Listen up folks! Have you got “the beat”? No? Well then you better get your tickets and pay a visit to The Baltimore Theatre Project in Baltimore where resident company Iron Crow Theatre is putting on Head Over Heels, a jukebox musical comedy based on the songs of the 1980’s female rock bad The Go-Go’s. But before we talk about the show, we must talk about both the company and the venue, both of which are inspiring and visionary in their approach to theatre.
The Baltimore Theatre Project, located on W. Preston St in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore City, was founded in 1971 & recently celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. This venue is home to a number of resident artists and groups and provides a space for creativity to flourish whether the medium be theater, dance, multi-media, multi-disciplinary as well as other performance genres. They also offer assistance in the form of things like publicity, front of house operations/backstage running crew, etc…so that the artists can focus on their production, much of which are new or rarely performed. As their site says, the goal is to support their resident artists who make their space a place “where they can take risks and push boundaries.”
Now about that company. Self-described as “Baltimore’s Queer Theatre”, Iron Crow Theatre was conceived in the spring of 2009 where a production of theatre, dance, and music during one of Baltimore’s Gay Pride celebrations was staged to raise money for Baltimore’s Moveable Feast. That production was the impetus for the beginning of Iron Crow which roared onto the scene the following year with In Durang’s Shorts and, following that success, began their first official season with Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The company was named best new face on the theatre scene by Baltimore’s City Paper in 2011. On their website the company states simply: “We define queer broadly as the celebration of the renegade and unorthodox in all of us.”
Head Over Heels marks the second production in Iron Crow’s return to the stage since Covid-19 shut down the theatre scene. Under the direction of Sean Elias, who also became the company’s Artistic Director in 2015, Iron Crow has crafted their 2022/2023 season consisting of rarely produced works by leading award-winning queer playwrights which they call their “Season of Defiance”. In Mr. Elias’ personal note in the show’s program he points out that, while a different type of season had been previously envisioned, the current political climate regarding an insidious lack of empathy towards the trans/LGBTQ population demanded a deviation from the original plan. As Mr. Elias points out, “to do anything other than what we are would violate who we are.” The works chosen were carefully selected for their relevance to modern times and, as Mr. Elias states, “Work that promotes the theatre as a relevant and powerful tool in helping to shape our existence as a collective society.”
OK, so now it’s curtain up/light the lights time. Sir Philip Sidney started it all. Around the end of the 16th century he wrote a long prose pastoral romance called The Countess of Pembroke’s Aracadia, which he later significantly expanded and revised. These versions today are known simply as the “Old Arcadia” and the “New Arcadia”. Head Over Heels takes the plot more so from the “Old Arcadia”. The book was conceived and written by Jeff Whitty, and was then adapted by American playwright, author, and translator James Magruder. The show opened in Oregon the summer of 2015. It then ran on Broadway from July 26, 1018 through January 6, 2019 running for 36 previews and 164 performances.
The show chronicles the royal family of Arcadia, a kingdom (yes, think Kings/Queens) governed by a beat (“We Got The Beat”). This beat both opens and closes the show and is a toe tapping and catchy way to live, or so believe the good people of Arcadia. When faced with an Oracle’s prophecy of extinction, the royal family sallies forth to set off on a journey to keep the prophecies from being fulfilled, lest their revered beat be lost forever. But more than just a physical journey, these Arcadians find themselves in a perpetual state of self-discovery and awareness that transcends boundaries and brings people together in unexpected ways. Things are not always what they appear and, in the end, acceptance and empathy abound which showcases the humanity in all of us.
Director Sean Elias has put his own print on this jewel of a show, coaxing the best of emotion out of his cast of talented actors. Elias has the cast make the most of the scaffolding set as they run up and down the stairs with abandon, sing/dance from the various levels, jump off the bottom/sides and it works. Elias has done an outstanding job of having his cast create their own characters, which are vastly different from each other. It is a joy get to know them and to watch their transition throughout the show. Elias knows how to tell a story and tells it with seamless movement, interaction, and abounding humor.
