BWW JR: KATY PERRY: PART OF ME- Not Since Truth or Dare

There was a time when the world was much simpler and I went to the movie theatre (because we didn't have a VCR in my dorm room at NYU and were DVDs even invented yet?) and watched Madonna's Truth or Dare.  Three times.  In two days.  I understand the appeal of the pop-mogul tour documentary.  So when my daughter and I were invited to an advance screening of Katy Perry: Part of Me, Katy Perry's all-access, 3-D, "backstage pass" to her year long "California Dreams Tour", I knew we couldn't pass it up.

The movie did not disappoint, especially for a lover of spectacle.  As a performer, I can really appreciate Perry's unstoppable drive and ambition.  Her explosive performances and endless creativity are something to be admired, even if she's not your style.  As a mother, I was happy to bring my daughter to a film about a woman who set her goals high and achieved them, even when the going got tough. 

Part of Me takes us back to Perry's early years as the daughter of Evangelical Preachers, through the beginnings of her self-admitted "rebel phase", to LA for the rocky start of her eventually successful singing career.  And successful is putting it mildly.  Katy Perry is in fact the first woman in music history to produce five Number One singles off a single album.  She did it with her hit album "Teenage Dream".  The only other artist to achieve this has been Michael Jackson. 

And so we watch as Katy rehearses, Katy Tweets, Katy works out with her trainer while her entourage (they call themselves "Team Perry") create digital sound effects on a website called "The Ultimate Fart Soundboard", and yes, we watch as Katy gets her heart broken….seemingly via text message…by now ex-husband, British comedian Russell Brand. 

Everyone who reads this column knows I'm a sucker for a good anti-bullying message, and that's what the film tries to model.  It opens and closes with testimonials from fans explaining how Katy taught them to express themselves and that it's OK to be different.  Between that and the candy-colored sets and costumes that adorn her live show, it's like being shot with an arrow of Katy Perry-ness.  And we love it.

Needless to say, my daughter adored the film and has now placed Perry on a pedestal I once reserved for the likes of Cyndi Lauper and Edie Brickell.  Because of some slightly "racy" dance moves and the very adult divorce situation, the movie is rated PG but I didn't have a problem with any of it for my eight year old. 

GET TO THE POINT, MOM!

-A documentary style, backstage pass to Katy Perry's year-long "California Dreams" tour and a mini biography.

-Fun for kids and parents who like pop and spectacle.

-Best for ages eight and up.

-For more information including theatres, visit the show's website: http://www.katyperrypartofme.com/.

-Ultimate Fart Soundboard.  Seriously.

@BroadwayWorldJr

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