March 29, 2024

Dancers ‘Bring It’ to Broadway

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Seven Tony Award winners have pooled their resources to “Bring It On,” and their efforts were not in vain.

Loosely inspired by the “Bring It On” movie franchise, “Bring It On: The Musical” — now showing at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines — combines a fresh story, entertaining musical numbers and extremely high-energy dance choreography and cheerleading stunts to wow audiences in this new Broadway musical.

The show’s protagonist is Campbell (Taylor Louderman), a kind-hearted cheer captain itching to lead her Truman High School squad to nationals when her world is turned upsidedown due to redistricting. She leaves behind her best friends, Skylar and Kylar, hilariously portrayed by Kate Rockwell and Janet Krupin, and her new protégé, the seemingly sweet and adorable Eva (Elle McLemore), and enters the frighting new world of Jackson High, an urban school that (gasp!) has no cheerleading squad. When a series of unfortunate events mysteriously lands Eva in the role of cheer captain at Truman High — as well as the new gal pal of Campbell’s boyfriend, Steven (Neil Haskell of “So You Think You Can Dance”) — Campbell smells sabotage and is determined to challenge the deceitful Eva.

With the help of the former Truman mascot, Bridget (Ryann Redmond), who is plunged alongside Campbell into Jackson High thanks to redistricting, Campbell approaches her new school’s dance divas — Danielle (Adrienne Warren), Nautica (Ariana DeBose) and the cross-dressing La Cienega (Gregory Haney) — for their friendship and dance skills. Danielle’s “crew” does not readily accept Campbell, and Danielle tests Campbell be offering her a humbling role as Jackson’s mascot. Campbell, however, struts around in the Leprechaun suit with style and wins the respect of Danielle’s crew, which she then recruits to form a cheer squad.

A major strength of “Bring It On” lies not only is its dance and stunt choreography but in the enhancement of each by the lighting and music. But it is the cast of musical theater performers working alongside professional dancers and cheerleaders that “brings it” to the audience. Texas native Courtney Corbeille, an ensemble cast member highlighted in the playbill, said the line between professional actor and cheerleader blurred in just four weeks of rehearsals in New York, with the cheerleaders singing backup and the actors demonstrating competitive cheering skills at the high school and even college level. While the show’s main characters, like Louderman and Warren, perform the most vocally difficult pieces, and the ensemble cast of professional cheerleaders handles the most jaw-dropping stunts, the combination of the two makes “Bring It On” explosive. The set is simple but effective, with moving screens to provide backdrops and an abundance of lights, and the cast had a packed house at the Civic Center on its feet to give thunderous applause even when the first ensemble cast members took a bow.

Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday and 2 p.m. Saturday. For ticket information, visit the Civic Center's website at www.civiccenter.org. Game on!