'Getting the Girl' An Empowering, Emotive Evening

Growing up and becoming an individual isn’t easy. In contrast, watching 17 poised and powerful young women sing a selection of musical theater songs celebrating those experiences was not only easy on the ears but a true delight. More than just girl power, “Getting the Girl: A Musical Revue,” which staged two back-to-back performances at the Leverett Old Library Theater on Feb. 20, spoke to the challenges of finding one’s own path, tapping into one’s creative energy, and taking charge of one’s life.

Setbacks, bruises, disappointments, missed opportunities, and worse have the potential to drag one down, but, as the music throughout “Getting the Girl” reminded the audience, each person has the choice to do something about it. “Just because you find that life's not fair, it / Doesn't mean that you just have to grin and bear it! / … / And if it's not right! / You have to put it right!” affirmed lines from “Naughty,” a song from “Matilda,” performed by Julia E. Belanoff ’18,  Zoey A. Bergstrom ’15, Madison M. Dildine ’16, and Joule P. Voelz ’17 (an active Crimson blog editor). The show’s songs were chosen because they feature women not merely pining after men; indeed, the show’s Facebook page characterized its message as “I am not someone’s someone.” The music, performed expertly, provided support, guidance, and tough love.

Although loosely structured, the production’s plot centered around the creation of a poem. Cast members gave each other directives that were lighthearted and yet reflective of the troubling thoughts that run through many girls’ minds. “Praise something that you would like to change about your body,” and “Apologize for something that you’re not sorry for” were two such suggestions. Without much dialogue, the performers were free to use their body language to convey their closeness and sisterhood. Equally importantly, the sparse dialogue allowed them to move quickly and effortlessly from song to song.

Soloists Elise M. Baranouski ’15 and Taylor K. Phillips ’15 brought the house down with their renditions of “My Strongest Suit” from “Aida” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from “Funny Girl,” respectively. Baranouski added spunk and flair to her performance with hair flips and upbeat dance moves, while Phillips’ soaring voice earned her uproarious applause. But it was when the cast came together that the voices mingled into something spectacular. “Where there was nothing let there be something, something made by me / There's things waiting for me to invent them / There's worlds waiting for me to explore / I am an echo of the eternal cry of / Let there be!” the entire company sang in a chills-inducing version of “The Spark of Creation” from “Children of Eden.”

When not onstage, the cast nestled together in an assortment of comfy lounge chairs and looked up affectionately at whomever was performing. The “Getting the Girl” singers made this space their own, although some arrangements worked more successfully than others. In their rendition of “Reflection” from Disney’s Mulan, Brenna K. McDuffie ’15 and Taylor L. Vandick ’16 walked into the center aisle and faced each other. Although this arrangement added visual interest to the revue, the theater’s setup made the performance difficult to see, while the poor acoustics of the space made the song challenging to hear.

With classics from “A Chorus Line” and “Hello Dolly,”  as well as a showstopping original song, “Shine,” by Elizabeth P. Kantor ’18, the revue’s setlist was ideal for musical theater fans. The sassy, reflective, and endearing show imparted a message that hit close to home: Be you, and be true; the rest will fall into place.

—Staff writer Melissa C. Rodman can be reached at melissa.rodman@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @melissa_rodman.