Catch their last show of the season
By Paige Monopoli
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| The URI Theatre Department will hold an eight-show production of the modern-day cult classic “Ride the Cyclone” beginning April 17 in the Will Theatre in the URI Fine Arts Center. (URI Photo/Seth Jacobson) |
We’re familiar with cult classics, such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which have earned passionate fanbases for 50 years. Such unique artistic endeavors are defined by their transgressive or strange nature, leading to a niche following that keeps the story alive through rediscovery and admiration.
“Ride the Cyclone,” by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell,
entered the scene in 2009. It has emerged as the Gen Z musical theatre cult
classic of today. Originally available as a bootleg on YouTube and later on
TikTok, the musical earned millions of views. This online fame sparked strong
demand for productions in high schools, universities, and community theatres in
the United States, Canada, and Europe.
The University of Rhode Island Theatre Department’s production of the
musical opens an eight-show run on Friday, April 17, in the Robert
E. Will Theatre in the URI Fine Arts Center, 105 Upper College Road, on the
Kingston Campus. The play follows six teenagers from the St. Cassian High
School chamber choir in Uranium City, Saskatchewan, who died on a faulty roller
coaster called The Cyclone.
Each teen—Ocean, Noel, Mischa, Ricky, Jane, and Constance—tells their story in song to win a reward from The Amazing Karnac, a mechanical fortune teller: the chance to return to life.
The campy, playful musical is directed by URI Assistant
Theatre Professor Rachel
Walshe. Two student assistant directors, Jay Harkness (’27, theatre and art
history) and Parker Frenze (’27, theatre), also support the production.
“Young adults can easily relate to these characters; the
challenges of being a teenager. Several archetypes in the play are equal parts
audacious and campy, and really moving. I think one of the show’s virtues as a
piece of art is the balance between the untimely death of young people wrapped
in a silly premise,” Walshe said.
Musical director and alumna Emily Turtle; choreographer
Dante Sciarria; James
Horban, URI professor of lighting and design; and David Howard,
professor of costume design, are part of the creative team leading the “Ride
the Cyclone” production.
As with all Theatre Department shows, student participation
is integral at every step. Students in a stagecraft course, for example, will
learn the how and why behind techniques in the classroom, then put their new
skills to use by participating in set construction.
“Everything is from the ground up. People here are making
the impossible possible,” said Howard.
As Kayla Senn ’26, theatre, finishes her senior year, her
involvement in “Ride The Cyclone”is demanding. Alongside her academic course
load, she juggles roles as associate scenic designer, production stage manager,
assistant production manager, assistant projections designer, and student
technical director. Horban has been integral to her growth, and his support
over four years prepared her for this moment.
“Starting last August, I worked closely with James Horban,
the scenic designer, doing research, creating paperwork, and drafting ground
plans and ideas. I’ve also taken a class on motion graphic design to improve my
Adobe skills for projections work on this show. I wouldn’t be in this position
without James. I look up to him greatly; he is the best we have here,” Senn
said.
“Ride the Cyclone” is undoubtedly a singular,
expressive, and thrilling experience for creatives and audience members alike.
Beyond the fun and games of each distinct character and the songs that
accompany their lore lies a deeper message that sneaks up on us at all stages
of life. Cyclone encourages the characters and audience members to appreciate
the life we’re given, finding personal meaning, and confronting mortality.
Perhaps someday, a film version of “Ride the Cyclone” will
call hordes of fans dressed in The Amazing Karnak costumes to sing-along fairs,
demanding to be preserved in time and space for generations to come.
“Ride the Cyclone” runs April 17-18, 22-25 at 7:30 p.m.
and April 19 and 26 at 2 p.m. in the Robert E. Will Theatre at the Fine Arts
Center, 105 Upper College Road, Kingston Campus. Tickets are $22 for the
general public and $20 for senior citizens and URI students, faculty and staff.
Tickets can be purchased online, by
calling (401) 874-5843 or at the box office in Room 101H of the Fine Arts
Center.
Ride the Cyclone Cast
- Abraphine
Ngafaihspec (The Amazing Karnak)
- Olivia
Picard (Ocean O’Connell)
- Ethan
Clarke (Noel Gruber)
- David
Santana (Mischa Bachinski)
- Callum
Collard (Ricky Potts)
- Amelia
Connor-McCoy (Jane Doe)
- Cecelia
Savage (Constance)
