Meridian High School’s fall musical may strike some audience members as “ruthless,” but the production and cast is anything but.
A spoof on Broadway musicals such as “Gypsy” and “Mame,” as well as movies such as “The Bad Seed” and “All About Eve,” “Ruthless! The Musical” will be performed by Meridian’s theatre company this weekend. Based on the book and lyrics by Joel Paley, “Ruthless!” features an all-female cast, something of importance to MHS theater teacher and director, Shawn Northrip.
“The honest truth is [that] I’m always trying to get unique shows that offer lots of parts for women,” Northrip said. “I have lots of women in my program, and a lot of shows and musicals when you look into it have two female parts and then 12 guy parts…I don’t have two females and 12 guys, I have two guys and 12 females.”
“Ruthless!” tells the tale of a young girl and “how far she’s willing to go for stardom,” which includes murder. Along with the inclusion of an all-female cast, Northrip also chose the musical due to it having comedic elements.
The production of the musical comedy has been a “different experience,” Northrip said, as the show is being performed a month earlier than the previous November showings. The audition process was also “tricky” due to the crew trying to figure out just who’s right for the various roles.
“You’re just kind of looking for a feeling,” Northrip said. “What’s great about the audition room is [that] it’s always a surprise as you’ll think something’s gonna go one way and then you hear a kid that you had not expected to hear and they just blow your mind…that changes everything.”
Due to the added stress of “jumping into a show and making it happen” for Northrip, the cast and crew experienced both “highs and lows” with the production of “Ruthless!” One high included Northrip bringing the cast and crew ice cream after noticing an “energy dip.”
“It’s hard to compare one show to another, every show is such a completely different beast,” Northrip said. “[The cast and crew] seem pretty excited about it.”
Without wanting to give away too much of the show’s surprises, Northrip said “Ruthless!” is unique due to the fact that it will be performed by a small show cast with only seven performers, but includes a lot of backup dancers and a “kid’s play” within the production that features only two characters.
“We get to have as many kids on stage as we want,” Northrip said.
Northrip said his favorite part so far of Meridian’s production of the musical comedy has been complex, but beautiful songs featured throughout the show, as well as the “very funny” ending.
“I just enjoy listening to these kids standing up there and just emoting their hearts out while singing those great torch songs,” Northrip said.
For upcoming audiences, Northrip said he hopes they will find it as funny as he does, and not take it “too seriously.” He also wants the public to know that the “kids are amazing” and hopes everyone enjoys watching them as much as he does.
“It’s a dark comedy, so there’s always that question of whether we’ll cross the line of tastelessness,” Northrip said. “I’m hoping people will [like] my direction and be like ‘Oh this is funny. It’s meant to be not taken seriously.’”
“Ruthless! The Musical” will be performed on Thursday October 19 — Saturday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission and can be purchased at sites.google.com/fccps.org/ruthless/to-purchase-tickets?scrlybrkr=93c4816f.
