Marquee Theater Company presents Dreamgirls at West Boca Performing Arts Center


Written by Jacqueline Faustin, a senior at West Boca High, and a member of the school’s musical theater troupe.
Marquee Theater Company proudly opened their latest performance, Dreamgirls, at the West Boca Performing Arts Theater (in West Boca High School) this past Saturday, January 21, 2017. Director Andrew Shultz and choreographer Ben Solmor did a noteworthy job accurately and respectably chronicling this captivating tale.
Dreamgirls depicts the story of three women who all search for happiness and success in the music industry. With the help of their manager, they get the chance of a lifetime performing as backup singers for a national star. As they delve deeper into the twisted music industry, they abruptly learn just how high the cost of fame truly is.
The up-and-coming Marquee Theater Company is fortunate enough to have an across-the-board strong cast for this show. Their authentic energy, palpable throughout the entirety of the show, never faltered. This unique attribute was most definitely thanks to Alex Lugo (Deena), David Berry (Jimmy Early), and Kendra Williams (Effie). All mentioned characters exhibited remarkable stage presence that made a lasting impact on the audience.

Dreamgirls is on for two more shows at West Boca High – Friday, January 28th at 8 pm and Saturday, January 29th at 2 pm. Buy tickets online at the Marquee box office.

Alex Lugo truly is meant for the stage. Her presence alone creates an appealing and captivating ambiance; the audience can’t help but admire her as she effortless sings and gracefully acts. She has the inimitable talent to truly bring out empathy from the audience, making them really feel for her character.
David Berry presented a hilariously eccentric, yet charming charisma with his role as “Jimmy Early”. He kept his energy level high throughout the duration of the show, and this could be seen specifically in his number, “The Rap.” His character indubitably created a comedic relief for the show.
Kendra Williams stole the show with her performance as “Effie.” Williams, whom has been previously seen as Joanne in Rent, has an unequivocal aptitude for the theater arts. She portrayed her character with such emotional depth and authenticity that it is hard to believe that she, herself, is not Effie. Her show-stopping performance of “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going,” the closing of Act I, had the entire audience on their feet with profuse applause before she was even finished belting her last note.
The ensemble importantly added magnetism to the show. Though some characters lacked believability, overall, they truly enhanced the large group numbers. Harmonies were beautiful when they were not too soft to hear. Their costumes and wigs added to the credibility to the show without drawing too much attention from the characters themselves.
Dreamgirls is a show that you do not want to miss out on. Its entrancing storyline was notably told through a cast full of impressive “Dreams.” Marquee Theater Company may be up-and-coming, but it definitely is not one you should look past.

Review: Marquee Theater's Fiddler on the Roof

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We had the pleasure of seeing Fiddler on the Roof performed by the Marquee Theater Company. The professional show ran through October 16th at West Boca High’s theater. We caught it on the 15th.
They did a great job both in filling the house and in delivering their performance. The audience loved it.
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We saw lots of energy on the stage. The dream scene was particularly well done.
Tevye (Peter Librach) and Golde (Joanne Shultz) had outstanding chemistry. Erica Rose Dade glowed as Tzeitel.
Andrew Shultz and Ben Solmor yet again delivered quality theater to our local audience.
If I have a quibble, it’s Librach’s rendition of “If I Were a Rich Man”. I thought it was quirky but judging by the audience response I might be alone in that.
We hope our readers will forgive this late review. We saw one of the last performances of Fiddler on the Roof in October and any review would have been after the last performance.
We look forward to their upcoming performance of Dreamgirls, scheduled to start January 21st.
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Tickets are available at the Marquee Theater box office.

Let's Hear it for Footloose!

footloose1The Marquee Theater Company closed out their 2015-16 season yesterday with Footloose, the Musical. We really enjoyed the show. The musical, based on the movie, featured hit songs such as “Holding Out for a Hero,” “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” and “I’m Free/Heaven Help Me.” There were also new tunes including standouts  “I Can’t Stand Still” and “Somebody’s Eyes.”
Footloose is the story of Ren McCormack, a teenage boy who moves with his mother to the small town of Bomont. They are forced to leave Chicago after his Dad leaves them and move in with his Aunt and Uncle. Ren has a hard time adjusting especially when he finds out Reverend Shaw has convinced the town to outlaw dancing. Ariel, the Reverend’s daughter, is dealing with her own family tragedy. She and Willard help Ren in his attempts to change the law so the high school kids can have a school dance.
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Ariel played by Emily Tarallo and Ren played by James Giordano had great chemistry, particularly on their number “Almost Paradise.” We especially enjoyed Emily’s voice on “Holding Our for a Hero” and look forward to hearing her in future productions. The entire cast and crew, including 5 students from West Boca High’s Drama Department, did a great job. The dance numbers were a lot of fun and the music was upbeat.
The Marquee Theater Company has announced their 2016-17 season: Fiddler on the Roof (September 30-October 9), Dreamgirls (January 21-29) and Legally Blonde (May 6-14). To find out more about the Company, go to marqueetheatercompany.com.