Selkirk’s Bring It On, The Musical is taking place this week from April 11 to 14 at McKim Theatre.
Bring It On follows the story of Campbell, a high school senior and newly-minted captain of the Truman Cheerleading Squad. Campbell and Bridget find themselves transferred to Jackson high school for their senior year, and have a hard time fitting in. Campbell concocts a scheme in order to fulfill her dreams of leading a cheer squad to success at nationals and ultimately fails, teaching her a lesson about the meaning of friendship and what truly matters in life.
The show is a big production with a multitude of challenging musical numbers, dance routines, set and costume changes, and a large cheerleading component.
The cast is made up of Selkirk students who have been preparing for the production since the school year started in September of 2017.
Director Sven Heyde, who is the music teacher at Selkirk, has worked with many of the students in both band and choir. His direction on the show and in the classroom is evident through the strong musical talent that makes up the cast.
“One of the realities of school musical theatre is that 2/3 of the participants tend to be female, this is true in almost any school, regardless of the size,” said Heyde. “This is why it’s so great when writers realize the importance of bringing stories to the stage that feature smart, capable females doing interesting things, as in stories like Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, and Bring it On. It is vital that our young female actors are able to see themselves reflected on stage and other media in a myriad of ways, just as our young men have always been able to do.”
The female actors in Selkirk’s Bring It On do just that. From Maia Greiner (Campbell) and Thea DePaoli (Danielle) to Arissa Toffolo (Bridget), Mattea Greiner (Skylar) and Gewn Davies (Kylar), there is a clear commitment to character, along with a whole lot of talent. Not to mention the rest of the female cast who keep the audience laughing, guessing, and tapping their toes the entire show.
The exact same can be said for the male cast. It’s hard to believe Huw Miller (Steven) and Alejandro Blanco-Peces (La Cienega) have never been in a musical theatre production before. Everett Olafson (Cameron), Jason vanZyl (Randall) and Jeremy Woods (Twig), and the rest of the male cast have the audience laughing and wanting more the whole time.
Although there is some type-casting in this production, each character is portrayed in their own talented, comical way and definitely have the audience suspending their disbelief. As does the set, lighting, costumes, choreography, sound, and all of the other components. Going from Truman, to Jackson, to Campbell’s bedroom, to Cheer Camp, and all of the other various locations in this play is a huge part of the production.
It’s clear through Bring It On that Kimberley’s youth is a multi-talented bunch who are headed for great things in the world of the arts.
There are only two more chances to check out this hilarious musical: April 13 and 14, all at 7p.m.. Tickets can be purchased at Selkirk, Snow Drift Cafe in Kimberley and Lotus Books in Cranbrook.