Props also goes to Assistant Director and Choreographer Quae Simpson. From the time of the rousing opening number to the end of the show, the dances and movements are clever and inspiring. Choreography is hard work but can also be satisfying and fulfilling. From the perfectly syncopated group numbers to the smaller numbers Simpson knows when to go full out and when to pull back. I truly enjoyed all the song and dance numbers and, judging by the audience’s reaction, they did as well.
Speaking of song, Musical Director Rachel Sandler is well known to the community theatre scene and Iron Crow is lucky to have her. Of course, the job is made easier when you have a cast of stellar voices such as this one. Even so, the help of a professional is required to hone harmonies, balance pitches, and draw out the best vocals from the cast and Sandler does this with aplomb. This production uses canned (pre-recorded) music as opposed to a live pit which can be a bit challenging, but this isn’t Sandler’s first rodeo and I could not detect (even if there was one) a missed cue or timing issue.
Set Designer Thomas Jenkeleit keeps things simple in this black box theater. Yes, this is a kingdom, but you will find no castles, thrones, or large tables for feasting. There is just one real set piece. A large two-story scaffolding with stairs leading up to the different levels. Props are stored underneath the structure and used by the actors throughout the show. This works, and you don’t miss different set pieces coming on and off at various times. Sometimes simple is best, and with this single major set piece there is only one focal point which allows the audience to concentrate on the performers.
Costume Designer J. Ethan Henry has outfitted each principal with appropriate garb for their station in life. The ensemble is mostly in black. Henry tends to favor a monochromatic style including a lot of gray, black and silver tones with certain cast members having a splash of gold and other colors in keeping with the period.
Lighting Designer Thomas P. Gardner used a variety of colors, strobes, and other types of lighting to perfectly set the scene. There are many different emotions running throughout the show, from light and carefree to dark and mysterious to action, and Gardner has deftly created a lighting design scheme to highlight what is going on onstage. This is a perfect example of how lighting complements the action and showcases how a stage production is truly an ensemble work of which lighting is a crucial component. Gardner doesn’t just light the stage. He creates mood. That’s the mark of a true artist.
Sound Designer Jane Schwartz had to design a system to balance the voices with the music, which can be a tough act. You don’t want the music too loud, but loud enough for the audience to hear and feel it. You don’t want the actors to be too loud, yet you want to be able to hear the lyrics. During straight dialogue scenes there were no issues. There were, however, times where it was very difficult to hear the song lyrics during some of the songs as they were drowned out by the music. For example, when the Oracle/Pythio was delivering the prophecies neither myself nor my companion could hear what they were saying above the music. Perhaps it was an opening night bugaboo. Sound is understandably a tightrope to walk, but over-all there were no glaring issues other than the music/mic balancing during some of the musical numbers.
A show is only a good as it’s cast, and this cast is a collective establishment of young talent. Thanks to good casting by Elias this production makes this reviewer wish that he had started in theatre much younger as watching this group on stage made a younger version of me want to jump up on stage with them and I found myself thinking, as the song goes in A Chorus Line, “I can do this… I can do that!”.
Leading the royal family of Arcadia is King Basilius (played by Brian Dauglash) and Queen Gynecia (played by Hana Clarice). What a pair these two make. Dauglash is handsome, cocky and full of himself as King. Full of stage presence, watch his mannerisms and his facial expressions, the way he walks, the way he holds his hands and the way he delivers his lines. Dauglash understands his character well, and it comes through with delight when he sings and acts. Clarice is royally regal as the Queen. She knows her position, is skeptical of the man she’s been married to for years, and it’s clear there is much more to her than meets the eye. Not only does Clarice act the heck out of her role, but she has a powerful voice and knows how to use it. She and Dauglash share a number in the dark together towards the end of the show that is a superb collaboration of set design, lighting, voice, and staging. It’s sheer brilliance. No spoilers here but watch these two as they progress throughout the show. It’s truly a delight to behold.
