This musical begins by telling a simple story of high school cheerleaders and one girl’s dream of being the team captain and taking the squad to national competitions but finds herself redistricted out of her school, squad and cheerleading. She finds herself in a high school with a diverse student body and no cheerleading squad, and feels like a fish out of water.
At first, the storyline seemed very thin. I sat there, laughed a few times and listened to some talented young people sing but wondered where the story was going. I thought the show was going to be predictable, and at first it was.
However, I must admit, this musical redeemed itself in the second act. I saw that the storyline had some good depth to it. The singing became more impressive and the story was a pleasant surprise and not so predictable after all.
I enjoyed the energy of this cast, many of whom are making their Broadway debuts. “Bring It On: The Musical” is packed with laughs and characters that you truly can identify with. The cheer, flips, splits and kicks are a lot of fun to watch, too.
African-American Adrienne Warren is vibrant and marvelous as Danielle, while Taylor Louderman is peppy and fun as Campbell, the displaced cheerleader. Gregory Haney plays a gay cross-dresser named La Cienega, and he is on fire. He is the perfect comic relief, as is fellow cast member Ryann Redmond, who is delightful as Bridget.
This is a musical that will have you cheering by the end for the enormous amount of talent on the stage, whether it’s through the dances and cheerleading moves or the incredible voices. It is inspired by the movie “Bring It On” and has exciting dance arrangements by Alex Lacamoire along with engaging direction and
choreography by Andy Blankenbeuhler.
“Bring It On: The Musical” is playing at the St. James Theatre on 44th Street. Take a young person and go and enjoy it. Visit www.bringitonmusical.com for more info.
