The new location for the Take Part Theater Company is at Hawley Lane Mall in Trumbull, Connecticut. Mitchell Winebaum is the Founder and Director. Barry Libowitz is the Head of Youth Development, and Damien Soler is the Chief Technical Officer. Together, the trio launched their first production in their new location, “Ride the Cyclone,” a musical by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. I attended Saturday evening’s performance, and had the pleasure of witnessing a sincere retelling of this haunting tale—clearly resonating with the zealous Gen Z audience members present.
“Ride the Cyclone” is about five teenagers from a high school choir who die in a roller coaster accident. They find themselves stuck at the carnival and unable to pass on to the other side. They are guided by a mechanical fortune teller, The Amazing Karnak, who says that one of them may return to the land of the living, if they can unanimously decide who deserves it most. The musical then unfolds as each teen pleads his or her case, or reveals internal conflicts unresolved in life.
The cast, directed by Mitchell Winebaum, is packed with young, local talent who take us on a “roller-coaster ride” of the emotional turmoil teens face. The audience hears their problems in real time and the emotional gravity with which they each tell their story lets us know how much these issues matter to them. Each performer is able to handle the vocal demands well bringing excellence to their characters’ solo moments. However, despite the performers’ clear vocal talents, lyrics were lost when pre-recorded tracks were too loud. As Take Part Theater Company grows, it would be great to see an investment in individual vocal mics that can be used to showcase all the great talent on stage.
The set, designed by Damien Soler, is minimal, allowing lighting, projections, and costumes to carry much of the storytelling. The varied colors of wood that were used were an interesting choice, and played into the Funhouse theme when lit on stage. Though there are moments when the stage lighting leaves the actors in darkness, it is unclear whether these are intentional mood choices or simple technical missteps. Either way, when the lighting complements the action and set, especially with glowing carnival bulbs and a striking red Funhouse-style centerpiece, it makes bold statements, as did the projections used throughout. These digital images not only helped introduce each character, but also brought an immersive energy to the production.
Beyond the performance itself, the production offers fun thematic concessions with carnival-style popcorn. However, I wished for a printed program, bulletin board outside the theatre, or a posted QR code to read cast bios of these local and emerging superstars—two of whom I recognized from Sacred Heart and Bunnell High School—Sage Sperling (Ricky) and Stephen Calzone (Noel Gruber). Both offered hilarious show-stopping moments, but the other characters did too—I just don’t know their names to recognize them officially.
“Ride the Cyclone” at Take Part Theater Company’s new home marks a hopeful start and demonstrates a sincere commitment to cultivating local, young talent with an accessible ticket price point for the audience of just $12.00 for Students and $14 for Adults. As an audience member, it feels amazing to watch young adults who just graduated high school or are attending college engaged together in a show they love, for an audience of peers who adore both the show and them too. Kudos to Mitchell, Barry, Damien, the cast, the crew, and everyone involved in giving rising artists in our local area a safe place to perform, support one another, and most importantly—tell the stories they want to tell.
Let’s hope the ride continues...
“Ride the Cyclone” will run through Sunday, August 17th (4 PM) at Hawley Lane Mall in Trumbull, CT. Tickets can be purchased online at: https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/take-part-theatre-company/689164fd3e628a3bccf37551