This was a very slick production! I have not seen the film so was unsure what to expect, the producers Jen Frith and Kylie Green have pulled out all the stops with this one. Pelican has a reputation for good shows and with the production team they put together for this their reputation was safe. Director Adam Goodburn together with Vocal Director Rosanne Hoskings and Musical Director Band Martin Cheney have brought out every ounce of talent these youngsters possess. Kudos must also go to Choreographer Carla Papa and Cheer Choreographer Chloe Boucher they did a marvellous job. The set (with video) by Craig Williams was the perfect backdrop and Jamie Mensforth had the sound well under control – an awesome team.

 

The story, Libretto by Jeff Whitty, has more depth than I expected and the music by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, with lyrics by Amanda Green and Lin-Manuel Miranda was pleasingly varied. The small band sounded great and were all that was needed.

 

There were a few standout performances, Scarlett Anthony as Cambell who demonstrates a range of emotions. Sean Jackson as La Cienega shows great stage presence and flamboyance. Other memorable cast members were Eve Green (Eva), Stephanie Antonopoulos (Danielle), Georgia Cosercas (Bridget), Sophie Morris (Skylar). Amongst the boys Lachlan Flemming did well as Steven and I liked Harry Fielder as Cameron, Josh Angeles was a good Randall and Jerome Javier stood out as Twig. The cast also included Tayla Prime as Nautica and Amy Gallery as Kylar.

 

However the real star of this performance is the ensemble work. All on stage worked together seamlessly and the cheer leader sections were a highlight. The energy and enthusiasm radiated from the stage and was infectious. This is a high quality production of a fun show; hope you got to see it.

 

Review reprinted with kind permisssion of Glam Adelaide,

 

 

Cast of Bring it on – photo credit Jen Frith