The day the Berlin Wall fell, 11 brilliant youths at UB each had their chance to shine.
As the Black Box Theatre's house lights dim, a ragtag line of impoverished street punks dive through the stage door, apparently hiding from the authorities. They get up a few moments later, dust themselves off, and begin to tell the story of famous German composer Kurt Weill's music.
The show "Berlin to Broadway" is a musical review of Weill's songs in chronological order. The cast members string his works together in the order of his life, convey a loose story, and each create a unique character to help them play it out.
Two guides, roughly playing the parts of Weill and his wife, narrate the story of the man's travels through East Germany and the United States. Songs like "Mack the Knife" and "Pirate Jenny" anchor the show with familiarity, but the rest is "a musical voyage" through a very unique style of performance.
The cast of five young men and six women romp and parade over a minimal set, providing side-splitting slapstick antics as often as anguished lullabies and hymns. Nearly 40 songs comprise about two and a half hours (including a fifteen minute intermission) of well-received entertainment.
"The performance is phenomenal so far," said Kevin Geiss, a freshman BFA in theater major, during intermission. "I love it."
The phenomenal part of the show isn't just the performance, but the amount of work the crew put into making it all happen. Practice has been six days a week since early January, including efforts by musicians, a stage director and assistant, a dramaturg and a tech crew.
"It's time consuming," said cast member Deon Oliverio. "It will be good to have a break."
Their work paid off. Many audience members were familiar with the premise of the musical review prior to the performance, and would not end up disappointed.
"I'm excited for this. Everyone in the show has their own moment to shine," said Kristin Bentley, a senior BFA in theater major.
She couldn't have been more right. Despite impressive singing and moving drama, the real draw of the performance is the individual characters. Each individual displays a unique reaction to every event and dialogue, some reactions as subtle as a frown or a straightening back. Interactions between the characters guide the plot and entertain the audience with small moments of personality.
"I've heard a whole lot about it," said Jenna Winnett, a junior in the audience who knows a few of the actors personally.
Kevin Zak is a freshman theater major who plays a mohawked slum youth drugged or drunk halfway out of sanity.
"I'm a little nervous for Kevin. No, excited. But I know he'll be wonderful," Winnett said.
Zak's "bits" are largely antagonistic and humorous in nature, and his solos showcase his balladic talent for following a thin melody.
For example, in "Bilbao Song" he relentlessly and humorously picks on fellow cast member Deon Oliverio, who sheepishly backs up the bit with glimmers of harmony.
Oliverio later has his moment to shine, leading "Hymn to Peace" with touching somberness and near-operatic solo talent.
Zak and the other ten cast members all present unique character dynamic, each getting a chance to take the limelight and also support from the back.
His friend had no reason to be nervous. As she predicted, Zak's performance was wonderful and the show received an instant standing ovation upon completion. "It was the best musical I've seen at UB," Willett said.
"It was a good show," said Oliverio, breathless and happy after the performance. The sentiment was echoed by his peers, who celebrated a successful opening night after the show together.
Before the Wall came down, cast member Michael Young described the changing age as "so radiant, it illuminates the shores of tomorrow." He and the cast lived up to the image.
"It was awesome, I'm so glad we get to do it five more times," said cast member Anna Rhoads.
Zak agreed, but remained flustered from exertion. When asked how he thought the show went, he said, "I don't remember. But it was a lot of fun."
Jacqueline Raymond, cast member, was pleased as well. "If you enjoy history or politics at all, there's something in this for you," she said.
Before the show, the cast gathered around a piano to warm up. Like a student of any other major cramming in the ten minutes before a test, some were still half out of costume or putting on stage makeup.
They joined hands and shouted the word "freedom" to celebrate what their characters all want, and dashed out to hide before the police sirens in the opening scene.
A saxophone lilted a practice arpeggio, the audience quieted, and the ushers vanished. A solely proverbial curtain lifted in the Black Box Theatre, and 11 UB students prepared for their opening night.
"Berlin to Broadway" is showing at 8 p.m. until Feb. 24 and at 2 p.m. on Feb, 24 and 25.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
