Smile: Senior Cast is Strong!
PLANK NOTE: There are two casts for this show. The junior cast ages approximately 14-19, and the senior cast 17-25. This review is about the senior cast.)
Awkward Stage Production’s musical comedy Smile is a well polished and entertaining show. Under the direction of Cara Tench and the musical direction of Andy Toth the talented young cast offers great singing, fun characterizations, and a lot of enthusiasm for a full 90 minutes.
The young cast is made up of actors and singers ages 19 to 24 and I was impressed with the precision, poise and focus of the performers. The show clipped along at a good pace thanks to tight ensemble work, which made it easy to sit back and relax and enjoy the show.
The play follows a group of beauty pageant contestants and their entourage from the night before they begin the competition to the moments after the new “Young American Miss” is crowned. We watch the behind the scenes primping, nerves, neurosis, rehearsals, as well as backstabbing and friendship making that happens with both the contestants and their vested pageant organizers.
Overall the cast is strong and the ensemble numbers pack a punch. There are some standout performances by the leads. I especially enjoyed Erin Palm’s portrayal of Robin as a grounded and humble young woman who has no interest in pageants but has been sent to compete by her teacher. Brittany Scott’s Brenda – the domineering pageant coordinator- is confident and charismatic. She owns the stage with a strong voice and a mature presence. I also enjoyed Chelsey Yamaski’s physicality and all around joyous presence as Maria and Jan Van Vianeen is comically cynical and caustic as the cigarette smoking choreographer and has some great moves. Nial Aspinall brings warmth and heart to the stage as Big Bob and Chelsea Powrie who plays Daria, the pageant “pro” who has yet to win a competition sings her sings her heart out in several numbers; most notably in “Disneyland” which is about wanting to live in the Magical Kingdom.
One of my favorite aspects of the play was the puppets which are used to portray the “grown ups” . The young puppeteers handle them well, and they are a joy to watch, in my opinion they round out the glossiness of the pageant world with their goofiness and ironically make the story more human.
The production value of the show is high, from full colour programs to a skilled three piece band, to excellent video projections by Corwin Ferguson, to the wide array of beautiful costumes. All in all this is a strong show where the company has risen to the occasion of a full on Broadway show. If you are a musical theatre lover this is a show for you.