DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – Delightful. Imaginative. Ambitious. Clever. Original. Fun.
That’s “The Dance Company Does Broadway,” playing for four more performances through Sunday in Walter Theatre of Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts at St. Norbert College.
Do yourself a favor and treat yourself. Catch it. It’s one of a kind and radiant.
Be aware, young dancers dance to recorded soundtracks of seven popular musicals, often mouthing the sung words. That last bit may sound hokey, but it puts the dancers in character so stories unfold.
What also is interesting is the choreography, which expands the stories by volumes. A song becomes more than a song. “Do-Re-Me” from “The Sound of Music” has added movement and luster. “Tomorrow” from “Annie” becomes athletic artistry, with flow and aerial flips. “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked” becomes an added physical expression of soul.
The Dance Company’s show includes 22 songs – 22 scenes, mostly with varied backdrops and props and a sea of costumes that can include little kids as drivers of yellow taxies or others in full-body snappy penguin outfits.
Sensitivity and joy and energy are all part of what happens.
Another layer of charm comes from a narrator, Matt Maloney, who sets up scenes dressed as a character of each segment. He slips in humor and playfulness. Twice, he sings, too, adding another layer to this unique endeavor.
Show director Carrie Wielgus has an entourage of creative teammates who infuse the show with an encyclopedia of dance movement. Each scene seems to be a palate for a different kind of physical expression. En pointe, tap, character, interpretive, gymnastic, jazz – they are all there, with assorted variations thereof.
Each of the 22 scenes has something going for it because the dancers embrace them – create an aura of loving what they are doing. It is difficult to pick out highlights because there are so many, so many. So I won’t.
This is a great team effort, loaded with spirit and infectious energy.
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Running time: Two hours, five minutes
Remaining performances: 7 p.m. March 18; 2 and 7 p.m. March 19; and 2 p.m. March 20
Info: snc.edu/tickets
Creative: Artistic director – Shirley Van; show director – Carrie Wielgus; assistant show director – Jami Goodman; stage director – Michael Palubicki; dance captain – Bryanna Gauger; assistant choreographer – Morgan Wigman; guest choreographer – Katelyn Badeau; costumes – Renee Ettinger, chair; props – Kristy Christensen, Kathy VanPrice, co-chairs; production – David Pyres; lighting – Scott LaPlante
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THE SHOW
Narrator: Matt Maloney
Act I
“Newsies”
+ “Carrying the Banner”
Jack – Emma Johnson
Crutchie – Owen Schroeder
Race – Jayna Schema
David – Addison Schmidt
Les – Ella Thomas
Newsies – Ally Broocmeier, Natalie Danz, Sonia Ettinger, Yuritzi Flores, Emily Legois, Lily Mannion, Grace Nimmer, Grace Pieschek, Avery Spoerl, Ella VanPrice
+ “King of New York”
Jack – Emma Johnson
Race – Jayna Schema
David – Addison Schmidt
Les – Ella Thomas
Katherine – Emily Hoeppner
Crutchie – Owen Schroeder
Newsies – Sonia Ettinger, Grace Nimmer, Ally Boockmeier
+ “Seize the Day”
Jack – Emma Johnson
Race – Jayna Schema
David – Addison Schmidt
Les – Ella Thomas
Newsies – Grace Nimmer, Avery Spoerl, Ella VanPrice, Yuritzi Flores
“Sound of Music”
+ “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”
Liesl – Grace Pieschek
Rolf – Owen Schroeder
+ “Do-Re-Mi”
Maria – Morgan Lemens
Liesl – Grace Pieschek
Friedrich – Jameson O’Brien
Louisa – Hannah O’Neil
Kurt – Sarah McPherson
Brigitta – Meara Marinan
Marta – Lauren Buchmann
Gretl – Lili Trace
+ Edleweiss
Dancers – Ally Boockmeier, Natalie Danz, Sonia Ettinger, Emma Johnson, Emily Legois, Lily Mannion, Sylvia Pryes, Jayna Schema
Vocalists – Matt Maloney, Emilie Chamberlain
“West Side Story”
+ “Tonight”
Maria – Grace Nimmer
Tony – Owen Schroeder
+ “I Feel Pretty”
Maria – Grace Nimmer
Dancers – Emily Hoeppner, Clarissa LaPlante, Emily Legois, Morgan Lemens, Sylvia Pryes, Avery Spoerl, Ella VanPrice, Emilie Chamberlain
+ “Cool”
Riff – Sonia Ettinger
Jets – Natalie Danz, Emma Johnson, Lily Mannion, Grace Pieschek, Jayna Schema, Addison Schmidt
“Annie”
+ “It’s a Hard Knock Life”
Annie – Ally Boockmeier
Molly – Andrea Vance
Kate – Michelle Brunette
Tessie – Lauren Robillard
Pepper – Morgan Veldboom
Duffy – Ilianna Castro
July – Keyla Christensen
Orphans – Sophia Cruz Reznicek, Sofia Kuznetsov, Lauren Buchmann, Megan Buchmann, Savannah Budworth, Lili Trace, Shaelyn Martineau, Layla Paul, Harper Schroeder, Maren Schultz
+ “Little Girls”
Miss Hannigan – Natalie Danz
Tessie – Lauren Robillard
Pepper – Morgan Veldboom
Duffy – Ilianna Castro
July – Keyla Christensen
Orphans – Sofia Kuznetsov, Lauren Buchmann, Lili Trace, Lyla Paul
+ “Tomorrow”
Annie – Ally Boockmeier
+ Easy Street
Miss Hannigan – Natalie Danz
Rooster – Sonia Ettinger
Lily – Emily Hoeppner
+ “N.Y.C.”
