It’s Closing Weekend of HEAD OVER HEELS!
Or in other words, the explanation as to why I’ve been missing my writing deadlines this month… :)
Some of you know that this past month I’ve been keeping busy with rehearsals for a musical called Head Over Heels produced by CATCO; and we have finally reached our final weekend of performances. I wanted to invite all of my blog readers to attend the show before it closes on April 3rd!
As Jeff Whitty’s conception, the story is based on the 16th-century romance tale “Arcadia” by Sir Philip Sidney accompanied with music by The Go-Go’s adapted by James Magruder. So, you’ll be getting yourselves into a comedic Shakespearean-esque plot unexpectedly complimented by dance-y tunes from the highly successful all-female 80’s band. All under Leda Hoffmann’s wonderful direction! I am personally featured in songs such as “Good Girl”, “Here You Are”, and “Our Lips Are Sealed”.
I have the delightful task of bringing Philoclea, the youngest sister of the royal family in Arcadia, to life. When I was initially cast, I was excited to embody a young ingenue character because it is not very common that I am considered for that type. A quick look at my resume will show you directors’ inclinations to cast me in dark, strange, or mysterious roles. I anticipated Philoclea to skew my acting range in a new direction.
The further I dove into my character work and allowed her presence to simmer in the backburner of my mind, I saw more similarities in our truths than I initially anticipated. Plot-wise, the audience beholds Philoclea’s transformation of gaining self-confidence untethered to the expectations of societal traditions, ie, damn dad, just let her marry the cute shepherd boy even though he doesn’t have royal status, jeez… But no, I have not personally experienced forbidden love. However, I have battled with the guilt, frustrations, and friction that comes with going against the grain. I have felt it within my family, in the workplace, and just about any community I have associated with in my reckless early 20's. My personal path to finding myself and understanding how I fit into this world made way into my creation in embodying the young royal princess.
The character defining song “Good Girl” is deceptive in its simplistic lyricism. With the bluntly written hook “all I want is for everyone to love me” the audience is witness to a young woman actively binding themselves to conformity for the sake of those around her. The phrase out of context could be seen as a cry of vanity, but for Philoclea, it is a prayer for bliss. If she does as she is told, then all will be in order and therefore, all will be well. I know many can relate to the “people-pleaser” identity; I know I can. And while I safely utilize my emotions and memories to fuel the bloodline of the words and lyrics spoken by Philoclea, I also can’t help but bring the audience with me in that specific moment — stealing their eye contact and holding their gaze — as if asking for their approval in that precise moment.
Thankfully, through the comedic trials and tribulations of the royal family on a wild goose-chase to outrun an inevitable prophecy, everyone in the show is challenged with doing what is true to themselves — whether it’s though the passions of love despite sex or status, self-expression despite gendered birth assignment, or simply the acceptance of a changing society. And while the show is upheld by these social pillars that we see under attack on a daily basis, the audience is never kept in the mood of grief or fear for too long… only enough to show the risk if these basic human truths are not accepted and cherished.
I am thankful to be sharing the stage with a cast that truly reflects the world around us: a genuine rainbow of expression, orientation, and dare I say, talent! When our blend of voices hit you in the opening number of “We Got the Beat” I hope you feel invigorated to join us in our unique telling of our character’s relatable stories within the fantasy world of Arcadia!
With the world being crazy and uncertain as it is right now, I’m grateful to be a part of a production that is uplifting, full of heart, and celebratory of acceptance in all forms. I hope you will feel the same delightful escapism when you come to the show!
FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOW:
https://www.catco.org/2021-22/head-over-heels/
If you are unable to attend, not all is lost… I will be performing live with CATCO again very soon in the world premier of Prima Donna written by Columbus playwright Chris Leyva.
Miss my singing? Look out for our fresh high energy rock cover band Boombox Riot coming to local Columbus venues near you…!
Adam and I also have a few more projects cooking, as always! FOX + RAM will be creating a concept album with intentions for theatrical execution.
COMING SOON. ;)
Thank you to everyone who has read my blog posts thus far, and all of those who are active Patreon subscribers. Social media followers, please keep doing what you do! Liking, sharing, and commenting on our posts help us reach a wider audience and grow our community.
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Email me with your comments & questions: summitjstarr@gmail.com
