At the final round of the National cheerleading competition, two high schools compete against each other. But the competition is as much about race relations and coming of age as it is about moves on the gym floor.
“Bring It On: The Musical” is based on the 2000 film of the same name, but diverges significantly from the screen version. Ruff Yeager, who directed the Southwestern College production of the musical, captivated the audience with dance routines, songs and acting while telling a story about friendship and acceptance.
When the play begins, it is quickly established that Campbell Davis (Mikaela Celeste Vilaprado) has it all: a boyfriend Steven (Marcel Ferrin) and two best friends, Bridget (Melissa Wildasin) and Skylar (Susana Cafasso Alvarado). Not only that, but she was just announced as the captain of the Truman High cheerleading squad. Suddenly, she gets redistricted to Jackson High and must adjust to a new environment. After learning the truth, she forms a cheerleading squad out of a hip-hop group to enact revenge against the new captain named Eva (Audrey Lacher).
To differentiate between the two high schools, the set design had two big columns that rotate to signify where the next scene is taking place. Red columns are red to signify Truman High and they become green when the scene shifts to Jackson High. Sometimes, the columns have no color to show that the scene is taking place at a restaurant or a bedroom.
Other props included a projector for computer visuals, painted lockers for the schools, voice modulators to emphasize Campbell’s thoughts, and careful lighting to set the mood for each scene.
The costumes design was going for a modern, high school look, with the casual clothes and cheerleading outfits. The actors looked relaxed, composed and hip to portray the high school setting while the cheerleading outfits looked identical to each other save for the colors that distinguish the two.
While most of the technical aspects did a great job, one of them got laughs for the wrong reasons. When portraying Eva in a bad light, the projector showed her looking uninterested, wearing a hoodie and having flames coming beneath and above her. It looked so rough that the audience giggled.
There was also a “liar revealed” part of the story that felt boring and formulaic. Once it’s revealed, Campbell mopes and dopes, has an epiphany, then patches things up and everyone is happy.
The music was easily the best part as the actors did a phenomenal job performing each musical number. The lyrics were wonderfully written and left the audience engaged.
Another standout moment was at the beginning before the show started when the actors gave the safety warnings in the form of a cheerleading routine.
Campbell’s singing voice also sounded angelic throughout the play, especially during her first song, “One Perfect Moment.” Here was on particularly captivating lyric: “I’m seventeen, there are so many things I can’t control. If I start to freak or feel weak, I focus on just one goal. Turn down the panic, attack this routine like it owns my soul. Turn up the music, so loud that it swallows us whole.”
The songs “Welcome to Jackson” and “Do Your Own Thing” were wonderfully performed, felt toe tapping and funky. This was especially true when the Jackson students sang, “ Move!!”
While there were some things that could have been improved upon, there is so much that the play does right for that to become distracting. With the wonderful songs, fantastic performances and excellent choreography, it was more than enough for Yeager and the cast to “Bring It On”.
