In the early 2000s, teen comedy ‘Bring It On’ took the world by storm, introducing the world to cheerleading culture, a staple of American high school life. The film expanded into a franchise, spanning to a total of six films! So, when Bring It On was adapted (or inspired) for the stage, I was curious!
With music by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, lyrics by Amanda Green and Miranda, and book by Jeff Whitty, directed by Tahra Cannon, with music direction by Claire Gurrin choreography by Louise Panagiotidis, and executively produced by Andrew Gyopar, Bring It On: The Musical isn’t an adaptation of the first film per se, but instead takes the bones of the framework and creates something new.
As a community theatre show, there are many cast members that are braving the stage for the very first time. Apart from perhaps a few opening night jitters, the Melbourne cast were dynamic, confident, the choreography is captivating, clean, and the show feels authentic with real cheerleaders showcasing gravity defying tricks for your viewing pleasure, helping you feel like you’ve really transported to an American high school in the 2000s, without ever needing a time travel machine and plane ticket!
For Bring It On: The Musical, we follow the ambitious and a little awkward Campbell (Emily McDougall) who has been voted cheer captain in her senior year. With fellow cheerleader seniors Skylar (Cara Mia Honan) and Kylar (Elle Fenelon), Campbell oversees recruiting fresh meat for Truman High’s cheerleading squad and vouches for her young, innocent and sweet next-door neighbour Eva (Taylor-Anne Bright) who has grown up looking up to Campbell. Campbell’s life is perfect; she has a loving boyfriend Steven (Fergus Rann) who is also on the cheer squad. Everything seems fine, until it isn’t.
Due to some unexpected redistricting that requires Campbell and fellow classmate Bridget (Jenna Mole) to change schools, Campbell’s life turns upside down. Suddenly she doesn’t know where she belongs in her new school’s social hierarchy and there isn’t a cheer squad! Circumstances finds Bridget feeling like she belongs in Jackson High more than she ever did back at Truman High. Bridget befriends La Cienega (Ari Rego), Nautica (Yurina Kutsukake) and dance crew leader Danielle (Alyssa Jandayan). Campbell has less of a time fitting in but ends up being accepted unconditionally by school heartthrob Randall (Flynn Hunter).
With the typical clichés that made teen films so good in the noughties, brought to the Melbourne stage, there’s a lot to love about Theatrical.’s production of Bring It On: The Musical. While the music by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda isn’t as memorable as their other works, this production remains entertaining and deliciously chaotic, full of strange and unhinged twists that will have you laughing in your seat. And the best part is, you don’t have to have watched a single Bring It On movie to understand or enjoy this.
With Flynn Hunter, Ari Rego, Alyssa Jandayan, Jenna Mole and Emily McDougall as the show’s standouts, the future of Melbourne theatre looks bright.
Theatrical.‘s production of Bring It On: The Musical is now playing at The National Theatre in St Kilda until the 26th of July.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://theatrical.com.au/bringiton
Photography by Natalie Edge.
