October 23, 2010
As much as I would love to say that Yow Dance is the greatest source of entertainment you will ever be able to find in Orlando, I know that is not the case. We share the circuit with some phenomenal acts ranging from other dancers, musicians, poets and, of course, actors.
Tonight I was given the opportunity to check out “Halloween: The Musical” for its opening night performance at The Margeson Theater in Loch Haven Park. Written by John DeHaas, this small eight-member cast portrayed 19 roles during this 90-minute production.
Most of the cast members were local actors and singers who are familiar faces to both the downtown and theme park crowds. But DeHaas was also able to bring in John Graham, who was a Michael Myers slasher victim in the original film. He plays Sam Loomis and he brought a great deal of charisma and nostalgia to the stage for die-hard fans of the film.
My other favorites included Heather Delmotte as the quirky Laurie Strode, my friend and co-worker Shawn Walsh as Michael Myers and Juan Cantu in any role that would allow him to belt a song and for an added bonus… tap dance! Juan also once shared the stage with Yow Dance as a singer during our Accolades and Graces show at the Orlando Fringe Festival in 2009. His voice could not be mistaken. It was great to see him in action from the audience point of view as opposed to from the wings.
The intimate setting of the Margeson allowed the audience to sit amongst the scenery and enter DeHaas’ delightfully campy vision for the story. We felt almost part of the storyline as the cast paraded through the audience and throughout the set. The songs were clever; the dialog witty; and there seemed to be a healthy dose of ad-libbing.
However, I am catching a trend. Even in a smaller venue, I felt the audience could have been much bigger for this show. And it was clearly not due to poor production quality or a lack of advertising. Local theater just needs a little push these days. Again, I don’t know why. The talent and drive is there, all that is missing is you.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Halloween: The Musical!” I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Supporting the arts whenever I can,
Gabby Hoffmann
Yow Dance 