“Ride the Cyclone” is a show that is near and dear to many theatre and theatre-adjacent kids’ hearts, mine included. With some challenging vocal performances and a dreamlike setting that gives the show the option to experiment visually, “Ride the Cyclone” can be a difficult show to attempt. However, Director Greg Roitbourd ’26 and Assistant Director Kennedy Robertson ’28 put on a performance that was memorable and even worth revisiting for whichever audience member created a Brandeis Bootleg.
The show tells the story of six high school students who are meant to perform with their school’s chamber choir when they meet their unfortunate end during a roller coaster accident. The story picks up as the group awakes in a warehouse, which contains The Amazing Karnak, played by Mark Sternberg ’28, a carnival psychic animatronic who can tell one the exact time and place of their death. Karnak informs the students that they must each perform a song to argue why they should be the one who comes back from the dead.
The first character to perform is Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg, played by Madelyn Zimbalist ’28. Ocean is a typical overachiever who sees herself as better than the rest of the choir. Her song, “What the World Needs,” is a wonderful introduction to the dark comedic tones that will underlay the rest of the show. Zimbalist displayed incredible breath control as she belted and pranced across the stage, informing the audience why she is better than the rest of her classmates. Zimbalist manages to bring to life a deeply flawed character who undergoes the most dramatic character changes over the course of the show.
Not to be outshone, Noel Gruber, played by Nico Sloan ’28, then performs the aptly titled “Noel’s Lament.” Noel is a classic tragic gay boy whose tragedy was how untragic his life was. All Noel wanted was to be born a trashy French hooker in the 1920s. “Noel’s Lament” gives some of the best visual moments of the entire show, accompanied by an enthralling performance by Sloan and wonderful support from the rest of the cast. If anyone in the audience managed to tear their eyes away, they missed a highlight of the show.
Following the dark and sensual “Noel’s Lament” is “This Song is Awesome,” an autotune-heavy rap about doing drugs, drinking alcohol and hanging out with the crew. Misch Bachinski, played by Garret Molinari ’28, is a Ukrainian refugee who was given up for adoption as a teenager when his mother succumbed to radiation poisoning. He is a deeply angry boy who was engaged to the love of his life, Talia Bolinska, played by Talia Lazar ’28. She is the subject of his second song, “Talia.” “Talia” is the most complex performance of the show, with traditional Ukrainian dance, dynamic harmonies and a deeply emotional performance from Molinari. Molinari brings a lot of nuance to a character who could be reduced to a stereotypical angry Ukrainian. His interactions with Sloan throughout the show, while often relegated to the background of other scenes, bring a lot of heart to the characters.
“Space Age Bachelor Man,” sung by Richard “Ricky” Potts, played by Kieran Van Hooser ’29, is a Ziggy Stardust-style romp full of aliens, cat girls and sex. Potts, prior to his death, had been mute after watching his father die in front of him. Despite his lack of outward expression, he had a complex internal world full of fantastical stories. Van Hooser gave his all to the performance, exuding a level of confidence in full spandex that made the outlandish concept of the song seem reasonable.
One member of the choir, Jane Doe, played by Emma Sadewasser ’27, lost her head in the accident and was never identified. In her song, “Ballad of Jane Doe,” Jane expresses her anger and sadness about being forgotten. With intense operatic vocals and a series of high notes, this song is not an easy feat for the vocalist; however, Sadewasser made the song feel effortless. Sadewasser’s performance as Jane Doe was frightening yet sympathetic throughout the show. The choice to move like a doll, somewhat disarticulate and jerky, while singing her lament brought the monstrous aspects of the character in line with her emotional interior.
In the final solo performance of the show, Constance Blackwood, played by Eden Kates ’29, delivers a soulful pop song, “Jawbreaker/Sugarcloud.” Blackwood, dubbed “the nicest girl in town,” had grown resentful of their small town nearing the end of her life. In her song, she reclaims her kindness as a positive and comes to accept living and dying in the same place. Kates brings a sincerity to the character that allows the audience to fully experience her character. Her performance is a force to be reckoned with, full of well-supported belts and a stage presence that keeps the audience engaged.
To state that the cast and crew of this show were amazing would be an understatement. From masterful lighting, done by Eva Levine ’28 and Lauren Pachter ’28, to otherworldly costumes, from Sam Taxman ’27, Jae Fioribello ’28 and Maddie Zimbalist ’28, the production side was nearly perfect. However, it would be remiss not to mention the flaws in the sound.
While I give leeway for the possibility of flaws within the equipment itself, the sound issues in this show went beyond simple mic popping. The overall sound throughout the production was set too high. This problem was only worsened by the levels of the live band, a band that did a wonderful job and added a lot to the production. However, I noticed at least three mics on the drumset, which, given the size of the theatre, probably didn’t need to be miked at all. Often, the keyboard would be set loud enough to cover the dialogue and vocals of the cast. In addition to the band, the male cast members had their levels set far too low, while the sopranos were much too loud. This gives the vocals a top-heavy sound. In general, the rule in music is that lows, tenors and baritones, should be set higher than the highs, altos and sopranos. I also noticed that the levels didn’t change much between songs, with Sloan and Molinari being especially impacted by this in their performances. In both of their songs, the actors were attempting to be heard over the rest of the cast, and the band was occasionally getting drowned out altogether.
While the sound was flawed, I would still recommend the show to anyone who asked. Many of the audience members might not have noticed the sound issues at all and, even as a person with an extensive musical background, I managed to tune out the issues by the third song.
The cast and crew should be very proud of the show they put on—I would pay at least a few dollars for a cast recording of the production.
Photo Credit: Chloe Ballew, Editor
