[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of The Group Rep Theatre Company’s MY SPIRITS SOAR, inspired by Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost with music by Adryan Russ, book by Doug Haverty, lyrics by Russ/Haverty, directed and choreographed by Kathleen R. Delaney and musical direction by Leigh Anne Gillespie.
The Group Rep always gets the timing spot on with every show they produce! MY SPIRITS SOAR is a wonderful reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost. Full of brilliant songs beautifully orchestrated by the house band and talented performers singing their hearts out.
A young woman, Virginia, arrives at a castle in England as part of an art student award. She is to become a chambermaid to earn her keep while she also studies at The Royal College of Art in London.
While Virginia is excited about the chance to live in such a beautiful and ancient castle, she is much more fascinated by the fact that her favorite painter, Lady Lucinda Canterville, once lived there. The fact that Lady Canterville also died there, under very suspicious circumstances, becomes more pertinent to the story and Virginia’s life than she could have ever imagined.
MY SPIRITS SOAR unfolds delightfully. Each excellent song leads gently to another, and all of them are perfectly peppered through the funny, warm-hearted, and very spooky play.
All the performances are absolutely brilliant, every actor seems born to play their role. For a play as fun as this, one might imagine the performance to be light and a bit forgetful. However, as usual, the Group Rep holds nothing back. Everyone plays their parts with nuance and depth, dedication and panache. They sing, they frolic, they fall in love, they frighten, and it is all utterly believable. Especially the ghosts!
What a wonderful, uplifting and delightfully spooky show! Full of fabulous songs and brilliant performances, with a story that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful! I absolutely loved it!!!
Group Rep is our NoHo gem. Always so committed to discovering new talent and supporting our uniquely NoHo theatre. What would we do without them!!
Tickets:
https://thegrouprep.com/show/my-spirits-soar
Where:
The Group Rep Theatre
10900 Burbank Blvd. NoHo Arts District, CA 91601
When:
September 26 — November 2
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm. Talkbacks with cast and staff Sept. 28 and Oct. 5 after the matinee.
My Spirits Soar Cast
Casey Alcoser (Trevor, Duke of Canterville), Sarah Bruce (Ella /Ensemble),Oceane Laurent (Ensemble), Catherine McClenahan (Mrs. Umney), Savannah Mortenson (Lady Lucinda Canterville), Hayley O’Brien (Ensemble), Marc Antonio Pritchett (Ensemble/Simon Cover), Rob Schaumann (Mr. Umney), KEVIN SPIRTAS (Sir Simon, Lord of Canterville), Abigail Stewart-(Virginia Otis) and Sean Michael Williams (Ensemble).
The Creative Team
The creative staff includes Delaney/Haverty (Set Design), Ellen Monocroussos (Lighting Design), Shon LeBlanc (Costume Design), Nick Foran (Sound Design), Dani O’Brien (Assistant to the Director), Denise Downer (Marketing), Nora Feldman (Public Relations), Art & Soul Design (Graphic Design), Cathy D. Tomlin (Sound Mixer/Stage Manager), Krys Fehervari (Wig Design), Terrie Collins-Grant (Properties Design), Lloyd Pedersen (Artistic Council Liaison), Kristin Stancato (Webmaster & Online Marketing), Doug Engalla (Promotional Video & Photography), Jackie Shearn (Social Media), and John Ledley (Board Operator). The show is produced for The Group Rep by Helen O’Brien and Sam Logan.
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