The royal daughters (princesses) Philoclea and Pamela, played respectively by Kristen Stickley and Allison Bradbury, are intense and complex. As the eldest daughter much criticized by her parents for sending suitors away, Bradbury is deliciously vain and narcissistic, yet vulnerable deep down as she searches for her true self. She also has a strong and commanding voice that drew thunderous applause from the audience. Stickley is innocence personified. The naïve youngest daughter in love with a shepherd, someone below her station in life and of whom her parents do not approve, she is caught in a difficult situation between the man she loves and the life she was born into. Stickley has a delightful singing voice and it’s equally delightful in seeing her whimsically flirt with the man she loves, even knowing that it’s a love that can never be…or can it?
Philoclea’s love interest, the shepherd Musidorus, is played by Brett Klock. With his short perfectly groomed blonde hair and youthful appearance, Klock has a boy-next-door cuteness which only helps to endear him into the hearts of the audience as the earnest and lovestruck shepherd determined to win the heart of his beloved. Like the rest of the cast, Klock is a triple threat with a penchant for comedy. I was in tears of laughter after hearing him profess his love for Philoclea with a very off-key initial verse of “Mad About You”. As with much of this show, it’s difficult to say too much without spoiling the plot, but let’s just say that you need to watch what happens to Musidorus throughout the show, especially at the end.
The King’s loyal Viceroy Dametas is played with comedic and dramatic flair by Nathan Zimmerman. Zimmerman is hysterical to watch as he screams his way through certain scenes (again, no spoilers). He takes the weight of the world on his shoulders as he personally assumes responsibility for the saving of the kingdom’s “beat” in addition to other regrets in his own personal life. Zimmerman is convincing as his character who is conflicted about showing loyalty to his King, yet knowing in his heart that the perils they face are serious and must be treated as such. He shares some tender moments with his daughter, Mopsa, and it’s heartwarming to watch. This kid can act.
Did I say Mopsa? As Princess Pamela’s loyal handmaid, Asia-Lige Arnold is one to watch. All I can say is Jennifer Hudson, eat your heart out. This girl? No not just another pretty face who can sing, act, and dance. Her voice is a tour-de-force of power and boy can she belt her butt off. I can’t tell you the number of times where, at the end of a song, the audience erupted in applause and shouts. I wouldn’t be surprised if she showed up as a contestant on “The Voice” one of these days. Until then, lucky patrons can catch her in community theater shows. As Mopsa she attends Pamela, putting up with her whims and fancies. But as I stated before, this is a show where not everything or everyone is at it seems. Watch her interaction with Pamela and revel in the outcome. Nuff said.
The Oracle (Pythio) is played by veteran actor Nicholas Miles. The character is non-binary (referred to with the pronoun “they”) in the show and is responsible for the foretelling of the afore mentioned prophecies. It’s difficult to say too much more about his character because it’s central to the plot of the show as well as the ending; however, I will say that his performance is flamboyantly flashy and fun to watch. Miles is not on stage all the time but makes the most of it when he is. His voice is strong and he commands his scenes. I found myself cracking up with laughter at his various one-liners, of which this show has many.
Lastly, this show features a 4-member female ensemble (Alana Knobel, Aileen Mitchener, Micaela Oliverio and Whitney Reed), who also serve as understudies to the principals, and man can these ladies dance. This ensemble works hard, singing/dancing their way through scene after scene, handling props, tossing curtains to and fro, and providing much needed support to move the show along. I can’t say enough about ensemble as it’s so often overlooked, but they are a critical part of every show. And as understudies, they need to be ready to jump in for a principal at a moment’s notice. It’s a job to be taken seriously and these gals know how to work it. Oh, and watch out at the very end for a surprise (or at least on opening night) appearance by male Swing Cam Powell who came on stage and danced with everyone else. He’s good.
So grab your ticket(s), run head over heels to the theater, prepare to feel “the beat” and get ready to be entertained. You’ll also be supporting a wonderful cause championed by Iron Crow Theatre and The Baltimore Theatre Project.
Running Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes with one intermission
Head Over Heels plays through December 18th 2022 with Iron Crow Theatre in residence at Baltimore Theatre Project— 45 W. Preston Street in the Mt. Vernon district of Baltimore, MD. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 410-752-8558 or in advance online.
To read the interview with writer-adapter, James Magruder, click here.
