Theater Review: The Marvelous Wonderettes

From April 4-6, St. John’s Theatre performed their spring musical, The Marvelous Wonderettes. It is about four girls who are in a high school a cappella group that performs at their high school prom, and then again at their high school reunion.

As soon as you walked into the auditorium, you could tell that there was a lot of work put into this production, as the set looked amazing with colorful balloons and decorations strung around the stage, perfectly mirroring an old school dance. Furthermore, the costumes throughout the play were what you would expect teenagers, and then later on young adults, to be wearing.

Despite the plot lacking the depth seen in musicals like Mamma Mia or The Lion King, there was a consistent quest to find love and a theme of friendship that was woven throughout the show. For instance, two of the girls, Betty Jean and Cindy Lou, continuously fought over a boy during their prom, weakening their friendship. However, during their reunion, they reconcile their differences and once again become best friends. Additionally, funny jokes had been integrated throughout.

Perhaps the best part of the musical, which comes as no surprise, was the musical numbers. They sang nostalgic classics such as Please Mr. Postman and Lollipop that the audience would recognize and sing along with in their heads. The four leads, Kate McLoughlin ’19, Kiley Dollymore ’20, Allie Rappel ’21, and Sophie Ryan ’19, did a great job hitting their high notes, remembering their lines, and wowing the audience with their acting. The glee club, or the rest of the chorus, made it seem as if there were professional backup singers performing.

Mr. Emerson, the director of the musical, did a great job putting the production together. From ensuring the stage crew finished the set, to modifying the musical numbers, you can tell he, as well as everyone else, put a lot of effort and care into it.