Chillin' like a Villain (Clarksville Little Theatre)

Jun 10

3 min read

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Descendants: The Musical

Book and Additional Lyrics by Nick Blaemire

Musical Adaptations by Madeline Smith

Orchestrations and Music produced by Matthew Tishler

Co-Directed by Maximilian Valentine and Brad Lambert

Review by Regina Harris

Clarksville Little Theatre opened Disney's DECENDANTS: THE MUSICAL JR. to a sold-out crowd on Friday night. The cast of 39 kids brought the house down with their infectious energy and dazzling charm. The result of their dedication and hard work was nothing short of magical.

Classic Disney villains - Maleficent, Grimhilde, Jafar and Cruella have long been exiled to the Isle of the Lost. Their children plot to steal the Fairy Godmother's wand to hand their demanding parents' ultimate power. But along the way, Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos, face choices that will shape who they become on their journey to adulthood.

Casting was spot on, with Addison DeSimone as Mal, Alex Weckstein as Evie, Moses Ballou as Jay and Kaden Ballou as Carlos. All delivered strong vocals - particularly DeSimone - but it was Moses Ballou who commanded the spotlight with standout stage presence and charisma. Kayden nailed the role of the nerdy kid trying to be cool, while Weckstein was pitch perfect as the stylish "bad girl" who's clearly good at heart. One of the strongest vocal performances came from Sanibelle Darling as Maleficent, commanding the stage in black horns and feather collar, glowing staff in hand. Spot on performances followed from Sophia Browning as Grimhilde, Madoc McMahon as Jafar, and Macie Wingler as Cruella. Cuteness kudos to scene stealers Jayden Peele and Joel Thompson (Royal Page/Royal Guard) while Jake Bower charmed as bashful Doug with pure personality.

By far, another exceptional vocal performance was delivered by Everett Watson as Ben, son of beautiful Queen Belle (Chloe Warren) and the mighty King Beast (Noah Hardin). His strong vocals were a high note of the production. Thomas Rouchka impressed as rapper Chad, while young Ellie Lasher was an endearing highlight as Jane, Fairy Godmother's daughter. Rounding out the principal cast, Vivienne Diehl as Audrey, Rylee Pennington as Fairy Godmother, Raya Phipps as the Coach, Emily Davis as Maurice and Lila Shalenko as Snow White lent noteworthy portrayals to the production. The young ensemble delivered an emotional, heartfelt and beautifully harmonized rendition of "Go the Distance," showcasing great vocal unity. The coaches, teachers and directors clearly invested much time and provided excellent guidance to each young performer, with shout outs going to Rebecca Brewer for her choreography and Sloan Doyle for vocal coaching.

Co-Directors Maxmilian Valentine and Brad Lambert created an exceptionally enchanting piece of theatre from casting to performance. The lighting design was dazzling and clearly set the tone for each scene. The set was generally simple but there were some truly breathtaking surprises which you'll have to see to believe. Costumes and make up by Kelly Doyle were exceptionally well-done, allowing each child to capture their villain's essence with both innocence and attitude.

Sound, however, was a bit of a disappointment, cutting in and out, occasionally rendering a vocal performance almost inaudible. No doubt that will be corrected in upcoming performances.

Though I didn't have any children to bring to this adorable and entertaining show, this grown-up had an absolute blast - and I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to come out and enjoy this spellbinding family-friendly production!

Descendants: The Musical

June 6, 7, 13 &14 @ 7:30 pm

June 8 & 15 @ 2:00 pm

Clarksville Little Theatre

301 Montgomery Ave. Clarksville, IN 47129

www.clarksvillelittletheatre.org

clarksvillelittletheatre@gmail.com

(812) 283-6522