By JULES SHINKLE
BG Independent News
The Bowling Green State University Department of Theatre and Film is presenting its annual Spring Concert, “In Bloom.”
The opening performance was Friday night in the Thomas B. and Kathleen M. Donnell Theatre in the Wolfe Center for the Arts. The final performance is tonight, Saturday, March 21, at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bgsu.edu/the-arts/tickets.html.
“In Bloom” features nine numbers performed by 40 dancers. The hour-long program is a mix of ensemble and solo works, primarily choreographed by Colleen Murphy, Tammy Metz Starr and Adrienne Letner. Murphy also directs the production.
The concert opens with the titular work “Bloom,” a colorful dance evoking the lushness of spring. Dancers in solid pastels rain from clouds and germinate from the earth to the lofi beats of L.Dre, YeYe, In Love With a Ghost, and Nori. Cast members include Anna Danzeisen, Gabrielle Guyton, Rachel Heinz, Kelie Howell, Gina Marra, Kate Prindle, Jenna Smith, Emma Sturzinger and Jasmine Warren.
Two tap dances punctuate the recital. First is the light-hearted sing-along “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson. The cast includes Marissa Dawson, Skylar Dixon, Ella Grebey, Lizzie High, Keira Owens, Julia Snider and Ella Snow. The second tap dance, titled “On Your Feet,” is set to the future funk bop “Bustin’ Out by GRiZ ft. Bootsy Collins. Cast members are Katherine Ash, Madeline Beers, Rylee Blackburn, Avery Charville, Hallie Hartung, Kate Prindle and Emma Sturzinger.
Where the tap and ensemble dances showcase incredible group coordination, the two solo numbers by BGSU faculty highlight the individuals’ expressive talents.
“Home,” by Stephannie Gearhart, is a meditation on the spaces where heartbreak and longing still linger. The wistful indie rock song “505” by Arctic Monkeys underscores Gearhart’s sense of grief.
Conversely, Tammy Metz Starr’s “Daisy Days” is a gleeful romp bursting with child-like playfulness. Paired with the romantic piano compositions of Frederic Chopin and Tommaso Giordani, Starr bounds puddle to puddle through light rain. She eventually discards her bright yellow umbrella and rain boots in favor of a flower crown.
Starr also choreographed the three-movement ensemble dance “Past Due.” The work is set to the folk protest music of Ani DiFranco. Each dancer holds books close to them, betraying reservations about sharing with others. The need to cooperate wins out in the end – their collective show of strength made possible through camaraderie. The cast includes Katherine Ash, Madeline Beers, Kyra Bond, Aislyn DeCrane, Skylar Dixon, Nathan Glover, Jenna Hanson, Kaden Hohman, Kamryn Marcha, Jillian Marroquin, Sammi Martin, Lily Molina and Leah Taylor.
Closing out the performance is Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr. Blue Sky,” choreographed by Murphy. The iconic classic rock rhapsody captures the joy of leaving winter behind with a collective sigh of relief. The cast includes Melissa Ali, Elizabeth Allen, Nathan Glover, Rachel Heinz, Ashlynn Jacobs, Sammi Martin, Kelly McElroy, Lily Molina, Leah Taylor and Jasmine Warren.
Celebrate the changing of seasons with a rite of spring – hopefully, there won’t be any more dustings of snow to shake off.
