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In "My Unauthorized Hallmark Movie Musical" we meet a writer who is attempting to write a story for a Hallmark Movie contest. The audience gets a front-row seat to the imagination of a live performer as the characters in her struggling script come to life, interacting with her through multimedia. There is song, some dance, and many comedic quips in this feel-good musical as the characters on film help her to revitalize a dream long held but never realized. The songwriter has composed some musical ditties for this frivolous, fractured, and fun musical where,of course, love always wins. Eloise Coopersmith is the writer of the book and the lyrics, with music by Roxanna Ward. The musical numbers include "Cheesy," "True Love's Kiss," and "Love is a Risky Business." I could easily relate to The Writer as she sang "pity the poor writer" in the song "Blocked." I can't say that I frequently watch Hallmark movies, but I certainly know their reputation. The live performer admits that the channel is her guilty pleasure and sports a Hallmark movie sweatshirt that she wears backwards while on Zoom. The movie within the musical fits the type, with many of the requisite elements in many Hallmark films. It is all very cute and admittedly "Cheesy," so don't go expecting any depth to the action. There is the requisite heroine, a dream and nightmare sequence, a best friend chat, and a girl power message. Also expect actors preparing for a production of "Peter and the Wolf," "portals of light" and two men stuck up in a tree chased by wolves. It is fun to watch the interaction of the live actor with her characters in the filmed projections. Hallmark devotees will probably appreciate more of the humor than I did.
The musical is clearly set during the pandemic shut downs, with the live actor working from home when not writing her script. Perhaps having the other performers work unmasked on film was a nod to the process during COVID, although it certainly will make it easier to move the production to other venues. The show was first produced in December of 2021 in Hollywood. I would have liked to see the pandemic woven throughout the show, but I am probably in the minority. Directed by Legacy co-founder and Artistic Director, Keely Baisden Knudsen, this innovative musical features the live performance of Equity member Anne Runolfsson, who has spent the past 30 years working in the theater on Broadway. She magically interacts with multimedia video performances by eight musical performers.
Nina Herzog leads the virtual cast as Emma, Benjamin Perez plays the villain Maestro, Andrew Joseph Perez is the handsome Prince Hollister (known as Holly,) Jim Blanchette plays a tavern owner and Spirit VO, Tess Adams is Hannah, and Monika Pena, Maggie Howell, Samantha Labrecque are dancers Patti, Maxine and Laverne respectively.
The virtual actors converse, sing, and dance with the character of Anne through the magic of multimedia, directed by Crissy Guerrero. It is fun to watch the interaction of the live actor with her characters in the filmed projections, even singing a duet with one. I liked the variety of the musical genres, and I found all of the musical tracks to be well-produced. Some of the lyrics were a bit of a stretch and the lip synching was often out of sync.
The set up of the Legacy stage is unique in that there is a main video screen that fills the back wall of the stage, with two tv monitors stage left and stage right. The monitors sit among the pieces of furniture in the writer's apartment. The main character bounces among them. Kelly Michael Reed is credited as lighting designer/projections and manages to keep the lights from wiping out the projections.
"My Unauthorized Hallmark Movie Musical" allows us to escape into the magic of a romance movie fantasy and celebrate the joys of the Hallmark Channel. It is presented without an intermission and runs about 90 minutes. "My Unauthorized Hallmark Movie Musical" runs August 11-13. All tickets $45. Book and Lyrics by Eloise Coopersmith, Music by Roxanna Ward and Starring Broadway's Anne Runolfsson legacytheatrect.org/2022-new-works-series
Next up at Legacy is Broadway's Kathryn Allison this Sunday at 2pm. Allison explores and celebrates the two musical institutions that made her the artist who she is today. Join her as she weaves and intersects these worlds, featuring classics like "Summertime," "Midnight Train to Georgia," and more.
Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.
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