Type: Musical Theatre, Dance, and Belting
If You Liked: Any Broadway Musical that ever existed, Powerhouse Vocalists
After a sold-out Fringe season, Broadway Off-Broadway returns to the delight of musical theatre kids and audiences in a must see production for the whole family. The show is a sensory delight of Broadway style belting, comedy, soulful ballads, dance, and true showcasing of the best of Australian and Adelaide musical theatre talent.
Created by Adelaide’s own Emma Kavanagh (singer, dancer and actor who’s toured internationally), this true triple threat has assembled a cast of local talent across her lead vocalists Madison Green, Josh Spiniello and Jason Bensen joined by accomplished dancers Maddie Apacible (owner of MAD Creative Dance) and Jayden Prelc. The cast were supported by the band, David Goodwin on keys, Steve Staben on drums and Declan Horan on bass. An ensemble of both experienced and new performers rounded out this Broadway casting very aptly.
The show features major hits from the musical theatre cannon from the stage and screen. From crowd pleasing hits such as Disney’s Frozen, Mary Poppins, Dear Evan Hansen and Wicked to traditional ballads from Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. They enthralled audiences with high energy dance numbers across a variety of styles from tap and jazz to contemporary dance with a standout being ‘Good Morning’ from the classic Singing in the Rain. The show is at its best when it utilises fun props, dazzling costumes and blends its vocals with dance numbers, capturing a little slice of Broadway here in our local community.
Kavanagh’s mission to bring Broadway to Adelaide audiences succeeds well when it goes to the heart of what makes Broadway great. That is the connection between performers who live to perform and their audience; that give and take aspect electrified the audience who offered rapt applause. Despite this, the show did have some technical difficulties not unlike any live performance from a few issues with a microphone cutting out mid performance, to Lachlan Nash giving audiences a glimpse into the backbone of the industry by stepping up and swinging in as the understudy for the unwell Spiniello to save the show. Despite its name the show did at times feel more like a local concert showcase rather than an off-Broadway styled productionl with the song selections feeling like a mash up rather than a coherent story.
The show thrives when it comes to supporting our local and upcoming emerging Adelaide talent, giving young performers the chance to shine on stage alongside veterans. The young performers gained the most applause and appreciation, showing Adelaide audiences that nurturing our local talent and supporting our homegrown arts and creative industry is the right path moving forward.
See our other reviews from the Adelaide Fringe in the link below
Tickets and Practical Info for Broadway Off-Broadway at Adelaide Fringe 🎟️
Sun, 15 Mar – Sun, 22 Mar
60 min
The Flamingo at Gluttony – Rymill Park
G (2 Warnings)
$25 to $55
