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It's Lysistrata meets High School Musical as
Give it Up! gives Aristophanes' 2000-year-old
groundbreaker a hilarious contemporary spin.
Playwright Douglas Carter Beane , composer/lyricist
Lewis Flinn, and director/choreographer Dan
Knechtges send the classic Greek comedy to college.
Watch the cheerleaders and the team fight, dance,
dribble and ultimately fall in love when they
"give it up." - (from production notes)
GIVE IT UP! could be the wittiest,
laugh out loud musical I have seen in years
as it combines the elements of Greek comedies
with jabs at pop culture and current events.
Centered around modern day Athens University
where a curse has caused the basketball team
to go winless the guys have decided to no longer
try. When their cheerleader girlfriends decide
that they will no longer "give it up"
until the team stops giving up, hilarity ensues.
I attribute the success of this production
to three things. One is the writing which is
sharp and fun. Sure cheerleaders are easy to
make fun of but they do it in a way that seems
fresh. The subtle use of stereotypes blended
well with the overall Greek flare making it
truly enjoyable. Second and third are the performances
by Mikel and Chambers. Liz Mikel
(Hetairai Johnson) is superb as the madam of
a local brothel . She is a muse to these young
girls as they try and work through this issue
of celibacy. As with her past performances she
brings much needed flash and soul to the stage.
Certainly the strongest vocalist in the cast
and this time she gets a chance to show off
her comic side as well. And I do mean, "show
off". Lindsay Nicole Chambers
(Robin Smythe) plays the nerdy, anti-cheerleader
feminist who joins forces with her rivals to
help them make a stand. She plays her character
in this awkward, brainy way that is both hilarious
and endearing. She steals every scene she is
in with genuine skill. Whether the attempts
at dancing or the homage to poetry slams, her
character is the one you keep an eye on throughout.
The production and scene changes are quick
and slick. They utilize every inch of the stage
but without the clutter. This allows you to
focus on the characters and the wit. The cast
is spot on when it comes to timing and delivery
of the spoken lines. Some of the comedy even
seemed improv but was not forced or stiff. They
would catch you off guard and then sling out
a remark that you never anticipated. As strong
as the writing and dialouge are the musical
performances sadly fall a bit short. Though
well acted, when it came time for the vocal
numbers it did sound a little too much like
a high school musical. Not so much that you
cringe but enough that fans of solid, well defined
vocals will find fault.
Parents should keep in mind that this production
is probably intended for those 16 and over.
Though it never crosses the line of indecency
it does deal candidly with college sex.
I highly recommend it for those who appreciate
unique humor and sarcastic wit. Memorable characters
and solid writing make up for the lack of musical
skill in this one. A slam dunk for sure.
-Matt Mungle
Some sexual situations, suggestive dialogue,
and sexy cheerleaders!
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