electric blue, muted blue, cornflower blue, Tazewell captures them all in various shades and shapes, many with sequins and sparkles that further highlight the show’s time period. Lighting Designer Russell A. Thompson reflects this blue sentiment throughout the performance by using blue lights to soften and sharpen various scenes and songs. Thompson also deserves a nod for the epic, enormous disco ball featured during the show’s penultimate and final musical numbers.
With an energetic ensemble, and nearly everyone playing multiple characters, there’s much to be praised about the production, not the least of which is the vocal talent coming out of the three female leads playing Donna Summer during the different stages of her life. Amahri Edwards-Jones, who plays Duckling Donna (and later Mimi, Donna Summer’s eldest daughter) possesses that youthful innocence, particularly when soulfully singing “On My Honor.” The hopeful uncertainty that is Donna Summer at that stage of her life radiates through Edwards-Jones like the first rays of sunlight breaking over the horizon, particularly during “I Remember Yesterday.” Edwards-Jones’ voice blends beautifully during numbers where all three Donnas sing together.
Playing Disco Donna with vim and vigor, Charis Gullage brings a fabulous vocal versatility to the stage every time she sings. Gullage fills out this phase of Donna Summer’s life with panache and pluck, radiance and confidence, while the character still navigates the turbulent waters of her troubled life. The tightly choreographed domestic violence scene between Disco Donna and Gunther (Christopher Lewis) during “No More Tears (Enough is Enough)” is one of the more striking moments in the production. Gullage delivers the Donna Summer sound when she first pours out “Love To Love You Baby” and when she takes point on “Hot Stuff” near the show’s conclusion. There is a tenacity and ferocity that Gullage delivers as Disco Donna that really resonates with any fan of Donna Summer’s music. She shares a brilliant duet with Bruce Sudano (John Guaragna)— “I Love You”— which captures the earnest charisma of falling in love both with their voices and their dance-duet in this number.
Delivering a powerhouse set of vocals, with an emotionally balanced and versatile stage presence, Brittny Smith is the Diva Donna everyone expects to see when they come to see Summer. There is a finesse to Smith’s performance, encapsulating the success, the nostalgia, the essence that is Donna Summer at that point of her life, reflecting back on everything. And with a voice that smashes hit after hit out of the park, it’s easy to see how Smith was the perfect choice for the through-line Donna role. Smith gives the audience many glimpses at the Donna most don’t know— mother donna, (in a touching scene with her daughter Mimi, Brooklyn, and Amanda, played respectively by Amahri Edwards-Jones, Meridien Terrell, and Ciara Jones) and wiser Donna. The number “Unconditional Love” fully envelopes that moment and provides a showcase of Smith’s voice alongside Edwards-Jones, Terrell, and Jones. There is no denying Brittny Smith is singing to burn the house down when she delivers the iconic “She Works Hard For the Money”, a true pivoting point in the performance. Her portions of “MacArthur Park” are stellar to hear as well.
It’s a euphoria, a true ‘welcome-back to live theatre by way of celebrating the life of Donna Summer.’ Even the younger generations who don’t yet know the legend that is Donna Summer will find joy and excitement in this production. It’s a thrilling night out; don’t miss all the heat of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical this February here in Baltimore.
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical through February 20, 2022 at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre in the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center— 12 N. Eutaw Street in the Bromo Seltzer Arts District of Baltimore, MD. For tickets call the box office at (410) 752-7444 or purchase them purchase them online.
To read the interview with Brittny Smith on playing ‘Diva Donna’ click here.