Grace – Emily Legois
Annie – Ally Boockmeier
Oliver Warbucks – Matt Maloney
Star-to-Be – Yuritzi Flores
Taxis – Piper Aaron, Jocelyn Bethke, Mackenzie Gwidt, Gabbi Nommensen, Emmett O’Brien, Linden O’Brien, Patrick O’Brien, Harper Schultz
City Dancers – Emilie Chamberlain Cassie Kubale, Sarah McPherson, Hannah O’Neil, Jazmin Queoff, Ella Thomas, Caleb O’Brien, Jameson O’Brien.
Act II
“Mary Poppins”
+ “Jolly Holiday”
Mary Poppins – Ella VanPrice
Bert – Isaac Bowman
Jane – Savannah Budworth
Michael – Megan Buchmann
Statues – Sofia Kuznetsov, Michelle Brunette
Park Dancers – Jazmin Queoff, Meara Marinan, Hannah O’Neil, Sarah McPherson, Emilie Chamberlain, Cassie Kubale
Penguins – Maren Schultz, Harper Schroeder, Shaelyn Martineau, Layla Paul
+ “Feed the Birds”
Mary Poppins – Ella VanPrice
Bird Woman – Grace Pieschek
Birds – Emily Hoeppner, Morgan Lemens, Grace Nimmer, Addison Schmidt
+ “Step in Time”
Bert – Isaac Bowman
Mary Poppins – Ella VanPrice
Jane – Savannah Budworth
Michael – Megan Buchmann
Chimney Sweeps – Yuritzi Flores, Ella Thomas, Ilianna Castro, Lauren Robillard, Morgan Veldboom, Keyla Christensen, Andrea Vance, Jackson Toivonen, Caleb O’Brien
+ “Supercalifrangilisticexpialidocious”
Mary Poppins – Ella VanPrice
Bert – Isaac Bowman
Jane – Savannah Budworth
Michael – Megan Buchmann
Dancers – Natalie Danz, Emily Hoeppner, Emma Johnson, Clarissa LaPlante, Morgan Lemens, Grace Pieschek, Addison Schmidt, Avery Spoerl, Jazmin Queoff, Sylvia Pryes
“Wicked”
+ “Dancing Through Life”
Fiyero – Owen Schroeder
Glinda – Syliva Pryes
Dancers – Ally Boockmeier, Sonia Ettinger, Emily Hoeppner, Emily Legois, Yuritzi Flores, Troy Wypishinski-Prechter, Morgan Lemens
+ “Popular”
Elphaba – Lily Mannion
Glinda – Syliva Pryes
+ “Defying Gravity”
Elphaba – Lily Mannion
+ “For Good”
Elphaba – Lily Mannion
Glinda – Sylvia Pryes
“Grease”
+ “Greased Lightning”
Danny – Isaac Bowman
T-Birds – Owen Schroeder, Troy Wypishinski-Prechter, Jameson O’Brien, Caleb O’Brien
Frenchie – Avery Spoerl
Sandy – Morgan Lemens
Rizzo – Jayna Schema
Jan – Emily Legois
Marty – Emma Johnson
+ “Beauty School Dropout”
Frenchie – Avery Spoerl
Dancers – Cassie Kubale, Sarah McPherson, Hannah O’Neil, Jazmin Queoff, Michelle Brunette, Ilianna Castro, Lauren Robillard, Morgan Veldboom, Meara Marinan, Keyla Christensen
+ “You’re the One That I Want”
Danny – Isaac Bowman
Sandy – Morgan Lemens
“Finale: We Go Together”
Cast members from the seven shows for final bows
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THE VENUE: The 724-seat Byron L. Walter Theatre features a proscenium stage (flat front). Its walls are textured concrete blocks laid in a wave pattern. The ceiling includes white acoustical clouds. Seat material and carpeting are the traditional theater red. The theater is located in Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts at St. Norbert College in De Pere. It is the larger of two theaters in the building, the core of which was built in 1955. In 1989, the Walter Theatre was renovated to improve the lobby and interior aesthetic, adding seating and improving the acoustics.
THE PERSON: Byron L. Walter (1877-1954) was a businessman. He operated Green Bay Hardware, Inc. until his retirement in 1953. Walter was co-founder of Paper Converting Machine Co. and for a time served as president. After his death, the Byron L. Walter Family Trust was established, and it made possible the theater. The trust continues to make widespread contributions to community projects and institutions.
