By JULES SHINKLE
BG Independent News
Sam feels like she’s never been the one in the driver’s seat, always riding shotgun and never calling the shots.
We meet her on the morning of her departure for college, alone and frightened, behind the wheel of her departed best friend’s car. At the crossroads of her life, Sam accepts the pain of mourning in order to embrace the uncertainty of adulthood.
Horizon Youth Theatre is staging “The Mad Ones” by Kait Kerrigan and Bree Loudermilk, under the stage and musical direction of Kelly Frailly. Performances are Aug. 15-16 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 17 at 2 p.m. at the Star-Style Theater, located within the Woodland Mall at 1234 N. Main St., Bowling Green. Click here for tickets.
Sam (Calista Motisher) is filled with grief for Kelly (Alice Walters), whose loss earlier that year has left her feeling haunted and numb. At the beginning of her senior year, she is compelled by Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” and inspired by Kelly’s infectious, brazen attitude. She lusts for adventure and the freedom of being aimless on a road with no destination in mind.
Without Kelly though, being aimless now feels overwhelming. Sam is anxious, hesitant, and perhaps above all else – a terrible driver. She’s plagued with the feeling that without the firebrand in her life, she won’t have the will to hit the road and discover herself. She summons the memory of her best friend by retelling her senior year, hopeful that Kelly’s spirit can fill her with resolve.
Kelly’s ghost, ever jocular, wastes no time teasing Sam for getting cold feet right before her big adventure. She relishes the fact that class valedictorian Sam failed her driver’s test four times.
In her defense, Sam arguably had bigger fish to fry – namely, picking a college and navigating her love life. Her mom, Beverly (Aliyah Bridges), is an overbearing figure with big plans for her daughter’s future. She’s passed on her fierce intelligence to Sam and inadvertently instilled in her a paralyzing fear of disaster.
Sam’s boyfriend, Adam (Aidan Thomas), is content to stay put and take over for his dad’s shop after graduation. He’s sweet and pure-hearted, a foil to Kelly’s deviance and Beverly’s ambition.
Sam is pulled in all directions by her loved ones. She has important choices to make, but the pressure to conform is tearing her apart.
The cast’s musical talent should be highlighted. Motisher and Walters do an excellent job portraying the joys of friendship and rending heartbreak of loss through their performances. The score is emotionally charged throughout, full of sweeping melodies and lyricism written to pull at the heartstrings.
The people in Sam’s life have always voiced their wishes loud and clear. Kelly and Beverly’s assertive, decisive natures made it easy for Sam to just go along with whatever they wanted.
Sam is eager to chart her own path, even though she loved the thrill of being pulled along on Kelly’s wild rides. At the precipice of adulthood, she learns to take the wheel and drive into the unknown.
