“Cutthroat, comedic, and camp,” is how the cast describes the upcoming production of Ruthless! The Musical.
The show is directed by Seth Black-Diamond (12), assistant directed by Madeleine Mishkin (11), and features a talented student cast. The show will open this Thursday and run through the weekend.
While trying to find a show to produce, Black-Diamond specifically searched for shows with smaller casts. Ultimately, casting was a group decision between Black-Diamond and his peers.
“[For the] amount of people, it’s a smaller musical, but it really feels like a huge musical,” Black-Diamond said.
As for the plot, the show follows the story of an eight-year-old girl named Tina as she auditions for a part in her school play. Tina doesn’t get the part and what follows is a series of chaotic events demonstrating the lengths Tina is willing to go to in order to be a star.
“When I was reading [the script] for the first time, there were some things that I never would have expected, and it’s just hilarious,” Emily Six (11) said. Six plays Sylvia St. Croix, Tina’s talent agent. “I just love how funny and witty it is,” Six said.
The cast and crew all agree that something that makes Ruthless! unique is the audience interaction written into the script. There are many bits throughout the production that incorporate props, audience members, and water guns.
“It’s really fun and really engaging,” Black-Diamond said.
While it can be difficult to put up a show in any amount of time, the actors’ commitment to the musical has gotten them show-ready in just five weeks. The cast and crew behind Ruthless! share passion for their craft, and the effort they have put into preparing the show has brought them all closer together.
“[We] could not have asked for a better cast to put on the show with,” Mishkin said.
Working alongside one another has been a bonding experience for the actors, and overcoming challenges has helped them grow.
“I’m grateful for the relationships we’ve built,” Six adds, “Off of the struggles, and things not going perfectly. The bond that we have– I don’t think it can be replicated.”
Ruthless! will run on Thursday September 28th, Friday September 29th, and Saturday September 30th. The showtimes will be at 7:00 p.m., along with an additional 2:00 p.m. show on Saturday.
