Moby Dick, the Musical

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Silly? Oh, yes, you could say that. Invade a private girls high school, and silly you will get. Along with the silly comes overbearing enthusiasm that denies failure or giving up in the middle of a crisis the way adults can and do sometimes. High school girls don’t know the meaning of giving up. Disappointments, for the most part haven’t rocked their boat. In the midst of silly giggles, there’s always a way to solve a problem. The way may not always be feasible, practical, or even work, but for the most part they don’t have the experience to know that.

The girls of St. Godley’s School For Girls in Moby Dick, the Musical at the Aurora Fox.

Cut through the silliness of the Aurora Fox’s production of Moby Dick, The Musical, and you have breath-taking, exhausting, awesome choreography designed by Nick Sugar. Cut through the silliness, and you have 27 sophisticated songs empowered by strong singers under the musical direction of Martha Yordy.

Cut through the silliness, and you have 12 talented actors feeding the silliness with theatrical expertise under Sugar’s stage direction.

Cut through the silliness, and you have St. Godley’s School For Girls willing to stick their necks out for a giant fund-raiser to save their school from certain financial disaster. Even though Moby Dick successfully upsets the boat, facing financial disaster doesn’t. No doubt. No question. Moby Dick the Musical is a whale of a tale!!

When Head mentions the need for a giant fundraiser, the girls overwhelmingly jump on the idea, It just so happens, one of the girls has just written a musical on Moby Dick. Lauren Dennis with her strong gorgeous voice, and large enthusiastic bright eyes deliberately chooses to play Ishmael.

The Headmistress, known simply as Head played with juice and spitfire by Mark Devine feels warm fuzzies when the girls pacify her to play Ahab. Devine is hysterical as Head, and pathetically hysterical as Ahab.

Never mind the girls don’t have time to find someone to design a sophisticated set. Never mind they obviously don’t have the money to spend on the perfect set or the perfect costumes. They’ll use what they have or can borrow. They could care less about a perfect production. What they care about is support. What they care about is saving their school. What they care about is having a Whale of a good time.

Ahab lays his troubles on thick while Pip deliciously played by Heather Larson lays her “kissing-up-to” Ahab just as thick.

Ahab’s wife, Esta, played by Margie Lamb, looses it with his uncontrollable temper and accusations and jumps out the window into the sea to forever haunt him.

On the search for adventure, Ishmael finds himself in the middle of a wavy bounding sea aided and abetted by very large sheets manipulated by the cast. To prove it is the sea, slits cut in the middle allow puppets: fish, a black whale, crab, and octopus to fling themselves out of the rolling sea waves.

Charles Dean Packard sidled his mind besides the minds of silly desperate girls who had no budget for a set, and read their silly desperate minds of what they would do in such circumstance. He hit the nail center stage on the head. Linda Morken dressed the girls as though they indeed went to an all girls school run by Head, including a few guys with long curly wigs. Head, of course discovers the imposters, reminding everyone “boys are not allowed.” Her bark is worse than her bite, and the guys get to stay. Good thing too because those guys include Scott McLean as Gardiner, Matt LaFontaine as Mapple and Flask, Daniel Langhoff as Coffin, and Rob Costigan as Elijah. Their expertise with choreography pops out the eyes. Gardiner’s song about his waist-tight boat The Rachael is enough to send everyone over the edge with laughter. McLean’s “dancibility” is always a stand out. Turn Costigan loose on dance steps at any tempo such as Elijah’s “At Sea One Day;” one hopes his comedic rubberized body born to dance just never quits.

Ishmael faces culture shock when he meets Queegueg, a cannibal brought to fun fanciful life by Jodi Kamura who masters primitive Cannibal moves with precise style. The confusion over the culture is written all over her face. She takes center stage by force with the dance and song, “Bones.”

In spite of the built in silliness of the girls, the 27 songs are written with a flair of sophistication, and the strong voices of the cast give them justice and power to match Yordy’s piano’s song.

Moby Dick himself makes one brief appearance skimming the waves in the background. His rage and resentment toward Ahab are definitely felt by cast and audience when he’s had enough game playing attacking Ahab’s boat with a vengeance. As the cast rocks and rolls with the turbulence caused by Moby Dick those sitting in the first row hold their breath wondering if they will be able to stop at the edge of the stage or end up in their laps. Moby Dick is through playing games. Now he’s serious about finishing off Ahab and everyone else. He choked down one of Ahab’s legs. He wants more.

Nearly mad with Moby Dick obsession and grief over losing Esta to the sea, the crew calls for mutiny led by Starbuck beautifully played by Amanda Earls.

Maija-Liisa Nielson as Stubbs, and Kelsy Rich as Tashtego and Mary complete the talented cast.

Nicholas Kargel must have had a blast designing the lighting, which brightly shines its laughter and giggles right along side of the girls. El Armstrong’s sound design creaks and roars with sea sounds, Moby Dick’s obsessed infatuation, and Ahab’s haunted sea-logged mind.

Moby Dick! The Musical will never replace The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Fiddle on The Roof, or Little Shop of Horrors. It isn’t meant to. It is what it is. Understanding that, this production is just plain sheer unadulterated fun. With outstanding music, well written story telling lyrics, highly talented actors/dancers/ strong gorgeous voices, and stunning choreography. It plays with girls’ naughty punny jokes, who have a giggle of a time with Moby Dick’s name.

Memorable songs include Ishmael’s “I Live And Breathe,” Pip and Ahab’s “Love Will Always,” the Crew’s “Building America,” Ahab’s “Can’t Keep Out The Night,” Starbuck’s “Whale of a Tale,” and the Crew’s “Shadows of the Deep.” Actually, the music and choreography are a highlight from start to finish.

It’s worth every minute of the show’s time and ticket prices. Although it definitely isn’t going to set the world on fire, or rock anyone’s boat except Ahab’s, its merits speak loud enough to not be missed.