Sweet Charity Dazzles

It’s hard to imagine that KO’s theater department could top their stellar productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie (2020) and 9 to 5  (2022), which won the Halo Awards Best High School Musical, but indeed it did with a rollicking rendition of Sweet Charity, showcasing bravura performances and the extraordinary dancing of our students. Chock full of inventive and invigorating stagecraft, this show was an energizing blend of rousing songs, Fosse choreography, and witty dialogue.

The ebullient Charity, played with effervescence by McKenzie Campbell, is an unlucky-in-love dance hall hostess who yearns to find a good man.  After being thrown into the lake by a narcissistic cad, Charlie, whom she splurged with gifts, Charity retreats to the dance hall where her fellow dime-a-dance co-workers entice the customers with detached, come hither propositions in the sizzling number “Hey Big Spender.” Fosse’s iconic dance moves are on full display: the knocked knees, bent arms, artful slouch, and a tangle of stunningly sultry choreographed moves. 

Undeterred, Charity has a chance meeting with Italian heart-throb Vittorio, enhanced by Jacob Mapp’s pitch-perfect comedic timing, after he has a row with his paramour, Ursala. Vittorio entertains Charity at the swanky Club Pompeii, where they enjoy a quirky, groovy floorshow – perhaps one of the most incredible extended dance sequences – impeccably led with indifferent perfection by Avery Schiff. Charity and Vittorio head back to his apartment, where she sings “If They Could See Me Now” and playfully dons Vittorio’s keepsake top hat and walking stick. But, a remorseful Ursala arrives and reconciles with Vittorio while Charity hides in a closet. Back to the dance hall where the duo of Helene (Diya Mistri) and Nickie (Faith Potter), Charity’s heart-of-gold wise-cracking friends, lament their lot in life with their eye on their aspirations in There’s Gotta Be Better Than This – a number that takes its cue from West Side Story’s rooftop dance.

Act II opens with a meet-cute of Charity and the high-strung Oscar (Luke Roen) in an elevator that gets stuck between floors. Charity calms the claustrophobic Oscar, and the embers of their unlikely relationship slowly start to burn. However, Charity hides her profession from him, fearing that the buttoned-up Oscar will reject her. They attend a Rhythm of Life church revival under the bridge in NYC replete with hippies and a charismatic preacher Daddy (Zaire Ramiz),  while acolytes fly tie-dye banners and wear bell bottoms. Despite Charity’s employment, Oscar intends to marry her, and the group assembles in the dance hall for a celebration led by the proprietor Herman (Gordon Beck) in “I Love to Dance at Weddings.” Yet, ultimately, Oscar has cold feet, plagued by the reminder of the former men in her life. Our unstoppable optimistic Charity rallies in the reprise of If You Could See Me Now, accompanied by a marching band’s ingenious use of drumsticks to a synchronized pounding effect on the floor.

No amateur performance here; the production is genuinely top-tier, which belies the fact that this is a high school performance. Director of Theater Kyle Renolds left it all on the floor in this production, working with Broadway actor and Fosse dancer Stephanie Pope who workshopped some dance routines with the students. The stripped-down set utilized a few key elements to indicate the locale – retro bar, park bench, closet, cafe table, and the back of the stage was dominated by a floor-to-ceiling brass band to stunning effect. This sparseness only highlighted the on-point costuming, performances, and choreography. 

Local theater critic Jim Rouoco said, “Staging “Sweet Charity,” Kyle Reynolds, Director of Theater at Kingwood Oxford, brings a vigorous, kinetic energy to the production that produces spark and dash from a bygone era laced with plenty of sizzle, razzle-dazzle, smooth talk, irony, humor, and unstoppable juggernaut. Directorially, there’s notable precision and distinctive strength here mixed with the playful timber, motif, character, and facilitated subscription of traditional Broadway musical theatre. It all comes together seamlessly from scene to scene, song to song, and act to act. More importantly, it’s all swiftly incorporated into a 145-minute run… highlighted by perfectly timed scene changes, sound and light cues, and ace instrumental accompaniment by the orchestra. 

Kudos to the entire team – on stage and off.