When it comes to bringing this action/adventure musical truly and perfectly to life, the Ziegfeld Theater has done just that! This musical, based on Baroness Orczy's famous 20th- century novel and the French Revolution and the battle for Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, was everything any theater goer would absolutely fall in love with. The stunning costumes, set design, light design, and fantastic actors really brought it all to life and had me wanting more and more as well as leaving me with a huge smile on my face for most of the show!
Under the beautiful direction of Morgan Parry, this cast truly shined. Every single cast member brought so much to the production and truly seemed in their craft. Percy, played by Cameron Kapetanov, had a hilarious yet endearing take on the character. His acting choices created a wonderful opportunity for the audience to see clearly what all his motives were throughout the show and added a perfect level to not only his character, but also the show itself. Not to mention, Kapetanov has a spectacular voice! Citizen Chauvelin was played by Quinn Kapetanov and was such a perfect villain that the whole audience was entranced by him. His smooth and dark vocals tied his character all together and created a spectacular higher level to it as well. Armand St. Just, played by Andy Conlin, brought a sweet innocence to the character and showed his loyalty as one of the Scarlet Pimpernels followers very well. When casting the role of Marguerite St. Just, it is a very demanding role vocally as well as acting wise, and I can truly say that Becky Jeanne Knowles was spectacular. From the first number in the show, she immediately drew everyone's attention to her beauty and her charming voice. Her French accent was always spot on and sounded so stunning and natural. The applause after each of her songs from the audience was so genuine and deserved.
As well as spectacular leads, the supporting characters as well as the ensemble were breath taking! The strong ensemble numbers held true and filled the whole theater with a beautifully blended noise! Music Director, Kelli Morris, did a wonderful job working with this cast and creating some true magic. Some supporting standouts to me were the hilarious Ozzy (Sam Young) and Elton (Dylan Floyd Panter). These two definitely brought a perfectly timed comedic side to the show and held together the other loyal men to the Scarlet Pimpernel. I found myself constantly watching those two in every scene to see what they were doing, and I was always quite entertained! Tim Behunin perfectly swapped between the characters Robespierre/Prince of Wales, which are two completely different roles, and I really appreciated seeing that differentially. Ginny Teuscher and Mak Milord were two members of the female ensemble that stood out the most to me. Both of these female ensemble members had magnificent voices that were showcased perfectly in solos here and there throughout the show.
The choreography, done by Kaylee Nelson, was a wonderful addition to each number! With a bit of a smaller stage space for most numbers, the choreography was excellently executed and brought the show up that extra level. "Madame Guillotine" and "Act II Opening- The Scarlet Pimpernel" were my favorite dance numbers in the show! "Madame Guillotine" is a personal favorite of mine from the show, and I was so excited to see it executed so wonderfully! The sharp movements along with the actor's execution of each move really brought the dark and eerie feeling of the song.
The costume design by Stephanie Colyar was absolutely beautiful and pulled each character together very well. Marguerite's costumes were absolutely breathtaking and tied in well with Percy's costumes as well. However, it was very apparent that Knowles struggled a few times with her dresses being too long in the front and I found myself worried quite often that she was going to potentially trip multiple times.
Set design (Erica Choffel) and light design (McKenzie Lloyd) for the show is the last element that really brought everything all together! The set differences from the France to England settings were beautifully done and also gave the stage some nice levels for the actors to explore and use. The lighting set the tone for each scene perfectly and accented each costume and set beautifully!
Ziegfeld Theater's production of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is one you do not want to miss! I can promise it is a show you won't ever forget if you have the chance to see it. The show runs until March 18th, with performances most Monday's, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30, including a matinee March 11th at 2:00 as well as a Thursday evening performance on March 16th. With every element of this show being so well done, this is a must-see show!
Theatre matters, theatre is important, theatre is impactful.
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