![]() ![]() But in this production, both schools seem to have about the same ethnic makeup, though Campbell’s cheer squad is far whiter than Danielle’s crew. ![]() It is hinted that Campbell’s new school is much poorer than her previous one, and in the New York version, her new school is primarily black and Latinx. But when she ends up moving to another school without a killer squad, her dreams are dashed – that is, until she decides to take Danielle's (Feo) dance crew and shape them into a winning team. Komazec plays Campbell, a high-achieving cheerleading queen at her local school, who is set to win the National Cheerleading Championships. Leading the cast is Nadia Komazec ( Mamma Mia, Matilda, Legally Blonde ) and newcomer Elandrah Feo. The local production is directed by Alister Smith, who was nominated for a Green Room Award for his production of Sondheim's Pacific Overtures. The musical is not a retread of the movie rather, it features new characters but a plot very similar to the second film. The mixing does not help, either the music overpowers the voices in parts, with critical lyrics difficult to hear. In this high-stakes world of competitive cheerleading, the music should rev up an audience, but it’s not distinctive enough to have much impact. Ballads build but then fade away, and none of the melodies grab a hold of you. But while there are flashes of Miranda’s exquisite harmonies and clever wordplay (particularly in ‘Move’, the big number that opens the second act, and in some of the raps), the music is mostly underwhelming. That Bring It On is not better is a mystery, since it was written by an A-Team of contemporary musicals, with a book by Tony Award-winner Jeff Whitty ( Avenue Q) and a score by Hamilton genius Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Kitt (another Tony Award-winner for Next to Normal ) and Tony nominee Amanda Green ( Hands on a Hardbody ). It’s not the worst idea, but we did not need this iteration of Bring It On, which suffers from turgid dialogue, forgettable songs, a predictable and overdone plot, and at least in this production, a significant lack of pep. Read our review of the 2018 Melbourne season below.ĭid we need a musical based on Bring It On, the popular 2000 cheerleading movie that had so much to say it needed five sequels? Bring It On: The Musical is returning to the Athenaeum Theatre in 2019 with a new, yet-to-be-announced cast.
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