Review: WAISTWATCHERS, THE MUSICAL at Lakewood Cultural Center

Art, above all, is subjective. It can be anything and everything if artistic intent is the drive behind the creation. With that in mind, art can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and quality. Such was the case for the touring production of Waist Watchers, The Musical at Lakewood Cultural Center.

Running 95 minutes with no intermission, Waist Watchers, The Musical introduces its audience to four women of various backgrounds that come together to exercise at Cook's Women's Gym. Carla, Miss Cook herself, is single and ready to mingle. Connie is looking to bring the spice back into her marriage. Cindy is recently divorced and trying to find herself again. Cheryl is a wife whose husband recently discovered the joys of Viagra. The general premise of the show has the makings of a light-hearted, yet still impactful, musical performance. What was ultimately built upon this foundation was not that of a fully realized production.

There are a lot of problems with this show, namely the book and lyrics by Alan Jacobson. This, mixed with cheap jokes and cheap blocking (Direction by Matt Silva), made for a weak production. For what it's worth, I'm also not sure how I feel about a musical about female empowerment being written from a man's perspective.

The individual performances by Krissy Johnson (Cheryl), Kiley L. McDonald (Carla), Meagan Michelson (Cindy), and Eleonore S. Thomas (Connie) were strong in that they portrayed "realized" versions of the characters they played. It does not however negate the fact that the source material is less than sub-par. I struggle with finding the value of parody musicals in the theater canon. It is unfortunate that the fine talents of these actors are not being utilized to their greatest extent.

Waist Watchers, The Musical plays at Lakewood Cultural Center August 8-26. For tickets, call the box office at (303) 987-7845 or visit https://lakewood.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=315.

Photo Courtesy of WaistWatchers, The Musical